Dr Wellett Potter

Lecturer - School of Law

Wellett Potter

Email: wpotter2@une.edu.au

Biography

Dr Wellett Potter is a lecturer at the School of Law at the University of New England, Armidale. A proud UNE alumna, she became a full-time staff member in 2022, after being conferred with her PhD in law in March 2021. Prior to 2022, she spent eleven years as a sessional academic at the UNE School of Law, being involved in over 25 law units.

Her PhD thesis specialised in intellectual property, examining the copyright protection of databases in the fourth industrial era. Her passion for research stems from a deep curiosity about intellectual property, copyright law and the emerging challenges through the use of artificial intelligence and technology. The interplay between technologies (such as artificial intelligence) and copyright in new contexts fascinates her, as the world enters this fourth industrial era. She is excited to continue pursuing her research interests and looks forward to contributing to society’s understanding of these issues through peer-reviewed articles, conference presentations and community engagement activities.

Dr Potter enjoys teaching and her teaching philosophy encompasses supporting individual student learning journeys. She influences, motivates and inspires students with her passion for the law while imparting the requisite core legal skills to prepare job-ready graduates. Her hope is that her students reach their full potential and succeed in their studies. Current teaching commitments include undergraduate teaching in the Priestly unit LAW100 Foundations of Law and an elective unit LAW323 Intellectual Property Law. She also teaches Masters students in LLM533 Fundamentals of Australia’s Common Law System and LLM523 Intellectual Property Law. In the past, she has taught and coordinated LAW131 Torts. She is delighted to also be a principal and co-supervisor for higher-degree research (HDR) candidates (PhD & LLM (Research)) as well as undergraduate Honours students.

An active and enthusiastic member of the UNE community, she is the Chair of the School of Law’s First Year Committee, which specialises in addressing issues particular to first-year units. She is also a member of the following committees: the School of Law’s Communications Committee, the Education Committee, SABL’s Innovator’s Group, and SABL’s Teaching-Focused Committee, as well as a participant in the Dean’s Mentoring Program.

Qualifications

BA(Music)/LLB(Hons I)(UNE), PhD (UNE)

Awards

  • School Citation for “Excellence in a Team-Teaching Approach that Supports Individualised Learning Journeys by Influencing, Motivating and Inspiring First-Year Students to Study Law” with Ms Carlie Drew (June 2023)
  • Teaching Commendation for LAW100 unit co-ordination Foundations of Law, (Trimester 2, 2022)
  • Teaching Commendation for LAW100 unit co-ordination Foundations of Law, (Trimester 1, 2022)
  • Teaching Commendation for LAW131 unit co-ordination Torts, (Trimester 3, 2021)
  • Teaching Commendation for LAW100 unit co-ordination Foundations of Law, (Trimester 1, 2021)
  • Bob Hughes Prize for Law (2019)
  • Winner of the G C O’Donnell Prize for the Best Essay in Copyright at the 17th Biennial Copyright Law and Practice Symposium (2015)
  • Awarded the opportunity to participate as a “Leader of Tomorrow” in the St. Gallen Wings of Excellence Award at the 44th St. Gallen Symposium, University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland (2014)
  • Inaugural winner of the Kevin Lindgren Prize for Best Student Presentation on Copyright at the 15th Biennial Copyright Law & Practice Symposium (2011)
  • New England Award (2010)
  • DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) scholarship holder to attend a European Study Seminar - Encounter Europe: An European Studies Seminar for Students from Australia and New Zealand – Third Winter Academy at the European Academy, Otzenhausen, Germany (December 2009)

Teaching Areas

  • LAW100 Foundations of Law
  • LLM533 Fundamentals of Australia’s Common Law System
  • LAW323 Intellectual Property Law
  • LLM523 Intellectual Property Law
  • Undergraduate (Honours) Principal Supervisor
  • Higher Degree Research (HDR) (Masters Research and PhD) Principal and Co-Supervisor

Research Interests

Wellett’s PhD thesis is titled ‘A Legal Exploration of the Copyright Protection of Databases in the Fourth Industrial Era’ (2020)

Her Honours thesis is titled ‘Illegal Harmony: Discord Between the Practice of Music-Borrowing and Australian Music Copyright Law’ (2010) and is available from the UNE law library.

