Please Join us for a KWIPG Lunch:

Sustaining Excellence: Update on IPIC Activities and Discussion About a Modern Governance Framework for Patent and Trademark Agents.

Join our speakers for an update on the current advocacy, professional development, and public awareness initiatives by the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC).

This luncheon will also be an opportunity to learn more, ask questions, and share your views about IPIC’s proposal to modernize the governance framework for patent and trademark agents.

Date: Thursday, April 21, 2016

Time: 12:00pm to 1:30pm

Location: Miller Thomson LLP

Accelerator Building

295 Hagey Blvd., Suite 300

Waterloo, ON, N2L 6R5.

(519) 579.3660

Registration is $20, which covers the cost of lunch. Please RSVP to kwipgroup@gmail.com by Monday, April 18, 2016 to confirm your attendance. Everyone is welcome, so please feel free to share this invitation with anyone else who may be interested in attending.

Yours very truly,

The KWIPG Committee

Speakers:

Joan Van Zant is Chair of IPIC's Professional Regulation Committee, a Past President, and a Member of Distinction of the Institute. Joan has had a prolific career as a patent agent that began when she became the third woman to be entered on the Register of Patent Agents. She has worked in a corporation and in IP firms, and retired in 2015 from Norton Rose Fullbright.

Tim Lowman is a member of IPIC Council and Chair of the Insurance Committee. He is a partner and a member of Aird & Berlis LLP's Litigation Group and Intellectual Property Group. Tim has more than 35 years of experience as counsel in a broad range of commercial and IP litigation, including patent, trademark, copyright, professional errors and omissions, and employment law claims.

Anna Wilkinson is a member of IPIC’s Professional Regulation Committee. Anna is a partner, lawyer, patent and trademark agent with Norton Rose Fullbright. She practises in all areas of IP law, with a focus on the procurement of intellectual property rights.  She holds a B.Sc from Queen University and a LL.B. and a LL.M. in intellectual property law from Osgoode Hall Law School. 

Michel Gérin is a consultant to IPIC on the modern governance framework project. He was Executive Director of IPIC from 2001 to 2015 and is now an Honorary Member of the Institute. He previously worked in the New Media group at the CBC/Radio-Canada head office and holds a B. Com. and an MBA from the University of Ottawa.

Upcoming Changes in the Canadian IP Framework and IPIC Update

Jeffrey Astle, IPIC President and Intellectual Property Counsel with Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.

Michel Gérin, Executive Director of IPIC

With the likely adoption of Bill C-8 (Combating Counterfeit Products Act) and new regulations for the patent and trade-mark agent exams that were published in the Canada Gazette, there will be many changes to the legislative and regulatory framework for Canadian intellectual property in 2014.

The KWIPG is therefore delighted to present Jeffrey Astle, IPIC president and IP counsel for Pratt & Whitney Canada, and Michel Gérin, the executive director of IPIC, who will explain these as well as other potential changes on the horizon due to the new CETA trade agreement with the European Union. They will also provide an update on IPIC’s advocacy initiatives. 

Date: Thursday, January 23, 2014
Time: 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Location: Miller Thomson LLP
Accelerator Building
295 Hagey Blvd., Suite 300
Waterloo, ON, N2L 6R5.

(519) 579.3660

Registration is $20, which covers the cost of lunch. Please RSVP to kwipgroup@gmail.com by Monday, January 20, 2014 to confirm your attendance. Everyone is welcome, so please feel free to share this invitation with anyone else who may be interested in attending. 

Yours very truly,

The KWIPG Committee

Speakers:

Jeffrey Astle, President

Jeffrey is Intellectual Property Counsel for Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. ("P&WC") based at the company's head office near Montréal. Jeff joined P&WC in 1994, moving in-house from a Toronto firm specializing in IP law. His practice focuses on providing legal and business advice on all IP and technology related legal matters for his clients in its high technology aerospace business. Jeff is a registered patent agent and trade-mark agent, is called to the Bar of Ontario, and is registered to practice as corporate counsel by the Barreau of Québec. He holds a B.A.Sc. and M.A.Sc. in chemical engineering.

Michel Gérin, Executive Director

Michel has been executive director of IPIC since 2001. Working with seven other employees, his role includes managing the resources of IPIC, strategic planning, advocacy, support to Council and a number of committees, and member and public relations. He previously was Director of strategic planning in the New Media department of CBC∕Radio-Canada. Michel holds a B.Com and an MBA.

