Sanjay Goorachurn appointed as Vice-Chair of Investigations Committee in CPATA

Smart & Biggar is pleased to share that Montreal partner Sanjay Goorachurn has been appointed Vice-Chair of the newly formed College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents (CPATA) Investigations Committee. Joining Sanjay on the committee are Kris Dangerfield QC, Senior General Counsel at (and former CEO of) Law Society of Manitoba, as committee Chair; Barbara Murchie QC, Principal of Murchie Law and former Bencher of the Law Society of Ontario; and Herman Van Ommen QC, Past President and Life Bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia.

 

The establishment of CPATA marks an important milestone for the Government of Canada's Intellectual Property Strategy and the patent and trademark profession. As part of the Government of Canada's first-ever Intellectual Property Strategy, CPATA modernizes the professional oversight of patent and trademark agents by transferring the responsibility of regulating these agents from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) to CPATA.

The Investigations Committee will help the College and its Board to promote an agent code of conduct and undertake investigations and enforcement, as necessary, to ensure high-quality IP services for innovative Canadian companies.  The College will also help build a risk-focused, public interest regulator, with an infrastructure to deliver on the expectations of stakeholders, while promoting clear standards to enhance the competence and practice of patent and trademark agents.

The establishment of CPATA responds to long-standing requests from the agent community for a dedicated professional regulator. The College will also be responsible for maintaining the registers of patent agents and trademark agents, administering patent and trademark agent qualifying examinations, collecting associated College fees and, as noted above, conducting investigations and disciplinary proceedings.

Learn more about the College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents.

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.