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Osler Hoskin & Harcourt

Canada

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Key contacts
Chair of the Osler IP Department: J. Bradley White
Quick facts
Established

1862

Number of Partners

7

Other qualified practitioners

25

Total number of lawyers

32

Languages

English, French, Spanish, Arabic, German, Hebrew, Russian, Chinese

Network memberships

INTA, AIPPI, IPIC, LES, CBA, ABA

Key practice areas
Copyright & related rights
Intellectual property
Patent disputes
Trade mark disputes
Trade mark
Patent
IP transactions
Firm overview

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.

Practice Areas & Sector Specialisations

Practice Areas: Copyright, Copyright & related rights, Intellectual property, Intellectual property (contentious), Intellectual property (prosecution), IP transactions, Life sciences IP, Patent, Patent (contentious), Patent (prosecution), Trade mark, Trade mark (contentious), Trade mark (prosecution)

Sector Expertise: Advertising, Artificial intelligence, Arts, Biotechnology, Chemical, Computer technology & services, Electronics, Fashion & luxury goods, Film, FMCG, Hospitality & leisure, ICT & software, Internet, Life sciences, Manufacturing, Media, Music, Oil and gas, Pharmaceutical, Professional services, Publishing, Renewable energy, Retail, Sports, Technology hardware, Telecommunication, Universities & research, Utilities

Address:
First Canadian Place, 100 King St W #6200
Toronto, ON , M5X 1B8, Canada
M5X 1B8
Tel:+14163622111 Web Address:http://www.osler.com/
2026 Edition
Copyright & related rights
Tier 1
16 firms ranked
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Tier 1

Cassels Brock & Blackwell
6 practice areas
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Gowling WLG
6 practice areas
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McCarthy Tétrault
7 practice areas
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Osler Hoskin & Harcourt
7 practice areas
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Smart & Biggar
10 practice areas
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Tier 2

Fasken
6 practice areas
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McMillan
7 practice areas
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Tier 3

Aird & Berlis
9 practice areas
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Norton Rose Fulbright
7 practice areas
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Torys
7 practice areas
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Other Notable Firms

Baker McKenzie
6 practice areas
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Bennett Jones
8 practice areas
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Blake Cassels & Graydon
10 practice areas
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DLA Piper
8 practice areas
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Goodmans
5 practice areas
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Lenczner Slaght
6 practice areas
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IP transactions
Tier 3
15 firms ranked
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Tier 1

Blake Cassels & Graydon
10 practice areas
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McCarthy Tétrault
7 practice areas
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Norton Rose Fulbright
7 practice areas
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Stikeman Elliott
6 practice areas
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Tier 2

Aird & Berlis
9 practice areas
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McMillan
7 practice areas
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Torys
7 practice areas
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Tier 3

Bennett Jones
8 practice areas
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Cassels Brock & Blackwell
6 practice areas
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Fasken
6 practice areas
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Gowling WLG
6 practice areas
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Osler Hoskin & Harcourt
7 practice areas
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Other Notable Firms

Borden Ladner Gervais
9 practice areas
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Robic
7 practice areas
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Smart & Biggar
10 practice areas
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Patent disputes
Tier 1
22 firms ranked
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Tier 1

Goodmans
5 practice areas
View profile
Gowling WLG
6 practice areas
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McCarthy Tétrault
7 practice areas
View profile
Osler Hoskin & Harcourt
7 practice areas
View full profile
Smart & Biggar
10 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Lenczner Slaght
6 practice areas
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Norton Rose Fulbright
7 practice areas
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Torys
7 practice areas
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Tier 3

Aitken Klee
4 practice areas
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Belmore Neidrauer
4 practice areas
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Bennett Jones
8 practice areas
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Borden Ladner Gervais
9 practice areas
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DLA Piper
8 practice areas
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Fasken
6 practice areas
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Fineberg Ramamoorthy
5 practice areas
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Robic
7 practice areas
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Other Notable Firms

Aird & Berlis
9 practice areas
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Blake Cassels & Graydon
10 practice areas
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Cassels Brock & Blackwell
6 practice areas
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Deeth Williams Wall
6 practice areas
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Gilbert’s
3 practice areas
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Markwell Clarizio
4 practice areas
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Patent prosecution
Tier 3
17 firms ranked
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Tier 1