Recent and Upcoming Changes in the Canadian IP Landscape & IPIC Update

The state of intellectual property law in Canada is in constant flux, and this has never been more true than today. Whether dealing with challenges to the patentability of software, international trade agreements that could dramatically impact copyright and pharmaceutical protection, or the validity of a patent on a “little blue pill”, the modern practitioner must be keenly aware of changes to the Canadian IP landscape.

The KWIPG is therefore delighted to present Roseann Caldwell, IPIC president and a partner with Bennett Jones LLP, who will try to help us make sense of some of these changes. Ms. Caldwell will be joined by Michel Gérin, executive director of IPIC, to give an update on IPIC’s recent activities.

Date: Monday, December 10, 2012 
Time: 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Location: Miller Thomson LLP
Accelerator Building
295 Hagey Blvd., Suite 300
Waterloo, ON
N2L 6R5
(519) 579.3660

Registration is $20, which covers the cost of lunch. Please RSVP to kwipgroup@gmail.com by Friday, November 30, 2012 to confirm your attendance. Everyone is welcome.

Advance Notice - Lunch with IPIC President Roseann Caldwell

After an extended hiatus, please join us for a lunch with the new IPIC president Roseann Caldwell on December 10th. Details will be sent around shortly!

KWIPG Lunch - Patentability of Computer Implemented Inventions at the EPO (November 4, 2011)

Please join us for another KWIPG lunch on November 4 co-hosted with TIPG and Miller Thomson LLP. Details are below:

Patentability of Computer Implemented Inventions at the EPO:
How to Improve Your Chances for Obtaining a Granted EP Patent

The TIPG, KWIPG and Miller Thomson LLP warmly invite you to attend a lunch seminar at which you’ll hear directly from Mr. Daniel Closa, a visiting senior patent examiner from the European Patent Office (EPO), on how you can improve your chances for obtaining a granted patent for computer implemented inventions in Europe by addressing the EPO examination process and the particular EPO requirements for patentability.

Date: Friday, November 4, 2011
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Venues: Miller Thomson LLP
Toronto Office: Scotia Plaza, 40 King St. W., 58th Floor
Waterloo Office: Accelerator Centre, 295 Hagey Blvd., Suite 300

The event will be live at the Toronto Office of Miller Thompson and will be broadcast via video conference to the Waterloo Office of Miller Thompson.

Cost: $25.00 (lunch included)

The Federal Court decision in Amazon.com (2010 FC 1011) highlighted the differences between Canadian and European approaches when assessing the patentability of computer implemented inventions. An appeal in the Amazon.com decision was heard in June 2011, and the imminent decision may clarify just how different (or similar) the approaches are or should be (at least until the Supreme Court of Canada has the final word). Given the unsettled nature of this area of patent law and patent practice, Canadian practitioners and applicants would benefit from a better understanding of the European approach and strategies in other important jurisdictions in order to improve their chances for successfully obtaining patent protection abroad.

Daniel Closa has been an examiner at the European Patent Office (EPO) since the 1980s. With a wealth of experience in training both examiners and attorneys in European patent law, Mr. Closa has also been tasked with training missions in patent offices around the world, including in the Philippines, Thailand, Croatia and France. Now active in the legally charged area of computer implemented inventions, especially those concerned with methods of doing business over networks, Mr. Closa is well versed in the jurisprudence in this branch of IP, both in Europe and other major regions. Mr. Closa is the main author of the book Patent Law for Computer Scientists. He speaks French, English, German, Spanish and Catalan.

Please RSVP by Friday, October 28, 2011 by email to kwipgroup@gmail.com

Please contact KWIPG kwipgroup@gmail.com if you have any questions about the seminar program.

Space is limited. Cheques should be made payable to Miller Thomson LLP and can be brought to the seminar.

KWIPG Lunch - Taxation of Cross-Border Intellectual Property Licenses

After an extended summer break, the KWIPG invites you to our next meeting of 2011. We are delighted to present John Campbell, a tax lawyer with Miller Thomson LLP, who will be presenting on the Taxation of Cross-Border Intellectual Property Licences. Further details as well as a bio for John are provided below.

Date: Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Time: 12:30pm to 2:00pm
Location: Miller Thomson LLP
Accelerator Building,
295 Hagey Blvd., Suite 300,
Waterloo, ON, N2L 6R5.

