The Legal & Business Aspects of Animation 2026 I Lunch & Learn Session #2 of 6 | The Growing Opportunity in Irish–Australian Screen Co-Productions

After each session there will be an opportunity to apply for a limited number of subsidised 1:1 mentoring sessions with Catherine Keane and Robert Grimes. See below for more details.

Overview

Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet, Animation Ireland and the National Talent Academy, Animation, are delighted to host a third series of these monthly lunch and learns with Catherine Keane and Robert Grimes.

Each session will be held online monthly from June to November at 1 p.m. The dates and topics for each session will be announced the month before, and there is no obligation to attend all the sessions.

Please note that each workshop is eligible for 1 Law Society CPD Point, with the potential of 6 points for those who attend all workshops.

What will this course cover?

Session 2: The Growing Opportunity in Irish–Australian Screen Co-Productions

This Lunch & Learn will explore the growing momentum behind Irish–Australian screen co-productions and why Australia is becoming an increasingly important strategic partner for Irish producers. Drawing on recent industry developments, the session will examine how the Ireland–Australia Co-production Treaty is driving new opportunities, the financing and tax incentives available, and why collaboration between the two industries has accelerated in recent years.

The session will also cover the co-production process, current market trends, industry support available through organisations such as Screen Australia, Screen Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, and the importance of building long-term relationships in an increasingly international screen sector. 

It should be noted that these workshops are educational in nature and should not be considered legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need assistance, you should always consult independent legal advice.

Participant profile

This series of lunchtime workshops will help creatives, producers, management, and administrative personnel understand how the law and animation interact.

Mentoring Sessions:

A limited number of 1:1 mentoring sessions will be available to apply for as part of this programme. .

Applications will only be considered from applicants that have attended at least one of the current Lunch and Learn sessions and have a minimum of three years experience in a relevant senior role in the animation industry.

Mentoring sessions are charged at a subsidised rate, see below.

If you are interested in applying for a session please use this LINK.

Tutors

Catherine Keane, Head of Legal, Cartoon Saloon

Catherine is the Head of Business & Legal Affairs with Cartoon Saloon the five-time Academy Award®, Golden Globe®, BAFTA and Emmy nominated animation studio. Catherine is a member of the executive management team and as General Legal Counsel to the business advises on all legal matters as well as working in a strategic role on co-production, financing, distribution, IP protection, sales, licensing and merchandising matters. Prior to this Catherine worked in an Advocacy and Policy role within the Not-for-Profit sector. In June 2020 Catherine was appointed by the Minister for Justice to serve as a statutory member of the Board of the Legal Aid Board. Catherine has also recently joined the Board of Animation Ireland. 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 East Galway and is a graduate of UCD and holds a B. A. in History and Politics and an M.A. in Public Relations. She qualified as a solicitor in 2008 and was apprenticed with Gaffney Halligan & Co. Solicitors in Dublin. Catherine has since obtained a Diploma in Employment Law and Certificate in Technology Law from the Law Society of Ireland. Catherine lives in Kilkenny with her husband Rory and children Róisín, Aidan and Síle.

Robert Grimes, General Counsel, Brown Bag Films

Robert is In-house Counsel for Brown Bag Films, a multi-award winning and Academy Award® 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. He started his career in investment banking in London with Bank of Ireland and later practiced as a barrister, 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), numerous academic and national newspaper articles, established and edited the Irish Probate Law Journal and has contributed chapters to a range of other published texts. Rob has worked internationally as a senior in-house lawyer at Ford, General Motors and ACCO Brands plc. He holds a BComm 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 and a Fintech qualification from the University of Oxford. Robert lives in Kilkenny with his wife, Dr Doireann McWeeney and children, Sophie and Thomas.

Venue/location

Online

Costs/fee

Lunch and Learn online sessions are free.

Mentoring sessions will cost €210 per session (these sessions would normally cost €350 per one session). If you are interested in applying for a session please use this LINK.

Dates and times of the course

Wednesday, August 19th, 1pm to 2pm

The Zoom link will be emailed the day before the workshop.

For any queries, please get in touch with frankeaveney@furthr.ie

Please note that due to our funding requirements, registrations are only available to those resident in the Republic Of Ireland. 

CCIS will generally only accept requests for cancellation refunds up to 5 working days before the training course commences. CCIS may allow for refunds outside of this on a case-by-case basis. Any request for a refund must be made via email to seansmith@furthr.ie, inserting the course name in the subject line.