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2026 Edition

2025

"Impressed by their reputation and expertise."

"Knowledge, proximity, flexibility.”

"My company and I really appreciate BCF Avocat’s deep knowledge of the industry landscape which was evident in their strategic advice and recommendations.”

"Professionalism, speed of execution, expertise."

“They provided valuable insights into current trends, potential risks, and opportunities for protection and monetisation. Their guidance is based on both a deep understanding of my technology area and the very best practices."

"We appreciate their knowledge, sense of strategy, and how they adapt their recommendations to us and our business."

2025

"Friendly and responsive."

"Impressed by the responsiveness and the clarity of their advice and actions."

“The team is very professional, prompt, organised and very dependable."

"They are very responsive, efficient and effective in delivering their services."

"They do wonderful work and are easy to work with."

"They understand the life sciences field well and understand how IP strategy fits into our business strategy. Through this, they provide excellent advice on what we should pursue and what we should not waste money on."

"Timely and professional services."

Rob Brunet

"A seasoned attorney who possesses significant experience in IP and patents, providing crucial value-add to our IP team and organisation.”

Gowling WLG is a leader in IP in Canada. The firm's Canada IP team covers contentious and non-contentious patent work in a range of technical fields including chemistry, engineering, life sciences and TMT. Some of its patent practitioners have dual qualifications.

Laurent Massam, Matthew M Roy, Timothy C Bailey, Brian G Kingwell and Roch J Ripley are leaders in the patent practice. Bailey, Roy, Ripley and Kingwell specialise in patent protection work while Massam is a litigator. Michael Crichton, Christopher Van Barr and R Nelson Godfrey are also recommended for patent disputes. Alex Gloor is one to watch in patent litigation. Other experienced patent agents in the firm are James Baker, Konrad Sechley, Shahrzad Esmaili, Brian Lee, James Longwell, and Christopher Bown.

The firm is also highly recommended for trade mark and copyright work. Martha J Savoy, Kelly Gill, Stuart Ash, Peter Choe, Natalie Rizkalla-Kamel, Michelle Easton, Lori Hall and Shelagh Carnegie are among the key trade mark practitioners in the firm. Savoy leads the trade mark department. Gill and Choe are recommended for soft IP disputes whereas Hall and Carnegie specialise in brand protection. Ash and Rizkalla-Kamel are also noted for their transactions practice.

For copyright, the firm has lawyers like Susan H Abramovitch, Matthew Estabrooks, Stéphane E Caron and Lynne Watt. Abramovitch, who leads the entertainment department, is experienced in advising clients in the creative industries. Generalist IP litigators Massam, James Green and Kevin Sartorio can also handle copyright disputes. Paul Armitage and Regina Corrigan are notable tech/IP transactions specialists in the firm.

2025

"Excellent service providers.”

"Good knowledge and advice."

"The lawyers I work with think creatively, which is what our clients want. Nothing is ‘cookie-cutter’. They're realistic without rolling over at the first sign of challenge."

"The team is very nice and provides good background information and knowledge."

"They seem to be building a team with suitable depth in Canada. They have a strong network outside Canada, which we are very happy to plug into."

"They're smart, responsive, personable and likeable."

Norton Rose Fulbright’s Canadian intellectual property team is recommended for contentious and non-contentious IP work. The firm is ranked across the IP spectrum in this jurisdiction, maintaining recognitions in copyright, patent disputes, patent prosecution, trademark disputes and trademark prosecution.

Notable IP practitioners: Karen MacDonald, Kristin Wall, Allyson Whyte Nowak

Osler Hoskin & Harcourt is one of the highly recommended law firms in Canada for IP work. The prominent trade mark practitioner in its IP department is Donna White, who is the managing partner of its Ottawa office. White specialises in trade mark protection and portfolio management. Other notable soft IP practitioners in the department are Barry Fong and John Cotter. Cotter specialises in soft IP disputes particularly copyright. 

Its patent practice is headed by J Bradley White, a lawyer who specialises in life sciences patent litigation. In patents, the firm is best known for representing generic pharmaceutical companies, but it is also experienced in dealing with disputes in the chemical and energy sectors. White is supported by litigators Vincent M de Grandpré and Nathaniel Lipkus and a team of associates. Geoffrey Langen and Faylene Lunn are up-and-coming practitioners to watch.

