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.

Firm News

Smart & Biggar welcomes 13 summer law students to our offices in Ottawa, Toronto and Montréal

May 13, 2024

Smart & Biggar is pleased to welcome 13 law students this summer, located in our Ottawa, Toronto and Montréal offices to work exclusively in intellectual property and technology law.

Joining us from a wide range of academic backgrounds and prestigious Canadian post-secondary institutions, this year’s students will enjoy a unique exposure to all aspects of IP law.

Each student will gain hands-on experience working on matters in patents, trademarks, copyright and IP litigation. They are provided with mentorship to help them reach their full potential, as well as the opportunity to work directly with Smart & Biggar practitioners on real cases from our high-profile roster of clients.

We wish our students every success at Smart & Biggar!

Welcome to Ottawa

From left to right: Gurnoor Kaur Brar, Britney Han, Lauren Marval, Robert O'Connor and Olivia Ciotka

Welcome to Toronto

From left to right: Chris Kozak, Nastasia Kujbid, Rebecca Tyli, Allessia Chiappetta, Emily McGaugh and Brayden Secord

Welcome to Montréal

From left to right: Alexandra Vas, Kelly Forestier

Related People

Olivia Ciotka
Articling Student
- Smart & Biggar LLP
- ociotka@smartbiggar.ca
- Ottawa
Kelly Forestier
Articling Student
- Smart & Biggar LLP
- kforestier@smartbiggar.ca
- Montréal
Emily McGaugh
Articling Student
- Smart & Biggar LLP
- emcgaugh@smartbiggar.ca
- Toronto
Alexandra Vas
- she/her/elle
Articling Student
- Smart & Biggar LLP
- avas@smartbiggar.ca
- Montréal

Related News & Media

Firm News

Smart & Biggar welcomes two articling students to its Montréal office

Kelly Forestier and Alexandra Vas
May 26, 2026
Smart & Biggar is pleased to welcome two articling students to our Montréal office.
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Firm News

Smart & Biggar promotes five new principals to support Canada’s innovation economy

Christie Bates, Tierney GB Deluzio, Brandon Heard, Nora Labbancz, Michael Sgro, William Audet, Robert Baker, Audrey Berteau, Reagan Seidler and Brittany Hellier-Grant
July 02, 2026
Smart & Biggar has announced ten promotions for 2026, including the appointment of five new Principals, representing the largest cohort of Principal promotions across the IPH Group this year.
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Firm News

Smart & Biggar team presents at the 2026 IPIC-McGill Intellectual Property Summer Program

William Audet, Christie Bates, Noel Courage, Carmela De Luca, Meghan Dillon, Christine Genge and Kwan T. Loh
July 07, 2026
Smart & Biggar is pleased to participate in the 2026 Intellectual Property Summer Program, hosted by McGill University and the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) from July 6-23, 2026...
Read More