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 lauded by Chambers Global for “bench strength and quality representation” in Intellectual Property and IP Litigation

February 19, 2021

Smart & Biggar is pleased to share that the firm has once again received top-tier recognition in Intellectual Property in the 2021 edition of Chambers Global – The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business with a Band 1 ranking, Chambers Global’s highest ranking.

Chambers researchers recognize Smart & Biggar as a “well-established IP and innovation boutique…[that] maintains an impressive IP development service, assisting high-profile clients with issues ranging from licensing and marketing to enforcement and litigation” They also noted we are “[r]eputed for its bench strength and quality representation, demonstrating particular skill in patent and trademark litigation as well as a substantial range of commercial IP matters”. Clients and peers describe the firm as “a very good team, with lots of technical depth and a high level of IP knowledge" and praised our “unique service offering [for] IP mining". Commentators also hail our "proactive approach," and our "deep and sophisticated bench".

Chambers Global also recognizes excellence at the individual lawyer level:

Mark Evans (Band 1, Intellectual Property): Lauded as a "great lawyer and a true gentleman" who advises and represents many of the world’s leading brandsintrademark advisory, prosecution, enforcement and litigation matters.

François Guay (Band 1, Intellectual Property Litigation): Noted by sources as a "luminary," and a "brilliant and fierce advocate." A highly experienced litigator, he is particularly well regarded for his expertise in trademark disputes and infringement cases.

Steven Garland (Band 2, Intellectual Property Litigation): Described as a prominent presence in intellectual property work in Canada. A highly-experienced patent and trademark attorney, he represents significant clients in the energy, chemical and technology sectors.

Gunars Gaikis (Senior Statesman, Intellectual Property Litigation): Noted as a highly experienced intellectual property litigator, recognised for his impressive reputation as an expert patent authority, particularly in life sciences.

The Chambers Global Guide ranks the top lawyers and law firms in over 200 jurisdictions across the world. Their rankings are based on the in-depth research of our dedicated and experienced team of researchers.

Smart & Biggar is recognised as Canada’s largest and leading firm practising exclusively in intellectual property and technology law, with offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary. As leaders in intellectual property and technology law Smart & Biggar has been serving clients for over a century.

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