Primary Research Area/s

Copyright law; technology and law, artificial intelligence

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Conference Presentations

  • Wellett Potter, “You Hear My Stolen Lullabies: What Taylor Swift Can Teach Us About the Music Industry, Contracts, Intellectual Property, Song Ownership and the Struggle for Artistic Control” (Paper presented at the Swiftposium, the world’s first academic conference about Taylor Swift, University of Melbourne, Melbourne Connect, Victoria, Tuesday 13 February 2024)
  • Wellett Potter, “About Authorship and Algorithms: ChatGPT and Australian Copyright in a Brave New World” (Paper presented online at the 2023 Conference of the Asia Pacific Copyright Association – Creative Content and New Technologies, Faculty of Social Science, Srinakharinwirot University (SWU) and School of Law Sripatum University (SPU Law), Bangkok, Thailand, Monday 20 November 2023)
  • Wellett Potter, “Cryptokitties, Art Tokens And Bored Apes In The Metaverse: How Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) Challenge Australian Copyright Law And Proprietary Notions Of Ownership During An Age Of Disruption” (Paper presented online at the 2022 Conference of the Asia Pacific Copyright Association – Copyright in the Age of Disruption, Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, Monday 14 November 2022)
  • Wellett Potter, “An Exploration of the Challenges of Deepfakes and AI Technology for Australian Copyright Law” (Paper presented online at the 2022 Australasian Intellectual Property Academics Conference 2022, University of Technology, Sydney, New South Wales, Wednesday 16 February 2022)
  • Wellett Potter, “Copyright Ownership and Virtual Assets: Exploring A World of Avatars, Skins and Mods in Gameplay” (Paper presented at the IP and Media Conference, University of Melbourne Centre for Media and Communications Law & Intellectual Property Research Institute of Australia, Melbourne Law School, Melbourne, Victoria, Thursday 5 December 2019)
  • Wellett Potter, “A World of Superheros, Princesses and Wizards: Fictional Characters, Fanfiction, Cosplay and Copyright” (Paper presented at the IP and Media Conference, University of Melbourne Centre for Media and Communications Law & Intellectual Property Research Institute of Australia, Melbourne Law School, Melbourne, Victoria, Thursday 5 April 2018)
  • Wellett Potter, “When Computers Dream: Artificial Intelligence and Australian Authorship Rights in the Digital Era” (Presentation at the German Academic Exchange (DAAD) Research and Ambassadors Program (RAMP) Conference, IMAS Salamanca, Hobart, Tasmania, Friday 20 November 2015)
  • Wellett Potter, “The Australian Copyright Implications of Music Mash-Ups and the Defence of Fair Dealing in the Remix Era” (Paper presented at the Digital Sampling/Remix Culture Forum, Deakin University Waterfront Campus, Geelong, Australia, Friday 6 July 2012)