The registration fee for the event is $20, which includes lunch. Please RSVP to kwipgroup@gmail.com


by Friday, September 23, 2011 to confirm your attendance. All are welcome, and please send this along to anyone else who may be interested in attending.

We look forward to seeing everyone.

Yours very truly,

The KWIPG Committee


John Campbell practises taxation law, advising clients on domestic and international income tax issues. Mr. Campbell has extensive experience with respect to the tax implications and structuring of corporate reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions and other business transactions. He provides clients with effective, practical tax advice based on his expertise and experience. Mr. Campbell also specializes in tax litigation. He has many years of experience in representing clients in tax disputes with federal and provincial tax authorities, including proposed reassessments, notices of objection and appearing in the Tax Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Ontario courts on tax appeals. Mr. Campbell has written extensively for various publications and spoken on numerous occasions at conferences on many different aspects of taxation law.

Advance Notice - Upcoming Lunch Session

After an extended summer break, the KWIPG will be hosting another event on Tuesday, September 27. At the event, John Campbell, a senior tax partner with Miller Thomson LLP will be speaking on the taxation of cross-border IP licenses. Stay tuned for details!

REMINDER of Next KWIPG Lunch and Slight Program Adjustment

This is a reminder of the upcoming KWIPG lunch this Thursday, January 20, 2011. If you have not yet RSVP'd, please let us know by 3:00 pm tomorrow, January 19, 2011.

We have recently learned that the CIPO will be holding a webinar on Thursday from 1-2 pm on proposed amendments to the Trade-marks Regulations pertaining to opposition proceedings.

Accordingly, that there will be a slight change in the agenda for lunch. Janet Fuhrer will be speaking from 12:00 until approximately 12:50. After a short break, we will then dial in to the CIPO webinar at 1 pm. Time permitting, a brief discussion will follow the CIPO presentation.

Everyone is welcome to stay for both presentations if schedules permit but please do not feel obligated.

Next KWIPG Lunch - President of IPIC Janet Fuhrer on Trade-mark Oppositions

After a brief hiatus in 2010, the KWIPG invites you to our first meeting of 2011. We are delighted to have Janet Fuhrer, IPIC president and a partner with Ridout & Maybee LLP, who will be providing an update on trade-mark oppositions. Further details as well as a bio on Janet are provided below.

Date: Thursday, January 20, 2011
Time: 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Location: Miller Thomson office, Eastman Room
Accelerator Building,
295 Hagey Blvd., Suite 300
Waterloo, ON, N2L 6R5.

The registration fee for the event is $20, which includes lunch. Please RSVP to kwipgroup@gmail.com by Friday, January 14, 2011 to confirm your attendance.


Opposition Update: Noteworthy Developments and Practice Tips
Janet Fuhrer, IPIC President and Partner, Ridout & Maybee LLP

Keep your New Year’s resolution to stay current on Opposition Proceedings! This talk will highlight some of the most recent decisions of the Trade-marks Opposition Board, Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal and discuss implications for the practice of trade-marks professionals, as well as provide opposition practice tips.

Janet Fuhrer is a partner of Ridout & Maybee LLP in the firm's Ottawa office and recently was elected the President of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada. She also serves as the Vice Chair of the Professional Development Committee of the Canadian Bar Association and Chair of the Trademarks Treaties and International Law Committee of the American Intellectual Property Law Association. She is a Past Chair of the Trade-marks Examination Board. Janet also serves on committees of the Ontario Bar Association and INTA. Janet’s practice focuses on trade-mark and copyright matters, particularly in the areas of drafting and prosecution of trade-mark applications, representing clients in trade-mark opposition and cancellation proceedings and related litigation. Janet has been granted the Certified Specialist designation in Intellectual Property Trade-mark/Copyright Law by the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC).

KWIPG Summer Social - Wednesday, July 28

Please join us for a social event on the Huether Hotel patio to celebrate the middle of summer. There will be no formal presentation, but recent events in IP law are sure to be discussed.

Date: Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Time: 5:00 pm
Location:
Huether Hotel - Barley Works patio
59 King Street North
Waterloo, ON
(519) 886-3350

There will be no charge to attend and KWIPG will cover the cost of food. However, everyone will be responsible for their own beverages.

Please RSVP to kwipgroup@gmail.com by Friday, July 23 to confirm your attendance. All are welcome, and please forward this invitation along to anyone else who you think may be interested in attending.


