Terri Janke is a Wuthathi and Meriam woman and an internationally recognised authority on Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP), known for innovating pathways between the law and the cultural rights of Indigenous peoples and communities. As the owner and Solicitor Director of Terri Janke and Company, a Sydney based law firm, she is dedicated to empowering Indigenous peoples to assert their ICIP rights and prosper in their business and creative endeavours.
Terri is an influential advocate for positive collaborations and engagement, having written leading ICIP protocols for various sectors including the arts, museums, archives, film and business. Some of her landmark publications include Our Culture: Our Future (1998), IP Australia’s Indigenous Knowledge: Issues for protection and management (2018) and First Peoples: a roadmap for enhancing Indigenous engagement in museums and galleries (2019). She is also a creative writer known for her novel Butterfly Song (2005) and has contributed short stories and poetry to various publications, including Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia (2018). Terri is the recipient of awards such as the NAIDOC Person of the Year (2011), the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Indigenous Legal Professional of the Year (2012) and the Aboriginal Justice Award – Highly Commended (2007).
