Meet the team.
At the heart of Infinity IP is Angela Searle, who is assisted by Duncan Schaut. Angela and Duncan are both registered patent attorneys in New Zealand and Australia and registered trade mark attorneys in Australia.
Angela Searle
Angela is one of New Zealand’s top trade mark attorneys and is included in the World Trademark Review’s Top 1000 Trademark Professionals internationally. She is also a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand.
Angela’s IP career spans more than 25 years. It includes four years working at a top tier IP firm in Sydney, and almost six years as an equity partner in a nationwide New Zealand firm.
Her clients have varied from start-ups to vast multi-nationals. She has an extensive network of overseas associates whom she knows personally and trusts to look after Infinity IP’s clients in their jurisdictions.
She is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Patent Attorneys, a member of the Institute of Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia, a member of the International Trademark Association and a member of the Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand.
Angela holds an LLM (Hons), BSc and handles all Infinity IP’s trade mark work.
Duncan Schaut
Duncan has been advising clients in all aspects of patents, registered designs, copyright and the commercialisation of intellectual property since 2000.
He has extensive experience working across a broad range of technologies and industries, including aeronautical, building and construction, cleantech, greentech, infrastructure, manufacturing, marine, medical devices, mining and minerals, packaging, recreation, sustainability and transport.
Prior to joining Infinity IP, Duncan worked at a large intellectual property law firm and was promoted to Principal in 2023. In 2025, he took the opportunity to work solely with a key client as in-house patent attorney and IP strategist. This combination of private practice and in-house experience provides him with a practical understanding of clients’ commercial objectives and the strategic role intellectual property plays in business growth.
Before entering the intellectual property profession, he worked as a research and development thermal and mechanical design engineer for a multinational power electronics company.
Duncan works closely with clients to understand their technology, inventions and business goals, ensuring their intellectual property strategy and rights are aligned with their long-term commercial objectives. He particularly values helping innovators identify, protect and commercialise intellectual property that supports future growth and business success.
A recent personal highlight was seeing a technology he helped patent feature in a Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team drivers press release.
Based in Auckland, Duncan works with clients throughout New Zealand and travels nationally and internationally to support their objectives. Duncan is recognised in The Best Lawyers in New Zealand™ for Intellectual Property Law and has been included annually since 2021.
Qualifications
- BE (Eng Sc), University of Auckland (1994)
- ME (Mech), University of Auckland (1997)
- LLB, University of Auckland (2009)
- Registered Patent Attorney (New Zealand and Australia)
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“The single largest source of intangible value in company is its Intellectual Property.” – Angela Searle
Working across New Zealand and Australia, we help you understand the value of your intellectual property and protect it so your ideas can shine and your business can thrive.
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At the heart of the practice are Angela Searle and Duncan Schaut.