If you are not on our membership list, or if your contact information has changed, please send us an email.

Breakfast with CIPO

We are delighted to announce that the next meeting of the KWIPG will be on Friday, May 28, 2010. Unlike the usual lunchtime meeting, this will be a breakfast seminar.

CIPO will be providing an updated viewpoint of what is happening in the world of intellectual property, including comments on obviousness, trade-mark modernization and the Madrid protocol. There will also be a time for questions and interaction following the presentation.

The event details are as follows:

Date: Friday, May 28, 2010
Time: 8:30 AM
Location: Coldwell Banker Building
508 Riverbend Drive
Kitchener, Ontario
Lower Level Theater
(519) 591-3214
Map

CIPO has generously agreed to cover the entire cost of the meeting. However, even though there is no charge to attendees, it is very important that you RSVP by the deadline below to enable us to plan for the number of attendees.

Please RSVP to kwipgroup@gmail.com by Monday, May 24, 2010 to confirm your attendance

More information about the Kitchener Waterloo Intellectual Property Group can be found on our blog:

If you would like to be added to our membership list, or if your contact information has changed, please send us an email.

All are welcome, and please forward this invitation along to anyone who you think may be interested in attending.

Follow Up to Justice Hughes' Presentation

A special thank you to Justice Hughes for his presentation yesterday, it was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Here are links to the slides and handout that he provided.

We have also included a few photos below. We look forward to seeing everyone at the next meeting!

KWIPG Lunch: Views from the Bench - The Honourable Roger T. Hughes - November 11, 2009

We are delighted to present The Honourable Roger T. Hughes, Q.C., of the Federal Court of Canada, who will be speaking at the next KWIPG lunch on November 11, 2009.

Prior to his appointment to the Federal Court in June 2005, Justice Hughes was one of Canada’s preeminent intellectual property litigators, practicing in Toronto with Sim, Hughes, Ashton & McKay, Sim & McBurney, and Bennett Jones LLP.

Justice Hughes will be discussing intellectual property law in Canada, including his thoughts on the sufficiency of disclosure requirements for patents.

Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Time: 12:00 pm
Location: Coldwell Banker Building
508 Riverbend Drive
Kitchener, Ontario
Lower Level Theatre
(519) 591-3214
Map


There will be a $25 charge per person to cover the cost of lunch and rental of the theatre.

Please RSVP by Friday, November 6, 2009 to confirm your attendance

If you would like to be added to our membership list, or if your contact information has changed, please email us

KWIPG AGM and Upcoming Lunch Meeting with Justice Roger T. Hughes - November 11, 2009

Minutes from the September 24 AGM are provided below. Kindly review at your convenience and forward any comments or suggestions to the executive committee.

Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 11. At that meeting, The Honourable Justice Roger T. Hughes from the Federal Court will be providing some insight into current legal issues in patent drafting. Further details will be confirmed in an upcoming email.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the next meeting!

Minutes from September 24 KWIPG AGM

During the annual general meeting, three major issues were discussed.

1) Selection of the KWIPG executive

There are four spots on the KWIPG executive, Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. The executive has been selected on an ad hoc basis since the KWIPG was founded in 2003. The current executive has been in place since July 2008.

It was agreed that up to two members of the executive would be replaced by new members from the KWIPG. If you are interested in joining the executive for a one-year term, please contact Mark Schisler (mschisler@blgcanada.com) or Jason Hynes (jhynes@bereskinparr.com). Those who are interested are welcome to attend an executive meeting to get a sense of what is involved.

The current executive will vet all applicants and then select the new members. This is similar to the procedure the Toronto Intellectual Property Group uses to select its executive, and should help to provide a smooth transition from year-to-year.


2) Fees and Membership

The KWIPG has always operated on a not-for-profit basis, with event fees being used almost entirely to cover the costs of food. Any residual funds at the end of the year were normally used to pay for food at our annual summer social. The KWIPG also has an outstanding loan to IPIC for $500, which was used to help the group become established.

There is currently no cost to join the KWIPG group, and no formal membership process. The only income to the group is from event fees, which up until now have been set to cover the cost of the food.

In the interests of becoming more financially independent, including repaying the loan from IPIC, covering speaker gifts, and paying travel costs for speakers (to attract a wider range of speakers), the introduction of a formal membership was discussed, including fees.

