The Patent 1000 focuses exclusively on patent practice and has firmly established itself as the definitive 'go-to' resource for those seeking world-class legal patent expertise.
Recommended - Individuals: prosecution
Operating out of seven offices across the country, the Fasken IP squad has seen and done it all – from strategic portfolio management to complex patent infringement proceedings and IP-rich M&A deals. The group’s ability to judiciously draw on the wider firm’s resources is a major plus to those embroiled in thorny and multifaceted disputes. One significant matter that has kept many Fasken professionals busy – namely Julie Desrosiers, Marie Lafleur and Jason Markwell – is the constitutional challenge filed by the group on behalf of Merck, Bayer, and Boehringer Ingelheim at the Superior Court of Québec, attacking both the amendments and the validity of the existing Patented Medicines Prices Review Board (PMPRB) regime under the Patent Act. The first port of call for many pharmaceutical and high-tech corporations, Desrosiers is always on hand to dispense strategic guidance; well versed in all aspects of conflict resolution, Lafleur is equally at ease in the courtroom as she is outside of it; and Markwell is a polished litigator who draws up creative solutions, regardless of how complex the brief. Outside of the life sciences, the team has been successful in an important dispute for Arctic Cat, a manufacturer of snow mobiles. The multi-strand patent infringement is one of the largest non-pharma cases in the country, and Marek Nitoslawski and David Turgeon are the brains behind the defence. IP all-rounder Nitoslawski is an outstanding lawyer who is always on top of every detail, and Turgeon provides inspired leadership to the group. Having provided globally minded IP counsel across the contentious/non-contentious divide for over two decades, Armand Benitah has developed a reputable and highly sought-after patent practice. Also traversing the split is IAM Patent 1000 newcomer Ling Wong, a trusted partner to start-ups and SMEs in the cleantech, medical devices and consumer goods industries. On the prosecution front, Alexandre Abecassis, Mark Penner, Serge Lapointe, and Johann Gest all have an ample amount of work keeping them occupied. Abecassis has been drafting and prosecuting patent applications for high-tech company 1Qbit, while Penner has been strategically advising Fio Corporation, an innovative health technology company with over 350 issued patents on its international IP portfolio. Lapointe supports Canadienzyme Inc with the prosecution of its patent application and contract drafting; while Gest manages the patent and design portfolio for Soundbite Medical Solutions Inc, which includes more than 10 patent families with filings in over nine jurisdictions. Completing the line-up, Alain Leclerc has been busy conducting freedom-to-operate evaluations for pharmaceutical companies, while taking into account important legal and commercial considerations and keeping his clients’ concerns in mind.