“I felt really challenged.”

Honor, what motivates you personally and professionally? Tell us about your career path so far.

Honor Felisberto

When I began my studies, one of my goals was to combine my passion for law with my interest in art. I’ve always been very into art in general. When I was younger, I played music, I danced and I did drama – lots of art-related activities. I still dance, and I like to visit exhibitions and museums. That’s how I got into copyright law and why I did my thesis in this field.

Alongside my studies, I’ve had several professional roles: I’ve worked for law firms and courts, namely for the criminal court and the employment tribunal. I also spent time at King’s College in London doing research for my thesis. I think these experiences gave me a good insight into all the areas that I’m interested in and into different legal systems even before I started the internship at the IPI.

You certainly have an impressive amount of academic and professional experience for your age. What made you decide to do a six-month internship at the IPI?

Around six years ago, I met a former IPI intern. Today, he’s a lawyer, specialising in intellectual property (IP). I told him that I also intended to specialise in this field, and he said that the internship at the IPI was an excellent way to gain experience and start a career in IP. From then on, my plan was to work at the IPI. So I looked for information on the website, read interviews with previous interns and got in touch with some of them. They all encouraged me to apply.

Your internship started in the area of trade marks before moving on to general law. What did you learn and what were your main experiences?

When I joined the IPI, I mainly had theoretical knowledge of trade mark and copyright law. I was therefore hoping to see how it’s implemented on the ground and to gain practical experience. However, the internship also allowed me to discover other areas, such as geographical indications and international cooperation, not to mention the IPI’s work at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and with the federal administration. I really appreciated being given responsibility and being able to contribute my own experience. The mutual exchange of knowledge and experience in all areas of IP has been invaluable.

What were some highlights of the internship? What did you like most about the job and the people?

The visit to WIPO was a highlight. I got to take part in a day of discussions between different countries and representatives of IP organisations from around the world on various issues in the field of copyright – my area of interest. Another significant event was participating in an Executive Board meeting, during which I gave a presentation at the request of one of the board members. I really appreciated being involved in these key moments in the development of IP and the IPI. Finally, my end-of-internship presentation was also an important milestone. I chose to share a chapter of my thesis with my colleagues at the IPI, focusing on the concept of style in current copyright law in the digital age. On a more personal note, I’d like to emphasise that I was made to feel very welcome at the IPI, and that I was fully integrated into the teams. I also really enjoyed the social events outside of work, such as the visit to the Christmas market.

Is there anything else about your internship that you’d like to underline?

Yes, there is. You might think that internships at the IPI are targeted more at young graduates who’ve just completed a master’s degree in law, with the aim of giving them a foot in the door of the professional world and the opportunity to specialise. Looking back, I’ve realised that the internships at the IPI are unique and practically tailor-made. There isn’t really a standard process – the teams adapt to you. That’s a very important point. Even if, like me, you already have additional training or work experience, an internship at the IPI is still very rewarding. I feel like I’ve learnt a lot because I’ve also been assigned tasks with a bit more responsibility and slightly tighter deadlines. I felt really challenged.

What are your plans for the future? What do you want to do after your internship?

After the internship here, I’m going to travel a bit. In March, I’ll start a legal internship at a firm in Lausanne. Then, if all goes well, I’d like to practise as a lawyer, at least initially, in the field of IP and innovation law. I’m interested in learning more about new technologies. And then, in the long term, I’d also like to teach at a university. I really like the idea of passing on knowledge and skills to others.