Smart & Biggar retains its position as one of the leading IP firms in Canada. In October 2022, the firm became part of IPH Limited, an ASX-listed company that owns Asia-Pacific IP firms such as AJ Park and Griffith Hack. Smart & Biggar has expanded under the ownership of IPH, with the acquisitions of IP firms Ridout & Maybee and Bereskin & Parr in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

This firm is highly recommended for IP protection and disputes work. Its technical expertise for patent work is quite broad, covering areas such as life sciences, software/ICT, electronics, and mechanical engineering. Some of its patent practitioners are dual qualified to deal with both patent protection and litigation.

ICT specialist Matthew Zischka serves as the managing director of the firm. Jonas Gifford is in charge of the patents practice. He is supported by senior patent agents such as life sciences practice leader Daphne Lainson, Elliott Simcoe, and David Schwartz.

Nancy Pei, Steven Garland, Yoon Kang, Sheldon Hamilton, and François Guay are among the prominent patent litigators in the firm. Garland is indeed an excellent all-round IP litigator. Pharmacist Alice Tseng is experienced in advising on regulatory matters in the life sciences sector.

The boutique also maintains a significant soft IP practice, featuring some of the leading trade mark practitioners in Canada; they include Mark Evans, Mark Biernacki, Kohji Suzuki, and Philip Lapin.

Graham Hood heads up the firm's trade mark practice. Other senior soft IP practitioners in the firm are Christian Bolduc and Jean-Sébastien Dupont, who now leads the litigation and legal department. Guay, Hood and Biernacki can also advise on copyright matters. Christine Genge is very knowledgeable about design law and practice.

BRION RAFFOUL
1 practice area
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Founded in 2008, BRION RAFFOUL LLP is a leading Canadian IP law boutique firm.

We have a strong Canadian client base that includes universities, Canadian government agencies, multinational corporations, and small, medium, and large Canadian businesses. Our clients operate across a broad spectrum of technical domains, with deep experience in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity,telecommunications, and electronics. We also have a rapidly growing practice in the fields of oil and gas, microbiology, and pharmaceuticals.

BRION RAFFOUL LLP’s team of lawyers and patent and trademark agents are exceptionally skilled in securing and managing IP assets globally. Our patent agents, with backgrounds in engineering and other scientific disciplines, are highly experienced in procuring patents in cutting-edge fields. We offer a complete suite of IP services that includes managing patents, trademarks, and design registrations in Canada, the United States, and worldwide.

Through our robust international network of associates, we protect our clients’ IP assets throughout the world. In addition to our Canadian clients, we represent a broad array of foreign clients seeking to protect their intellectual property in Canada, both directly and through foreign associates.

Since 2014, BRION RAFFOUL LLP has been ranked as one of the top patent prosecution firms in Canada by IAM Patent 1000, which is commonly regarded as the definitive ‘go-to’ resource for those seeking to identify world-class private-practice patent expertise across the world. We have also received IAM’s prestigious silver ranking since 2016. This incredible achievement reflects the continued dedication and expertise of our exceptional team, who have consistently delivered outstanding intellectual property services to our clients. In addition to this prestigious silver ranking, both Natalie Raffoul and Art Brion are recognized as “Highly Recommended Individuals”, and Natalie is recognized as a global IP leader in IAM Strategy 300.

Marks & Clerk
7 practice areas
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Marks & Clerk is one of the UK’s largest, and longest established, intellectual property firms. Our expert teams of patent and trade mark attorneys and lawyers are wired directly into the UK’s innovation economies via our offices in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Alongside our presence in the UK, we also have offices in nine international locations covering the EU, Canada and Asia, meaning we can tap into local expertise, globally. 

Our team provides a full-service IP offering, from the initial filing of IP, through to litigation and commercial exploitation. Having seen the benefits that our clients derive from our full-service model, a number of patent attorney firms have since sought to follow a similar approach by adding solicitors to their teams. However, our well-established and highly regarded litigation and commercial transactions practices continue to set us apart from other firms.

We are experts not only in intellectual property law, but also in the science and technology that underpins our clients’ businesses. Our ability to draw upon this specialist technical expertise, not just in the context of patent prosecution but also in the context of litigation and commercial transactions, enables us to provide clients with a level of service and reach unmatched by other firms.

 

PCK Intellectual Property
3 practice areas
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PCK Intellectual Property is a boutique firm with a global client base.

We are recognized for excellence in originating patent drafting, and in the preparation and filing of patent and trademark applications. PCK is also known for its automated workflows, flat-rate billing, and competitive fees that offer transparency and efficiency.

Our professionals are lawyers, patent and trademark agents, scientists, and engineers with strong theoretical grounding in science, math, and software. This foundation makes us agile and deeply knowledgeable in cutting-edge technologies and modern business models.

