Yours Lawfully Podcast

‘There’s a historic perception that people who buy the lower price dupe were never going to buy the branded product anyway’ 

Whether you’re chronically online or a staunch high street shopper, you are bound to have encountered a dupe. They have become an unavoidable aspect of shopping, with many consumers being actively praised for finding them. Navigating them in the context of intellectual property law has proven to be challenging, with the rise of social media accelerating the need for it to keep up.  

In this episode, which was produced by qLegal for the TMT institute, we are joined by Deniz Toker, a Trademark Associate, and Kerri Ann Hazzard, a Senior Trademark Attorney, both at Baker McKenzie. In our conversation, Toker and Hazzard discuss how dupe culture emerged, social media’s influence on dupe culture, changing consumer behaviour and psychology, and what IP avenues brands can use to take action against dupes.  

In this episode of Yours Lawfully, we explore the legal and social implications of 5G and edge computing - two technologies reshaping how we connect and communicate. From intellectual property battles over FRAND licensing to complex questions of data ownership in edge environments, our discussion highlights the challenges at the intersection of law, technology, and society. We also examine pressing issues of regulation, cybersecurity, and global rollout, including lessons from past controversies like the Huawei ban. Join us as we connect the dots between innovation and responsibility in the rapidly evolving world of 5G and beyond. 

In this episode of Yours Lawfully, we explore how the telecom industry is navigating the growing demand for sustainability in a fast-changing regulatory environment. With guest Jackie Esono, Regulatory Advisor at Wiggin, we discuss the policies and directives driving energy efficiency, renewable adoption, and Environmental, Social, Governance transparency. From compliance with frameworks like the EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive to the risks of greenwashing and non-compliance, we unpack the legal pressures shaping telecom’s future. Join us as we examine how regulation, accountability, and innovation intersect to build a greener, more responsible telecom industry. 

In this episode of Yours Lawfully, we explore the rise of bots and AI-generated content, alongside our guests Meghan Higgins and Lucia Doran from Pinsent Masons. We discuss the impact of AI on creativity and misinformation, and the legal challenges of regulating this digital shift. From streaming fraud to chatbot liability, we unpack how the law is responding to an increasingly automated online world.

"As with any disruptive technology, the rise of AI brings more than just excitement and also raised some big questions around ethics as well ethics, ownership and fairness."

In the second part of this episode, we’re once again joined by Jackie Yiheng Lu, a doctoral researcher in Intellectual Property Law at Queen Mary University of London. 

Together with the episode hosts, Jackie unpacks pressing questions: Do audiences notice AI in film—and does it matter if they do? How does AI affect the value we place on traditional art? Can widespread AI usage flatten creative diversity or harm niche cultural expression?

The episode explores global inconsistencies in authorship and copyright law, whether disclosure of AI usage should be mandatory, and how artists might protect their legacy in an age of digital replication. From The Irishman, and Forrest Gump to Ghibli-style fan remakes, Jackie examines how AI-enhanced storytelling differs from full AI-generated works—and the consequences that follow.

"It opens up the door to thinking about AI not just as a tool of efficiency, but a new kind of creative, collaborative or generator of experimental content."

In this episode of Yours Lawfully, we’re joined by Jackie Yiheng Lu, a doctoral researcher at Queen Mary University of London, specialising in Intellectual Property Law with a focus on moral rights and AI-generated content (AIGC). Drawing on his background in both law and engineering, Jackie offers a unique perspective on how AI is transforming the creative process—from scriptwriting and voice synthesis to deepfakes and digital doubles.

Jackie dives into the origins of AI in film, from early use cases like Fast & Furious and Sunspring to today’s increasingly sophisticated tools. He reflects on how AI impacts cultural expression, challenges the value of artistic labour, and raises fairness concerns when AI-assisted performances enter award competitions.

The conversation also touches on the cultural implications of homogenised AI outputs, the difficulties in recognising true authorship, and the UK’s unique legal position on computer-generated works—where authorship may be assigned to those making “necessary arrangements,” even without direct creative input.

*Please note, this is two-part episode. The second part will be released on 3rd September, a change to schedule as recorded.

‘We need less of pretty dresses and draping and getting any fabric & we need more of designers stepping out, going into laboratories, going into greenhouses, going into these real places and looking for ways that we can find our common problems and our common solutions together.’

Fashion is trendy, fashion is glamorous, fashion is expressive. But have you thought about how fashion can be more? When we look beyond our individual style and what fashion means to the Earth, the words that come to mind might not be as exciting. As an industry, the fashion world is one of the most environmentally damaging in the world. Yet, the trillion-dollar industry remains one of the most profitable, publicised and alluring. 

So… how do we reconcile the fashion world and the environmental interests? 

Join us in today’s episode with the incredible Ms. Silvia Acién,, founder and creative director of ACIEN, a regenerative fashion knitwear brand that is challenging the status quo of fashion production. Together, we explore the fundamental changes that we must start implementing collectively to enjoy fashion without penalising the planet. 

We reflect on past cases where fashion giants have clashed with eco - friendly initiatives, and Silvia shares her own practices, journey and values, persuading us to find inspiration all around us. Sometimes, all it takes to imbibe sustainability in our industries is a shift in mindset - and a little teamwork!

Welcome back to the second part of our episode with Professor Johanna Gibson from Queen Mary University of London. With a PhD from the University of Edinburgh and a Juris Doctor from the University of Queensland, Professor Gibson helped us tackle legal issues regarding the current state of animal rights, and discuss what the future may hold in this evolving landscape. 

“Sentience is in many respects a threshold concept so that means that you reach a certain level of sentience and you get protection. Where is that level and how do we decide it? … There are examples of sentience in invertebrates and in insects and yet why do we not address that in the welfare laws?”

From the famous Monkey Selfie Case to the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, we explore how technological advancements and our growing understanding of animal sentience could reshape legal personhood.

In this first episode, we were joined by Professor Johanna Gibson from Queen Mary University of London. With a PhD from the University of Edinburgh and a Juris Doctor from the University of Queensland, Professor Gibson helped us tackle legal issues regarding the current state of animal rights, and discuss what the future may hold in this evolving landscape. 

“If used in the right way, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has an incredible potential to help detect, prevent, and deter greenwashing”.  

The practice of greenwashing has affected the ability of consumers and investors to determine whether the products and companies which they support are indeed environmentally sound. With the evolution and accessibility of AI, it is a question whether how can this technology be an effective tool in detecting greenwashing claims made by corporations.  

In this episode, which was produced by qLegal for the TMT Institute, we are joined by Mr. Shashwat Patel. Shashwat is a tri-qualified senior lawyer with over 15 years of experience specializing in corporate and AI transactions. In our conversation, Shashwat discusses the recent breakthroughs and trends in AI, as well as the potential and challenges of using the said innovation in checking environmental and sustainability claims.