Memberships

Asia Pacific Copyright Association

Copyright Society of Australia

Community and Advocacy Organisation Collaborations

Engagement Publications

Speeches

  • Wellett Potter, “Preparing for Future Legal Practice With Generative AI: Copyright, Deepfakes and Privacy” (Seminar for Associate Professor Ying Chen’s class at Bond University, March 2024)
  • Mark Perry and Wellett Potter, “Demystifying IP @ UNE: What You Need to Know For Your Legal Research Outputs” (Speech with Professor Mark Perry at the School of Law Common Law Week, University of New England, Friday 8 December 2023)
  • Wellett Potter “Exploring AI's Artistic Side: Copyright, Creativity, and Monkey Selfies” (Seminar with Dr Anne Fitzgerald in the LAW499 Technology and Law Unit, online, University of New England, Friday 8 September 2023)
  • Wellett Potter and Carlie Drew, “A Winning Formula: the Benefits of Team Teaching in First Year Law Units” (SABL Innovator’s Meeting Presentation, University of New England, Online, Thursday 31 August 2023)
  • Wellett Potter, “Beyond Human Imagination: Copyright Hurdles in Generative AI Creations” (Speech given to the School of Law at Common Law Week, University of New England, Armidale, Friday 25 August 2023)
  • Wellett Potter, “Australian Copyright’s New Frontier: Exploring Ownership, Authorship and Infringement in the Age of AI” (Seminar for UNE Parramatta AI CLE School, August 2023)
  • Wellett Potter and Carlie Drew, “Strength in Unity: Enhancing First Year Law Learning Through Team Teaching” (First Year Committee Meeting Presentation, University of New England, Online, Tuesday 1 August 2023)
  • Wellett Potter and Carlie Drew, “Team Teaching in LAW100 – Foundations of Law” (SABL Teaching Focused Community of Practice Presentation, University of New England, Online, Tuesday 25 July 2023)
  • Wellett Potter, “Copyright and ChatGPT” (Seminar with Dr Anne Fitzgerald in the LAW499 Technology and Law Unit, online, University of New England, Monday 1 May 2023)
  • Wellett Potter, “Copyright and Non-Fungible Tokens – It’s Nothing to do with Copying Mushrooms” (Speech given to the School of Law at Common Law Week, University of New England, Armidale, Friday 9 December 2022)
  • Wellett Potter, “Five Things That Might Surprise You About Copyright and the Gaming World” (Speech given online to students at the Oorala Experience Day 2022, Tamworth, Thursday 15 September 2022)
  • Wellett Potter “An Exploration of the Challenges of Deepfakes & AI Tech for Australian Copyright Law” (August 2022, YouTube Speech, UNE Law School YouTube site).
  • Wellett Potter, “Copyright and Virtual Assets: Avatars, Skins and Mods in Gameplay” (Speech given to the School of Law at Common Law Week, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Tuesday 23 March 2021)

Media Interviews/Radio/Podcasts

  • Wednesday 28 February 2024, 9.10 am, radio interview about the Swiftposium: An Academic Conference About Taylor Swift with journalist Kristy Reading for the Breakfast Program, ABC Radio New England North West (producer Haley Craig)
  • Friday 23 February 2024, interview with Joseph Coleman, Social Media Officer Corporate Communications and Events UNE, about the recent Swiftposium: An Academic Conference About Taylor Swift experience. Published article available at: 'Look What You Made Me Do' (shorthandstories.com)
  • Monday 22 January 2024, interview with Joseph Coleman, Social Media Officer Corporate Communications and Events UNE,  about data privacy week. The published article is available at: Data Privacy Week is here.
  • Tuesday 17 October 2023, radio interview about generative AI, intellectual property and copyright law with TuneFM programs coordinator Ash Taylor for TuneFM radio broadcast, also available on Spotify
  • Tuesday 9 May 2023, 9.10 am, radio interview about artificial intelligence and ChatGPT with journalist Kristy Reading for the breakfast program, ABC Radio New England North West (producer Haley Craig)
  • Tuesday 2 May 2023, 11 am, phone interview with Amanda Burdon, Communications Content Producer from the Office of Advancement, Communications and Events, University of New England, as a contributor to a three-piece "AI@UNE" Series: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3
  • Wednesday 26 April 2023, 3.10 pm, radio interview about ChatGPT and copyright with journalist Kia Handley for the ABC Radio Newcastle Drive Show
  • Friday 4 November 2022, media interview about e-scooters with 7News Perth.
  • Thursday 11 August 2022, podcast interview, episode S2E07 “Digital Assets and Online Gaming” with Dr Patrick Graham for Law in the Bush, University of New England.
  • Monday 18 July 2022, media interview about e-scooters with 7News Perth

External Profiles