It was decided to look into implementing an optional annual membership fee, available on either an institutional basis (e.g. a firm or company would pay a flat rate, regardless of the number of attendees) or an individual basis. Members could then be charged a reduced rate for events. Subsidized memberships (e.g. for students or small practitioners) were also discussed as an option.

The executive committee will meet to discuss implementing a membership structure and will prepare a proposed cost outline for the different membership options (e.g. institutional/individual/student, etc.). This will be presented for discussion at a subsequent meeting.

3) Membership List and Private Member’s Website

Finally, there was a brief discussion of distributing a membership list to all current members. This would hopefully allow members to keep in better contact with each other and further the social goals of the group. Various privacy issues were discussed, including whether members would opt-in or opt-out to the distribution of the list, and how consent for use of personal information could be obtained.

The option of providing a “member’s only” section on the blog was also discussed. Such a section could be used to provide access to the membership list, allow for contact information to be updated, and provide an archive for content.

These issues will be investigated by the executive in greater detail, and will be presented at a subsequent meeting for discussion.


If you have any suggestions or comments on these topics, or have other items that you would like to see discussed, please send an email to Mark Schisler (mschisler@blgcanada.com) or Jason Hynes (jhynes@bereskinparr.com)

KWIPG Annual General Meeting

After the summer break, the next meeting of the Kitchener Waterloo Intellectual Property Group is being held on:

Date: Thursday, September 24, 2009.
Time: 12:00 pm
Location: Miller Thomson Waterloo Office, Accelerator Building
295 Hagey Blvd., Suite 300
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 6R5
Tel: 519-579-3660

At this meeting we will discuss the structure of our organization to determine how we may best move forward.

What follows is a proposed agenda of the issues that the Executive proposes to address. Please forward your comments to Mark Schisler at mschisler@blgcanada.com, so that we may add your topic(s) to the agenda.


Fees – individual meeting only or by company membership?

Selection of the Executive. What works for you?


There will be a $15 charge to cover the cost of lunch. Please make cheques payable to Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (receipts will be issued upon request). Please forward this invitation along to those who you think may be interested in attending.

Please RSVP to Lisa Malcolm at: lmalcolm@bereskinparr.com by September 17, 2009 to confirm your attendance.

More information about the Kitchener Waterloo Intellectual Property Group can be found on our blog: http://kwipg.blogspot.com/

KWIPG Summer Social - Wednesday, July 8

Please join us for a social event at the Huether Hotel to celebrate the beginning of summer. There will be no formal presentation, but everyone is welcome to discuss recent events in IP law.

Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Time: 5:00 pm
Location:
Huether Hotel - Barley Works patio
59 King Street North
Waterloo, ON
(519) 886-3350

There will be no charge to attend, however everyone will be responsible for the cost of their own food and drinks.

Please RSVP to Jason Hynes by Monday, July 6, 2009 to confirm your attendance

Patent Quality Presentation

Thanks again to Leonora Hoicka and Michel Gérin for their presentations on April 27, 2009. Leonora has graciously allowed us to publish her presentation, which can be downloaded here: Patent Quality Initiative

Check back in a few weeks for details on our next meeting.

KWIPG Lunch: IBM Patent Quality Initiative and IPIC Q&A Session

The next lunch meeting of the Kitchener Waterloo Intellectual Property Group is being held on Monday, April 27, 2009. At this meeting, Leonora Hoicka, President of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) will discuss a patent quality initiative currently underway at IBM. Michel Gérin, Executive Director of IPIC will then talk briefly about IPIC and solicit comments and suggestions.

Date: Monday, April 27, 2009
Time: 12:00 pm
Location: Miller Thomson Waterloo Office
Accelerator Building
295 Hagey Blvd., Suite 300
Waterloo, ON N2L 6R5
519-579-3660


There will be a $15 charge to cover the cost of lunch. Please make cheques payable to Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (receipts will be issued upon request). Please also forward this invitation along to those who you think may be interested in attending.

Please RSVP to Jason Hynes by Thursday, April 23, 2009 to confirm your attendance

Next Meeting - Monday, April 27

Stay tuned for details about our next meeting scheduled for Monday, April 27, 2009. At that meeting, Michel Gérin from the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) will talk briefly about IPIC, and Leonora Hoicka, President of IPIC will discuss a patent quality initiative that IBM is currently involved in.