PCK is home to seasoned general counsel, commercial advisors, and litigation counsel with experience across a wide range of industries and technologies. We support a full suite of intellectual property and related commercial services, including IP identification, protection, portfolio management, strategy, commercialization, dispute resolution, and litigation.

We work closely with clients to tailor strategies that align with their goals, protect their innovations, and drive value.

PCK is as innovative as you are.

Baker McKenzie
6 practice areas
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With extensive global reach and deep local expertise, we offer an unparalleled
blend of skills to help our clients navigate the complexities and seize the
opportunities of doing business in Singapore and across the Asia Pacific region. Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow, a joint law venture between Baker McKenzie and
Wong & Leow LLC, stands at the forefront of legal excellence.

We have the capabilities to offer comprehensive advice on both domestic
Singapore law and intricate cross-border issues, ensuring our clients receive
holistic and seamless legal support. As the preferred counsel for numerous
companies leveraging Singapore as a strategic hub for their regional operations,
our lawyers excel in managing multijurisdictional transactions and mitigating
cross-border risks with precision.

Our Singapore office is seamlessly integrated into a global network,
providing on-the-ground expertise across ASEAN countries and access to
Baker McKenzie’s expansive international network. This unique positioning
enables us to adeptly support the diverse domestic and international needs
of our clients, delivering tailored solutions that drive success in a dynamic
global market.

Norton Rose Fulbright
7 practice areas
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Our bench strength as a global firm allows us to service clients through all stages of growth and across jurisdictions. With more than 250 lawyers, patent attorneys and trademark agents across five continents, our global intellectual property team has extensive experience providing comprehensive, multidisciplinary IP law services to clients worldwide.

IP Litigation practice

The national team of IP litigators at Norton Rose Fulbright is consistently ranked among the best in Canada. We are trusted counsel in all areas of intellectual property, including patents (infringement and impeachment actions, prohibition proceedings and section 8 damages actions under the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, counterfeit enforcement, and industrial designs. Our IP litigation team successfully appears on a regular basis before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal, provincial superior courts, and tribunals across the country.

We are best known for decades of leadership in Canadian life sciences intellectual property litigation. We have creatively designed and applied successful trial strategies that have shaped life sciences patent litigation. We have replicated that success in other technological sectors including medical devices, aerospace, food and agri-business, financial services and energy among other technologies.

Patent practice

Norton Rose Fulbright Canada’s patent attorneys and agents have highly specialized degrees and provide comprehensive intellectual property advice and global portfolio strategy. We do the Canadian and global patent work for a stellar cross section of Canadian and international clients. Our Canadian Patent Centre of Excellence complements notably the patent expertise within Norton Rose Fulbright in the United States.

We are one of the largest patent filers in Canada with a particular emphasis on drafting original patents and global portfolio strategy.
We are often selected over our competitors because our patent prosecution expertise is unrivalled and works seamlessly with our disputes and regulatory lawyers to provide a strategic and holistic approach to patent portfolio management.

Trademark practice

We assist clients with all aspects of the branding process. This includes providing overall branding strategy, the drafting and prosecution of trademark applications, the provision of advice regarding availability and registrability of marks in Canada and globally. Our team provides strategic trademark advice including portfolio review, infringement surveillance, and advice on legal issues connected with introducing products and services to the market, such as branding, product information and advertising. We assist clients with all aspects of brand expansion into social media, including acquisition of domain names and enforcement of brands on all social media channels globally.

Copyright practice

Our copyright team has expertise in all aspects of copyright law including clearance, acquisition and registration, infringement and litigation, due diligence, licenses, assignments and transactional issues. We act for copyright owners working in various industries such as entertainment, music, art, fashion, literature, software and evolving media including telecommunications and the Internet. Similarly, our trademarks team works with clients to acquire, commercialize and safeguard their brands, including logos, product or container shapes and packaging. We are regularly called upon to advise on the copyright aspects of advertising and marketing campaigns. Clients consistently call upon our professionals for wide industry coverage, the shared experience between the team and our large panel of services.

Commercial IP practice

The IP team handles a wide range of commercial transactions relating to all areas of intellectual property including but not limited to, issues pertaining to data, data governance and IP strategy.

 

Gowling WLG
6 practice areas
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For more than a 125 years, the world’s top companies have looked to Gowling WLG to maximise and protect their treasured intangible assets, both at home and abroad. As the global economy grows ever more knowledge-driven and evolutionary leaps in technology transform the competitive landscape, clients continue to rely on us to help them navigate a changing intellectual property marketplace.

