Peers praise Smart & Biggar as the “kings and queens of IP” in 2019 Benchmark Canada Guide
Smart & Biggar is pleased to share that the firm has maintained its dominant position in Canadian Intellectual Property Litigation in the 2019 Benchmark Canada Guide.
The guide features nine Smart & Biggar lawyers recommended by peers and clients for their expertise across all fields of IP litigation — including trademarks, patents, pharmaceutical, industrial designs and copyright and media.
A client interviewed by Benchmark is quoted as saying, “Smart & Biggar are the kings and queens of IP in Canada, there’s no question about that. They have the biggest and most diverse bench, and they are the firm that knows how to litigate IP in court. They do it all – patents, trademarks, designs, licenses, pharma and otherwise, and they win!”
Benchmark gives special mention to several partners, including Steven Garland, Colin Ingram and team, for their precedent-setting victory for Dow Chemical Company, which netted the largest reported award in a Canadian patent infringement case on infringing revenues of approximately $1 billion. Peers note, “This is one of the biggest patent cases in Canada at the moment, and Steven and his team knocked it out of the park…”
Smart & Biggar was also recognized for its landmark pharmaceutical patent victory on behalf of AstraZeneca in which the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the utility “promise doctrine” and upheld the validity of AstraZeneca’s NEXIUM patent. Gunars Gaikis, who is acknowledged by contemporaries as “a pillar of the IP community, a true patent guru,” and Yoon Kang, who is lauded as “a leading name representing ‘the next wave’ at Smart & Biggar,” secured this victory for AstraZeneca.
In Quebec, colleagues have noted that “Smart & Biggar have pretty much vanquished all of their rivals in Québec by just staying the course and doing great work, and they pretty much own that work here now.” François Guay, who maintains a varied practice and leads the Montreal office, is viewed as “the leader for IP in Québec now, and someone who could hold their own against anyone in Toronto. He knows IP but more importantly, he knows how to win cases.”
Congratulations to all our partners on this notable recognition:
Mark Biernacki, Mark Evans, Gunars Gaikis, Steven Garland, François Guay, Sheldon Hamilton, Colin Ingram, Yoon Kang and Nancy Pei.
Smart & Biggar was also recently honoured at The Benchmark Canada Awards by being named “Canadian IP Litigation Firm of the Year” for the fifth consecutive year. Additionally, the firm was awarded with the “National Impact Case of the Year” for success in representing Bauer Hockey in MIPS AB v Bauer Hockey Ltd and Bauer Hockey LL. Partner, Gunars Gaikis, was also recognized by being selected as “IP Litigation Lawyer of the Year.”
Benchmark Canada is dedicated to covering litigation practitioners and firms across Canada. The results presented stem from the culmination of extensive peer reviews and interviews with Canadian litigators that take place over a four month research period. Over the course of the interviews, recent casework that has been handled by the firms is examined and sources are asked to offer their professional opinions on litigators practicing within their province or practice area(s) across the country.
Smart & Biggar is Canada's largest firm practising exclusively in intellectual property and technology 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.