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About the author
Robert Grimes is In-house Counsel for Brown Bag Films, a multi-award winning and Oscar nominated animation studio in Dublin, having previously served as General Counsel, and member of the Executive Management team at Lighthouse Studios, and In-house Counsel for Cartoon Saloon. Rob advises on the legal aspects of creating indigenous intellectual property and producing animated content for partners such as Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney, Amazon and Warner Bros.
He started his career in investment banking in London and later practiced as a barrister in Ireland, litigating commercial, trust and succession law cases. He has authored several legal textbooks, including the Irish Probate Practitioners Handbook, the Probate Pocketbook, and Succession Law in a Nutshell (Thomson Reuters) and also the UK and EMEA Corporate Counsel Handbook (Bloomsbury Professional), established and edited the Irish Probate Law Journal and has contributed chapters to a range of other published texts. Rob has since worked internationally as a senior in-house lawyer at Ford, General Motors and ACCO Brands plc. He holds a degree (with a specialisation in economics and finance) from University College Dublin, a Diploma in Legal Studies and Barrister-at-law degree from the Honourable Society of Kings Inns in Dublin.
Catherine Keane is the Head of Legal Affairs with Cartoon Saloon, the five-time Academy Award®, Golden Globe®, BAFTA and Emmy nominated animation studio. Catherine is employed as the General Legal Counsel to the business, advising the company on all legal matters. Working with partners and customers across the globe, including top ranked Fortune 500 companies, Catherine advises on all legal aspects of film and TV development and production including financing, s 481 film relief, delivery and distribution as well as licensing and merchandising. Catherine also oversees IP matters such as trademark registration, copyright protection and exploitation as well as working on music legal contracting.
Prior to this Catherine worked in an Advocacy and Policy role within the Not-for-Profit sector. She worked on advocating for the introduction of the historic Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. The campaign for the introduction of this ground-breaking legislation went on to win the best Public Affairs award for its campaign to support the Public Health Alcohol Act. In June 2020 Catherine was also appointed by the Minister for Justice to serve as a statutory member of the Board of the Legal Aid Board. Catherine had served previously on the Board of the Children’s Rights Alliance. Early in her career she worked as a Research and Policy Officer in both The Houses of the Oireachtas and The European Parliament. Catherine is originally from County Galway and is a graduate of UCD and holds a BA in History and Politics and a master’s degree in Public Relations from DIT. She qualified as a solicitor in 2008 and was apprenticed with Gaffney Halligan & Co. Solicitors in Dublin. Catherine has since obtained a Diploma in Business Development from DIT as well as Diploma in Employment Law and Certificate in Technology Law from the Law Society of Ireland.