Full lifecycle solutions

Every step on the path to success requires a unique approach to your IP assets. From initial drafting and registration to complex enforcement matters, through to the management and monetisation of large international portfolios, our team is equipped to assist you during the entire lifecycle of your IP assets.

We’re pleased to offer strategies and solutions across the full spectrum of IP rights – with core specialisms in trademarks, brands and designs, patents, enforcement and litigation, IP transactions, trade secrets and copyright, as well as advertising and product regulation.

Borderless support

Home to more than 200 IP practitioners around the world, Gowling WLG protects intangible assets across all industry sectors and in more than 100 countries. We offer prosecution services from our offices in Canada, China, the UAE and – via our exclusive association with JurisAsia – Singapore. We match these services with robust enforcement capabilities from these offices, as well from our offices throughout Europe. This platform is complemented by an expansive network of established relationships with some of the top IP practices worldwide – ensuring you receive the very best advice wherever business takes you.

Experience you can trust

From new applications for artificial intelligence to major breakthroughs in pharmacology, it’s vital that your IP adviser be able to recognize the full value of your IP. Harnessing advanced career and educational backgrounds in science, engineering and technology, we work closely with you to develop fulsome strategies for even the most intricate inventions. This is just one of the reasons why, year after year, our professionals are recognised by some of the world’s most respected legal publications.

End-to-end legal services for your business

Outside of our IP service offering, Gowling WLG is equipped to advise you in virtually every area of law relevant to business. For our clients, including other IP firms with whom we work around the world, this is a unique benefit. Beyond the convenience of working with a single service provider, our holistic approach ensures your IP strategy neatly aligns with other areas of your business – from privacy and employment to commercial transactions.

Discover how we can help protect what makes your business unique. Contact a member of our team today.

Anand & Siu View full profile

Anand & Siu LLP – Boutique IP Litigation for the Next Generation

We are a modern boutique law firm dedicated to high‑stakes intellectual property litigation in Canada. Founded by seasoned litigators Nisha Anand and Kevin Siu, our firm offers clients the rare combination of deep technical expertise, decades of litigation experience, and the agility of a focused, next‑generation practice.

Our approach is grounded in precision advocacy, delivering strategic, tailored representation for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups. We pride ourselves on legal excellence, efficiency, and bespoke solutions—ensuring every matter is positioned for maximum impact.

We bring extensive experience across pharmaceuticals, life sciences, telecommunications, software, entertainment, and oil & gas, along with emerging issues in AI, large language models, and IP ownership. Our lawyers have acted for clients on both sides of the “David and Goliath” spectrum and served as lead counsel in significant patent matters.

Osler Hoskin & Harcourt
7 practice areas
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Osler’s top-ranked Intellectual Property team is renowned for its deep bench strength, featuring excellence in IP litigation; a stellar record in blockbuster patent and trade-mark prosecution; expertise in portfolio advising and management; and unmatched experience in helping realize the value of IP portfolios in mergers, reorganizations and other business transactions.

The team has a well-earned international reputation for excellence in Canadian IP litigation, including cross-border matters, built on our winning trial record representing some of the world’s most prominent companies and innovators in resolving their ground-breaking patent, copyright and trade-mark disputes in Canada.  

Osler’s Intellectual Property professionals offer proven expertise and superior service for clients of all sizes across a broad range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotech, technology, life sciences, electronics, aeronautics, consumer products, sports and entertainment, food services, and mechanical, chemical and software engineering.

We have extensive experience in drafting, filing, prosecuting and maintaining patent and industrial design applications in Canada, including for leading Canadian and multinational companies. Our patent agents, most of whom are PhD or Masters qualified, are highly proficient in dealing with patent protection and patent avoidance issues in the design, engineering and manufacturing of products, and particularly products to be distributed simultaneously in multiple jurisdictions. We regularly conduct freedom-to-operate studies and render opinions in respect of Canadian patents for our clients.

Osler has in-depth experience in clearing, registering, maintaining and enforcing trade-mark rights in Canada and internationally, on managing domestic and international portfolios for leading Canadian and global corporations and in successfully representing clients’ interests before the courts and intellectual property administrative tribunals. We also service an extensive network of foreign law and agency firms, assisting those firms in protecting the Canadian rights of their clients. For many consecutive years, Osler has been among the top filers of trade-mark applications with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (“CIPO”).

