People

Smart & Biggar is Canada’s largest and highest ranked intellectual property firm. Our reputation and strength is a measure of the quality of our people, and we are proud to have the broadest and deepest bench for IP in Canada. With over 180 lawyers, patent agents and trademark agents, we offer legal expertise and technological knowledge across a wide range of industries and scientific and engineering disciplines, with leaders in every field.

Services

Today’s fast-paced innovation economy demands a higher level of expertise and attention to detail when it comes to IP. Our highly skilled team of lawyers, patent agents and trademark agents advise clients on a wide variety of strategic business, brand and technology matters leveraging their deep expertise in intellectual property to help them succeed with IP.

Industries

Across all industries, intellectual property is at the heart of innovation and is key to accelerating business value and growth. Developing a clear IP strategy and knowing how to tap and leverage IP to align with business goals can unlock competitive advantages and make the difference between industry leaders and followers.

Insights

At the forefront of IP in Canada, and actively involved as leaders in industry committees and associations, we stay up-to-date and proactively report on the latest developments in intellectual property law in Canada and around the world. Breaking IP news, changes in the law, important new decisions, and information on key IP issues are provided here through our IP publications and resources.

Careers

Many of the world's most commercially important innovators and most prominent brands trust Smart & Biggar to protect and enforce their IP and to provide them with strategic IP counsel. We have developed a reputation as a firm of talented lawyers and patent and trademark agents with integrity, business savvy and tremendous acumen. That’s why we look for the brightest people with combined talent and strengths in law, business, science and technology.

Who we are

Smart & Biggar is widely recognized as Canada’s leading firm for intellectual property, and with over 180 lawyers, patent agents and trademark agents in six offices, we are also Canada’s largest firm focused purely on IP and related specialty areas.

Event

BIO 2025: Connect with Smart & Biggar’s leading Canadian Life Sciences team

Lei Liu, Micheline Gravelle, Patricia Folkins, Melanie Szweras, Carmela De Luca, Mark Pidkowich, France Leclaire, Herman Cheung, Dominique Lambert and Iris Ngo

June 16, 2025 - June 19, 2025

Smart & Biggar's leading Life Sciences team will travel to Boston to attend this year's BIO International Convention from June 16-19, 2025.

The BIO International Convention is the largest and most comprehensive event for biotechnology, representing the full ecosystem of biotech with over 20,000 industry leaders from across the globe.

Attending BIO?

Look out for and connect with our team members, including Lei Liu, Micheline Gravelle, Patricia Folkins, Melanie Szweras, Carmela De Luca, Mark Pidkowich, France Leclaire, Herman Cheung, Dominique Lambert and Iris Ngo.

We look forward to reconnecting with colleagues and clients globally.

Related People

Lei Liu
Principal
- Smart & Biggar LP
- T:613.232.2593
- lliu@smartbiggar.ca
- Ottawa
Lei Liu
Principal
Lei Liu is a Canadian patent agent and principal in Smart & Biggar’s Ottawa office. With his Ph.D. in advanced sciences, Lei harnesses his knowledge of biotechnology, biological science and c...
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Micheline Gravelle
- she/her/hers
Principal
- Smart & Biggar LP
- T:416.957.1682
- mgravelle@smartbiggar.ca
- Toronto
Micheline Gravelle
Principal
Micheline’s practice focuses on assessing new technologies, preparing and prosecuting patent applications worldwide, providing strategic advice and conducting due diligence reviews on patent portfolio...
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Patricia Folkins
- she/her/hers
Principal
- Smart & Biggar LP
- T:905.817.6101
- pfolkins@smartbiggar.ca
- Toronto
Patricia Folkins
Principal
Patricia’s practice focuses on assessing the patentability of new technologies, preparing and prosecuting patent applications worldwide, providing strategic advice, performing prior art and freedom to...
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Melanie Szweras
- she/her/hers
Principal
- Smart & Biggar LP
- T:416.957.1678
- mszweras@smartbiggar.ca
- Toronto
Melanie Szweras
Principal
Melanie’s practice focuses on drafting and prosecution of applications relating to biologics, diagnostics, biotechnology, food and pharmaceuticals. Melanie offers strategic advice and expertise to her...
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Carmela De Luca
- she/her/hers
Principal
- Smart & Biggar LP
- T:514.871.2929
- cdeluca@smartbiggar.ca
- Montréal
- Toronto
Carmela De Luca
Principal
Carmela is a lawyer and registered patent agent in Canada and the United States and practices in all areas of intellectual property, focusing on patent matters, particularly for life science companies...
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Mark Pidkowich
Principal
- Smart & Biggar LP
- T:604.696.8824
- mrpidkowich@smartbiggar.ca
- Vancouver
Mark Pidkowich
Principal
Mark Pidkowich is a principal in Smart & Biggar’s Vancouver office. His practice encompasses the development and management of patents for biologics, drug discovery, diagnostics and medical d...
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France Leclaire
- she/her/elle
Counsel, Patent Agent
- Smart & Biggar LP
- T:514.954.1500
- fleclaire@smartbiggar.ca
- Montréal
France Leclaire
Counsel, Patent Agent
France is an accomplished patent expert and legal advisor with over 25 years of experience. In her IP practice, she specializes in the life sciences sector with a focus on prosecution, client counsell...
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Herman Cheung
- he/him/his
Senior Associate
- Smart & Biggar LP
- T:416.957.1173
- hcheung@smartbiggar.ca
- Toronto
Herman Cheung
Senior Associate
Herman is a highly skilled intellectual property lawyer and patent agent in the life sciences sector. Herman helps a diverse range of clients – including universities, start-ups, and medium to large c...
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Dominique Lambert
Principal
- Smart & Biggar LP
- T:514.871.2106
- dlambert@smartbiggar.ca
- Montréal
Dominique Lambert
Principal
Dominique's practice covers all aspects of patents, particularly in the fields of chemistry, pharmaceuticals, cannabis, psychedelics, clean technology, polymers and material science.For more than 20 y...
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Iris Ngo
Associate
- Smart & Biggar LP
- T:343.804.0929
- ingo@smartbiggar.ca
- Ottawa
Iris Ngo
Associate
With a strong background in Biochemistry, Iris works with clients to protect and maximize the value of their innovations. Iris is committed to staying at the forefront of intellectual property law and...
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