KWIPG Lunch: Recent Developments in Patent Law - Feburary 25, 2009

After a long break, the next lunch meeting of the Kitchener Waterloo Intellectual Property Group is being held on Wednesday, February 25, 2009. At this meeting, various members of the KWIPG will provide short presentations on several recent developments in patent law, including the patentability of software and business methods in light of Bilski, the effect of Sanofi on the test for anticipation in Canada, and proposed changes to the Canadian patent rules.


Date: Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Time: 12:00 pm
Location: Miller Thomson Waterloo Office
Accelerator Building
295 Hagey Blvd., Suite 300
Waterloo, ON N2L 6R5
519-579-3660


There will be a $15 charge to cover the cost of lunch. Please make cheques payable to Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (receipts will be issued upon request). Please forward this invitation along to those who you think may be interested in attending.


Please RSVP to Jason Hynes by Monday, February 23, 2009 to confirm your attendance

If you would like to be added to our membership list or if your contact information has changed, please email Jason Hynes

KWIPG Lunch: Indian Patent Law and Practice

The next lunch meeting of the Kitchener Waterloo Intellectual Property Group is being held on Thursday, August 28th.

At this meeting, Mr. Sharad Vadehra, a partner and patent and trademark attorney with the firm of Kan and Krishme will provide a presentation on the state of patent law in India. Sharad is a senior patent attorney with a background in chemistry and biochemistry and over 20 years of experience in handling both domestic and international patent matters.

Date: Thursday, August 28th, 2008
Time: 12:00 pm
Location: Borden Ladner Gervais - Main Boardroom
100 Regina St. South, Suite 220
Waterloo, ON
519.579.5600

There will be a $15 charge to cover the cost of lunch. Please make cheques payable to Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. Receipts will be issued upon request.

Please feel free to forward this email along to those who you think may be interested in attending.


Please RSVP to Jason Hynes before Monday, August 25, 2008

Social at the Heuther - July 16, 2008

After a long break, we are pleased to invite you to the summer meeting of the KWIP Group!

Date: Wednesday, July 16th, 2008
Time: 4:30pm
Location: Heuther Hotel patio (Barley Works)
59 King Street North, Waterloo, Ontario
Map

This will be a social event with no formal presentation, although discussion of current IP issues is always welcome. Appetizers will be provided free of charge.

Please RSVP to Jason Hynes by Monday, July 14, 2008. Please also forward this invitation to anyone who you think may be interested in attending.

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Daryl Schnurr Joins Exec

KWIPG Executive - Update
The KWIPG Executive has once again been updated. Neil Henderson has resigned as Secretary, and has been replaced by Daryl Schnurr from Miller Thompson.

The new structure is as follows:

Chair:
Mark Schisler
519-884-6507
mschisler@blgcanada.com

Vice-Chair:
Jason Hynes
519-783-3214
jhynes@bereskinparr.com

Secretary:
Daryl Schnurr
519-593-3226
dschnurr@millerthomson.com

Treasurer:
Jeffrey Wong
519-741-9100
jwong@blgcanada.com

We will be rotating positions on an annual basis, and anyone interested in joining the exec is encouraged to contact Jason at jhynes@bereskinparr.com

Please also join us for our upcoming social on Wednesday, July 16th. Details will be posted soon.

Jim Kerr's Presentation

Thanks again to Jim for a very interesting presentation this past Wednesday. A copy of Jim's powerpoint slides and notes can be downloaded here:

Patents in the Supply Chain

Next Meeting – Februrary 6th, 2008

The next meeting of the KW IPIC Informals Group is just around the corner!

Date: Wednesday, February 6th, 2008
Time: 12:00pm
Location: 3rd floor boardroom of the Coldwell Banker building
508 Riverbend Drive, Kitchener

At this meeting, Jim Kerr from Labatt's historic home in London, Ontario will be discussing corporate process expectations - how patents fit into the supply chain of a corporation.

Jim brings over 17 years of experience working as an in-house patent agent, having worked on patents covering all areas of Labatt's business, including foam control in fermentation (CA 2,435,422), improved carton design (CA 2,118,571), and beverage dispensing systems (CA 2,468,468).

There will be a $15 charge for this event to cover the cost of lunch. Please reply to jhynes@bereskinparr.com by Monday, February 4, 2008 to ensure that enough food is ordered.

Please make any cheques payable to Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. A receipt will be issued upon request.

For further information please contact Jason Hynes at 519-783-3214 or the email listed above.