Osler’s Intellectual Property team also represents clients in disputes and litigation involving copyright (including infringement claims, ownership disputes and Copyright Board tariff proceedings), trade-marks (including infringement claims, expungement proceedings and Trade-Mark Opposition Board proceedings), domain names, trade secrets/confidential information, anti-counterfeiting and misleading advertising.

Smart & Biggar
10 practice areas
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Smart & Biggar is widely recognized as Canada’s leading firm for intellectual property law. With offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver and Calgary, and over 100 lawyers, patent agents and trademark agents, we are also the largest firm focused purely on IP and related specialty areas. We have a history and tradition of providing the highest quality of IP advisory services and have filed more patent and trademark applications than any firm in Canada.

Smart & Biggar's decades of experience in intellectual property, combined with deep knowledge and expertise across a wide range of technologies and industries, allows them to provide clients with clarity on opportunities and solutions to leverage and maximize IP. No other Canadian firm can claim a stronger track record of victories in intellectual property litigation for its clients than Smart & Biggar. The firm prides itself on providing clients with the rare combination of successful trial experience, deep subject matter expertise and sophisticated and practical skills and analysis.

Smart & Biggar has the honour of working with many of Canada’s and the world’s most important innovators and brand owners. The firm is proud to have supported their clients on the road to market leadership — from start-up companies in emerging growth sectors to multinational corporations, as well as innovators at universities and other research institutions – advising them on their most critical and complex IP matters. Smart & Biggar continuously invests in client relationships, and many of the firm's clients have entrusted them with protecting, enforcing and commercializing their IP rights. Whether advising an innovative manufacturer on patent strategy or infringement issues, providing counsel on brand protection and enforcement, or handling the IP aspects of a corporate transaction, Smart & Biggar always ensures that clients receive the full benefit of their unrivaled IP experience and expertise.

Since 1890, Smart & Biggar has remained devoted to protecting our clients' intellectual property and technology assets, and advising clients on how to uncover and maximize available opportunities. The firm is committed to providing expert counsel and guidance to safeguard our clients’ competitive position and help them build and enforce strategic intellectual property and technology rights that will create more value for their business.

Smart & Biggar proudly operates as part of the IPH Limited group, under its own brand and independent from other IPH member firms.

Brunet & Co
1 practice area
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Founded in 2006 with offices in London and Toronto, Brunet & Co is a privately held Canadian law firm specialising in intellectual property (IP) law . With a focused team of patent agents, lawyers, engineers, scientists, and business development professionals, Brunet & Co serves both Canadian clients and international corporations seeking IP protection in Canada.

Expertise & Services

The firm offers a full suite of services across patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and IP litigation. They have deep sector knowledge in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, life sciences, and software, and provide comprehensive support ranging from global patent prosecution to trademark filings and enforcement.

Their technology-driven processes automate patent filings with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office, enhancing efficiency and speeding time to filing.

Global Reach

While headquartered in London, Ontario, and maintaining a presence in Toronto, Brunet & Co operates internationally ─ supporting clients from the USA, Europe, and Asia to secure IP rights in Canada via a harmonised legal approach.

Key Strengths

Highly specialised technical expertise: in-house engineers, chemists and patent lawyers collaborate to craft high-quality patent applications.

Streamlined processes: automated workflows and close integration with corporate IP teams standardise filings, communications, and invoicing.

Industry recognition: recently named an Award‑Winning Law Firm in Canada by The Patent Lawyer Magazine 2025
brunetco.com.

Clients & Culture

Brunet & Co serves a diverse client base including startups, multinational corporations, and academic institutions. With a tight-knit team of fewer than ten professionals, they emphasise personalised client service, strategic IP counselling, and international collaboration.

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IPH's Canadian acquisitions are paying off on paper, but a couple of strong years may not be enough to show that the group's strategy has truly won over the market
A strong Canadian business helped lift profits, but the IP service group's latest results underline the pressure facing its operations in Australia, New Zealand and parts of Asia
As competing firms come under common ownership, clients may care less about formal conflicts and more about how openly firms discuss them
With patent filings stagnant, fewer clients litigating and market consolidation at play, Canadian firms are considering how to challenge the established players
IPH’s strategy of integrating acquired businesses into its larger premium brands, may offer an early signal of how externally funded IP firms will pursue scale, efficiency and market strength
IP STARS, Managing IP’s accreditation title, reveals this year’s first rankings, showing how firms in Asia-Pacific are performing across a range of practice areas
Anthony O'Malley will replace Andrew Blattman at IPH, which owns several large IP firms across Australia, Asia and Canada
The 2026 Americas ceremony recognised outstanding firms and practitioners, along with highlighting impact cases of the year
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