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 100 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 100 lawyers, patent agents and trademark agents in five offices, we are also Canada’s largest firm focused purely on IP and related specialty areas.

Rankings & Recognition

Smart & Biggar named ‘Best National Firm for Women in Business Law’ in North America by Euromoney LMG

September 22, 2020

Smart & Biggar is pleased to share that the firm has been awarded ‘Best National Firm for Women in Business Law – North America’ by Euromoney Legal Media Group (LMG) in the 9th annual Americas Women in Business Law Awards.

The award for ‘Best National Firm for Women in Business Law’ celebrates firms that support the development of women in the legal profession through programmes that enable women to pursue legal careers and achieve an equitable standing within a traditionally male dominated industry. Criteria include the ratio of women to men lawyers (at all levels of seniority), the retention of women associates to partner level and in business leadership roles, and gender-focused diversity initiatives.

We are proud to be recognized as a leading firm for women in law and thank the firm’s female partners and practitioners, and our firm leaders and executive committee, who have demonstrated ongoing leadership and support in moving the firm forward in achieving gender equality and diversity in our practice.

“Smart & Biggar is honoured to receive this award in recognition of our firm’s ongoing dedication and support of women in intellectual property law. At every level of the firm, and in everything we do — from active recruitment and development of women through their careers, to the promotion and celebration of women in IP — we are committed to the ongoing work required to move closer to achieving gender equity in every area of our practice and across the legal and IP industry. As a female partner who has built her career and practice at Smart & Biggar, and as Chair of the Firm, I am incredibly proud to share this achievement and recognition with my female partners and all of the women at Smart & Biggar.”

Daphne Lainson, Chair of the Firm

Committed to advancing women in intellectual property & technology law

Smart & Biggar’s commitment to supporting women in IP and technology law, and equality in the workplace is dynamic and ongoing. Though we are proud of the progress we have made and milestones we have achieved, we recognize this is a continuous journey and remain focused on continuing this work to create a healthy, inclusive and diverse workplace.

Smart & Biggar actively recruits and promotes women at all levels in all areas of the firm. We are proud to have female associates and partners represented in each of our major practice areas (patents, trademarks, industrial design and life sciences) and in leadership roles across all areas of business services and in each of our offices.

We are also proudly involved in industry programs and initiatives that foster and celebrate and support women in IP, including our firm’s annual Women’s Networking Reception during the International Trademark Association (INTA) annual conference, through American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) Women in IP Networking events across Canada, and the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada’s (IPIC) Women in IP Networking groups. We also proud to sponsor and participate annually in the ACI Women in Law conference, and the ChIPs Conference for Women in IP and ChIPs Next Gen summits.

About the LMG Americas Women in Business Law Awards

The LMG Americas Women in Business Law Awards focus on North and South America’s female lawyers, from In-house and private practice, and the teams and firms setting the standard for progressive work practices and initiatives in diversity and inclusion.

All 2020 Women in Business Award winners can be viewed here.

About Smart & Biggar

Smart & Biggar is widely recognized as Canada’s leading firm for intellectual property law, with offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary. We are leaders in intellectual property and technology law and have been serving clients for over a century.