Page 4 - The Katten Kattwalk - Summer 2025 - Issue 29

Get to Know:

Anita Hodea

We are excited to introduce our readers to London
Associate Anita Hodea, who joined Katten’s
Intellectual Property (IP) Department this summer
and whose practice bridges patent litigation,
data privacy compliance and artificial
intelligence (AI) governance across a range
of sectors, including fashion. Learn more

about her first exposure to IP law, her insights
on how fast-evolving AI will impact fashion
brands and her pro bono practice.

Tell me about key moments or mentors that have
most influenced your legal career and shaped your
current intellectual property (IP) practice?

As I did not study IP at university, my first real
exposure to it came during my first seat at the
previous global law firm where I trained. In the United
Kingdom, trainee lawyers typically rotate through
different departments over a two-year period before issues to life. I’ve been lucky to learn from excellent
qualifying into a specific team. That first seat was a mentors, both within IP and beyond, who have
defining experience, giving me the opportunity to continued to shape how I approach my work and
work on a technically challenging disclosure exercise professional growth.
in a patent litigation case. While the work was
intense, with long nights fueled by coffee and pizza, I With the first requirements of the EU AI Act
look back on it very fondly. The team was incredibly coming into effect recently and your numerous
supportive, taking the time to explain difficult published articles related to artificial intelligence
concepts, the background of the case and the wider (AI) governance, what are potential implications you
context of patent litigation, which was all new to me foresee for the fashion industry and its stakeholders?
at the time. In a full-circle moment, that matter was Fashion brands are increasingly relying on AI for
led by Nathan Smith, who is now an IP Partner in my design, marketing and supply chain management. The
current team at Katten. EU AI Act (Act) introduces a set of risk-based rules for

That case’s steep learning curve, engaging subject AI developers and deployers related to specific uses
matter and collaboration sparked my interest in of AI, which will require fashion brands to carefully
IP. I was also fortunate to work on data protection assess whether and how their AI systems fall under
matters during that first seat, and I quickly discovered the Act’s risk categories. Compliance with the Act will
I enjoyed both areas of law. What made that first require transparency, robust data governance and
seat so formative was not just the subject matter, but ensuring AI systems are explainable and fair.
the experience of working alongside smart, patient Brands will also face challenges around data privacy,
and encouraging lawyers who brought complex legal IP rights and potential biases in AI-generated outputs,

4 katten.com/intellectualproperty