Gowling WLG
6 practice areas
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Smart & Biggar
10 practice areas
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Tier 2

Borden Ladner Gervais
9 practice areas
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Marks & Clerk
7 practice areas
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Norton Rose Fulbright
7 practice areas
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Tier 3

Aird & Berlis
9 practice areas
View profile
Bennett Jones
8 practice areas
View profile
McCarthy Tétrault
7 practice areas
View profile
Osler Hoskin & Harcourt
7 practice areas
View full profile
Robic
7 practice areas
View profile
Torys
7 practice areas
View profile

Other Notable Firms

BCF Business Law
2 practice areas
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Blake Cassels & Graydon
10 practice areas
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CPST Intellectual Property
5 practice areas
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Fasken
6 practice areas
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Lavery
4 practice areas
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PCK Intellectual Property
3 practice areas
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Trade mark disputes
Tier 2
23 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

Gowling WLG
6 practice areas
View full profile
Smart & Biggar
10 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Cassels Brock & Blackwell
6 practice areas
View profile
Osler Hoskin & Harcourt
7 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

Borden Ladner Gervais
9 practice areas
View profile
DLA Piper
8 practice areas
View profile
Lipkus Law
5 practice areas
View profile
Marks & Clerk
7 practice areas
View full profile
McMillan
7 practice areas
View profile
Norton Rose Fulbright
7 practice areas
View full profile
Robic
7 practice areas
View profile
Torys
7 practice areas
View profile

Other Notable Firms

Aird & Berlis
9 practice areas
View profile
Bennett Jones
8 practice areas
View profile
Blake Cassels & Graydon
10 practice areas
View profile
CPST Intellectual Property
5 practice areas
View profile
Deeth Williams Wall
6 practice areas
View profile
Dipchand
5 practice areas
View profile
Fasken
6 practice areas
View profile
Lavery
4 practice areas
View profile
Lenczner Slaght
6 practice areas
View profile
McCarthy Tétrault
7 practice areas
View profile
Stikeman Elliott
6 practice areas
View profile
Trade mark prosecution
Tier 2
19 firms ranked
View full list

Tier 1

Borden Ladner Gervais
9 practice areas
View profile
Gowling WLG
6 practice areas
View full profile
Smart & Biggar
10 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 2

Baker McKenzie
6 practice areas
View full profile
Bennett Jones
8 practice areas
View profile
Fasken
6 practice areas
View profile
Marks & Clerk
7 practice areas
View full profile
Osler Hoskin & Harcourt
7 practice areas
View full profile

Tier 3

CPST Intellectual Property
5 practice areas
View profile
Cassels Brock & Blackwell
6 practice areas
View profile
McCarthy Tétrault
7 practice areas
View profile
McMillan
7 practice areas
View profile
Norton Rose Fulbright
7 practice areas
View full profile
Robic
7 practice areas
View profile
Torys
7 practice areas
View profile

Other Notable Firms

Aird & Berlis
9 practice areas
View profile
DLA Piper
8 practice areas
View profile
Deeth Williams Wall
6 practice areas
View profile
Lavery
4 practice areas
View profile
Overview

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.

Testimonials

2025

“Advice is provided quickly and in a manner that makes even complicated situations seem simple."

"Fast response times."

"Great service and price."

"Knowledgeable and easy to reach when have any questions or concerns. They provide proactive suggestions to improve quality of work product and meet client goals."

"I’ve been consistently impressed with Osler's professionalism and the quality of service.”

"Team is very experienced and knowledgeable of the entertainment industry, especially in Canada."

"The firm is my go-to law firm in Canada. High quality work and great communication."

"They are my go-to firm in Canada. Outstanding service, quality advice and reasonable costs."

"They are thorough and employ great lawyers."

"Very responsive and knowledgeable."

Brad White

“A stickler for client service and ensures that his team delivers time after time.”

Matthew Diskin

“His responsiveness, attention to detail, and ability to navigate complex legal matters with clarity and precision have been incredibly valuable.”

“Brings a calm, strategic mindset to every conversation, and his follow-through has made a real difference in helping us stay on track and protected. It's been a pleasure working with someone so sharp and reliable.”

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