Intellectual Property

Intellectual property accounts for a growing share of a company’s value. That is why it is crucial to understand its lifecycle and implement strategies for the acquisition, protection, valuation and defence of intangible assets that are tailored to clients’ business objectives.

Our team offers a full range of services relating to copyright, trademarks, industrial designs, trade secrets and other intellectual property assets.

Our Commercial Law team helps clients maximize the value of their intellectual property portfolios. Whether it’s for advice on asset optimization or guidance on the due diligence process in the sale of assets or a business, we support creators, innovators and entrepreneurs of all backgrounds at every stage of their success.

We also advise on licence negotiations for various forms of intellectual property, including information technology, and for financing companies whose assets consist of intellectual property, whether in the form of patents, trademarks or copyrights or under licence agreements.

In addition, we defend clients in intellectual property litigation in matters of piracy, infringement, passing off and cybersquatting. Our lawyers support clients in administrative proceedings including oppositions to trademark registrations and extraordinary remedies, such as seizures, injunctions and Anton Piller orders, in both Federal Court and the Superior Court of Québec.

Copyright

Copyright is rooted in a raft of activities within your company, such as drafting documents, publishing reports and creating software or graphic elements. Protecting these intangible assets requires appropriate legal action in line with your strategic and business objectives.

Our team includes legal professionals seasoned in copyright matters who are dedicated to defending your interests. With a rigorous and pragmatic approach, our lawyers support and advise you on all aspects of your copyright and moral rights in any situation: acquisitions, licences, assignments, registrations, due diligence, legal opinions, employment and service contracts, the negotiation and drafting of agreements involving protected material, and more.

Trademarks

Your trademarks differentiate your products and services in today’s competitive marketplace. That is why optimizing trademark management to safeguard them and maximize their value is essential.

Our business model focuses on establishing strategic partnerships with our clients to manage their trademark portfolio. Our experienced professionals leverage their expertise to analyze proposed trademarks and applicable registration criteria, providing recommendations to enhance trademark applications and protection under the Trademarks Act.

Our areas of strength include:

• Trademark portfolio management in Canada and internationally
• Trademark availability research
• Preparation and production of trademark registrations for filing with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office
• Development of strategies in response to registrar objections
• Defence of oppositions to the registration of a trademark
• Trademark monitoring
• Contestation of competitor trademarks
• Registration renewal

Trade secrets and confidentiality agreements

Our team has the necessary expertise to help you implement protections for your business secrets, including when those offered by intellectual property rights for patents, trademarks and copyright are not available or suitable for your circumstances.

Our team can also assist you with drafting contractual agreements such as confidentiality agreements. This process is particularly important when you are required to make disclosures about your intangible assets while keeping that information confidential and controlling its distribution.