June Gachui, LLM '09, is a performing and recording artist, singer, songwriter, thespian, and intellectual property (IP) lawyer. She is passionate about her art and the law, and has been fortunate to have found the perfect blend of the two. Ms. Gachui finds time to pursue her musical and theatrical interests with great success, all the while continuing to share her in-depth knowledge of intellectual property with fellow creative artists to ensure that they protect what they create and monetize through her own firm – JGIP Consultants (JGIP).
What led you to pursue an LLM in Intellectual Property at GW Law?
I spent a number of years practicing corporate commercial law in Nairobi and during this time, I continued to perform regularly in both theatre and music. As a result, I met and interacted with a lot of creatives who would ask me to help them out with their contract reviews or just general advice when it came to issues they were having around their creative work. I realized then that there was a large vacuum of legal practice, which was clearly necessary, yet no one seemed to possess its unique skill set. Given that I, too, was a creative artist with an understanding of the industry, offering these solutions came easily to me because of my legal training.
Ultimately, the decision to pursue my LLP in IP at GW Law was to equip me with the expertise I would need to be able to offer this legal advice credibly and effectively upon my return home.
You released your first album in 2016. What was the process like for you?
It has been such an exciting and surreal experience but an extremely gratifying one as an independently-produced recording artist. The process was a mix of identifying the right partners to be on the project; saving to have enough money to pay the logistics and the talent on the project; and traveling to record in both Kenya and the U.S. It took a lot of hard work because writing songs is not easy, especially when you want songs to be authentic and last a lifetime. I had to overcome the fear of being vulnerable, and when I eventually did, I understood that was my biggest ally – my best asset. I wrote from my heart, so the process was emotional. All of this is why it took so long. Twenty Years is a culmination of my life's experiences, and a testament that you can do anything you set your mind to. It's important to believe, have faith, and persevere.
How would you describe your album and what does this achievement mean to you?
My album is a collection of experiences and styles. It is a fusion on several genres: soul, R&B, and jazz. However, what is most important is the one common thread – the way it makes you feel, so I coined the phrase #nyummymusic. Who knows? Perhaps one day, they'll add this to the list of new genres.
I'm proud of the album and the work my team and I put in it. This achievement is the beginning of more albums. It has taught me patience, growth, and it has been fun and cathartic and definitely worth it.
You graduated from GW Law in 2009 with a focus in IP. How are applying your degree in your professional career?
I returned home in 2010 and set up a boutique IP consultancy – JGIP. The decision to solely offer IP solutions and not set up a fully-fledged law firm was deliberate. This way, we could focus not only on finding clients, but also on building capacity through sector specific workshops and trainings to ultimately help them develop a path to monetization through what they create. Over the years, this allowed us to build trust and add value to the creative entrepreneur's career. In addition, I also spent more than four years to help set up Kenya's related rights collective management organization for producers known as KAMP – Kenya Association of Music Producers.
At JGIP, we also have a number of corporate clients who engage in our advisory services for projects spanning from software development and tech innovations, through to film and music production companies. We also work with those who need trademark or patent registration services. Other services include, artist management, IP brand valuation, advocacy and lobbying for legal reform, and the rights of artists across the creative industries.
Our aim is to be at the forefront of IP regionally and eventually on the African continent.
Any future plans that you would like to share? Are you working on any new music or anything exciting?
In 2017, I would like to start working on some new music and take my show dubbed #allofjune on tour to promote the Twenty Years album. I recently won the Best Actress Award at Kenya's – equivalent of the U.S. Tony's – Sanaa Theatre Awards 2016 for my performance in a production called The Threefold Cord. I would like to do more stage performances this year. Also, I set up an all-female band three years ago known as The Flower Project; they are a young dynamic group of ladies who are talented between the ages of 20 and 30. I'm looking forward to doing more projects, and perhaps, an Africa wide tour with them. After that, the world.