KWIPG Executive - Update

Please note that the KWIPG Executive has been updated. Craig Armstrong is no longer with the group, having stepped down from his position at BLG. We wish Craig all the best in the future!

The new structure is as follows:

Chair:
Mark Schisler
519-884-6507
mschisler@sympatico.ca

Vice-Chair:
Jason Hynes
519-783-3214
jhynes@bereskinparr.com

Membership:
Neil Henderson
519-741-9100
nhenderson@blgcanada.com

Treasurer:
Jeffrey Wong
519-741-9100
jwong@blgcanada.com

Stay tuned for details on our next meeting, tentatively scheduled for mid-February.

Next Meeting – KW Intellectual Property Group

The next meeting of the KW IPIC Informals Group will be on Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 12:00pm in the main boardroom on the 3rd floor of the Coldwell Banker building at 508 Riverbend Drive.

At this meeting, Professor Margaret Ann Wilkinson and Professor Mark Perry from the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law will provide a talk on “Growing Pains for GIs: Marketing Wars in a Global Perspective”, directed at issues related to the intersection of geographic indications and trade mark law.

Professor Wilkinson is the Director of the Area of Concentration in Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law, and has published in areas of intellectual property, information policy and media law. Professor Perry is the Graduate Chair for the Faculty of Law, and his research includes the intersection of law and technology, software licensing and biotechnology law.

This will be our last meeting of the year and it would be nice to see you again before the holiday season, along with the snow, arrives in full force. Thank you for your support, it has been fun to exchange information and ideas with all of you. We look forward to further meetings in 2008.

There will be a $15 charge for this event to cover the cost of lunch. Please reply to jwong@blgcanada.com by Monday, December 3, 2007 to register for this meeting so that we can ensure that we have enough food for everyone.

For those paying by cheque, please make them payable to Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. For those paying in cash, a receipt will be issued, if requested.

For further information please contact Jeffrey Wong by email or at 519-741-9100.

Patentability of Signal Claims - CIPO practice notice and In re Nuijten

This past August, the CIPO issued an Office Practice notice regarding the patentability of signal claims.

The notice reflected a change in the CIPO's position on this topic, stating that "electromagnetic and acoustic signals are forms of energy and do not contain matter even though the signal may be transmitted through a physical medium". Accordingly, signal claims would no longer be considered patentable.

Furthermore, the Federal Circuit in the U.S. yesterday released its decision In re Nuijten, which dealt with similar issues and held that signal claims per se are not patentable, notwithstanding the fact that the court found that the claims at issue required some physical carrier of information to be present. The decision can be found here.

Stay tuned for more updates on this topic...

Next Meeting - October 3, 2007

The next meeting of the KW IPIC Informals Group will be on Wednesday, October 3, 2007 at 12:00 pm in the main boardroom on the 3rd floor of the Coldwell Banker building at 508 Riverbend Drive.

At this meeting, Justine Wiebe, a partner with Bereskin & Parr, will be talking about recent changes to Canadian trade mark law and practice, relating to opposition proceedings, disclaimers and official marks.

There will be a $15 charge for this event to cover the cost of lunch. Please reply to jwong@blgcanada.com by Monday, October 1, 2007 to register for this meeting so that we can ensure that we have enough food for everyone.

For those paying by cheque, please make them payable to Borden Ladner Gervais, LLP. For those paying in cash, a receipt will be issued, if requested.

For further information please contact Jeffrey Wong at 519-741-9100 or the email listed above.

Welcome!

Welcome to the blog hosted by the Kitchener-Waterloo Intellectual Property Group. Please check back here for updates on IPIC informals as well as other IP events in the area. We will attempt to post materials from each informal as soon as they are available.

Please feel free to subsribe to our posts to stay current with the latest developments!

KWIP Executive

Chair:
Mark Schisler
519-884-6507
mschisler@sympatico.ca

Vice-Chair:
Jeffrey Wong
519-741-9100
jwong@blgcanada.com

Membership:
Neil Henderson
519-783-3213
nhenderson@bereskinparr.com

Treasurer:
Craig Armstrong
519-741-9100
carmstrong@blgcanada.com

Contact Information

Email us: kwipgroup@gmail.com

Chair - Jason Hynes
jhynes@bereskinparr.com
519-783-3214

Secretary - Daryl Schnurr
dschnurr@millerthomson.com
519-593-3226

Treasurer - Jeff Wong
jwong@blgcanada.com
519-747-6170