Thank you for joining the Section for what promises to be an exciting year. We are one of the most active sections of the CBA, and we hope you feel the benefits of being a member.
Our annual IP Day in Ottawa, scheduled for May 28, 2020, is already taking shape, and we look forward to seeing you there. We are delighted to be honouring retired Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin at this year’s Judges’ Dinner.
Get Involved
In the meantime, we hope you will enliven your CBA experience by joining one of our committees or working groups. It is a great way to keep your ear to the ground, meet other IP practitioners and participate in submissions that help shape IP law in Canada. You can review some of our recent submissions here:
The IP Section liaises regularly with government, including Innovation, Science and Economic Development and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. We also have a strong connection with the IP section of the American Bar Association. Let us know if you would like to become a part of these conversations.
IP Day Needs You
The famous IP Day could not happen without support from you, our volunteer committee members, and the CBA staff. Hosted every May in Ottawa, this conference includes a diversity breakfast, three town halls and a PD program. During the luncheon session, we announce the winner of the IP essay competition. I encourage you to have a look at last year’s winning paper, Legalism, Indigenous Cultural Art & Knowledge, and the Three Rs: Rejecting, Renovating, and Re-Imagining Law by Isabelle Lefroy. The highlight of IP Day is the Federal Courts Judges’ Dinner. Check out photos from the most recent dinner and the May 2019 agenda!
Member Articles
A special thank you goes to the authors of our case summaries. This is a great resource for recent developments in case law.
IP Users Group
The Federal Court IP Users Committee is comprised of Justices and Prothonotaries of the Federal Courts and six intellectual property practitioners, three appointed by the CBA and three appointed by IPIC. The committee meets twice annually (with the next meeting scheduled on November 14th, 2019) to discuss matters of practice and procedure that are relevant to the practice of intellectual property law. This year we have a unique opportunity for you: we are inviting eligible candidates to put forth their nominations to be a part of the IP Users Group for the term 2019-2022. If you are:
- a member in good standing of the CBA IP Section; and
- have previously been involved as volunteer for the section
Please send your resume and a letter of nomination (no more than 300 words) to Marina Ceclan, our liaison, by November 5, 2019. Many other opportunities to volunteer are available.
On behalf of the Section Executive, I thank you for becoming a member of the Section. I look forward to the year ahead.
Sincerely,
Erin Best
Chair, CBA Intellectual Property Section