Smart & Biggar leads with six lawyers recognized in Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders Global Elite 2023
Smart & Biggar is proud to announce that six of our leading lawyers have been recognized in Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders Global Elite 2023 edition for IP – more than any firm in Canada.
Principals recognized as Global Elite Thought Leaders from across the firm’s practice areas include Mark Evans in Toronto and Ottawa based Philip Lapin listed in Trademark Law, while Steven Garland in Ottawa and Of Counsel Gunars Gaikis of Toronto are recognized for Patent Law, in this exclusive guide of the world’s most highly regarded lawyers and experts in IP. Additionally, the firm’s Managing Director Matthew Zischka is listed in the category of Patent Agents & Attorneys and Alice Tseng of Toronto for Life Sciences – Regulatory.
Through nominations from peers, corporate counsel and industry sources, Thought Leaders Global Elite brings together those who are known for their outstanding work and achievements. The guide states that these Thought Leaders “are worthy of special mention owing…to their vast expertise” and “their ability to innovate, inspire, and go above and beyond to deliver for their clients”.
Mark Evans has over 30 years of experience and an impressive record of success in a number of high-profile, precedent-setting cases, and is known for providing clients with exemplary service and strategic solutions. A highly respected and seasoned trademark lawyer and litigator, Mark has significant experience in all aspects of trademark law and the branding life cycle including trademark and trade-dress litigation, brand selection and clearance, trademark prosecution, oppositions and cancellations, and licensing and merchandising.
Philip Lapin, who chairs the firm’s Trademark Operations Group, provides strategic advice on trademark portfolios for many Canadian and multinational corporations. Philip has more than 20 years of experience and has handled the clearance, prosecution and registration of thousands of trademarks. With particular expertise in trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademarks Office and a high rate of success, Philip has earned recognition as one of Canada's leading trademark lawyers.
Steven Garland is a seasoned IP litigator with over 25 years of trial and appellate experience in all areas of IP and has numerous landmark decisions under his belt, including the highest damages award in a Canadian patent infringement case. Steven has earned an outstanding reputation amongst colleagues and clients for his innovative legal strategy, unflappable courtroom presence and highly effective cross-examination style.
Gunars Gaikis is a pre-eminent and pioneering leader in intellectual property, consistently recognized for his expertise and contributions over the past 25 years in the highly specialized field of pharmaceutical patent, trademark and related litigation. Among his many accolades, Gunars has been listed as one of the top thirty patent attorneys globally and named as one of the world’s leading life sciences patent litigators. Known for his unrelenting client commitment and fierce courtroom advocacy, clients praise Gunars as an “IP star” and “seasoned gladiator”.
Matthew Zischka leverages 20 years of patent prosecution, licensing and litigation support experience with deep industry knowledge to help his clients successfully commercialize and protect their intellectual property. With exceptional problem-solving abilities and a superior eye for detail, Matt is adept at counselling and guiding electrical, electronics, software and mechanical clients through complex IP challenges. He provides legal opinions and advice on transactions, licensing, assertions of patent infringement, and interpretation of commercial contracts and agreements.
Alice Tseng is recognized as one of Canada’s leading regulatory lawyers. She has more than two decades of experience adeptly counselling clients in highly regulated industries. Combining sought-after expertise as a lawyer, patent agent and registered pharmacist, Alice is a powerhouse in regulatory and marketing/advertising matters. Alice advises her life sciences clients on a wide range of critical regulatory and healthcare compliance matters. In addition to using her invaluable expertise to help clients navigate federal regulatory matters she advises on reimbursement and pricing, product safety (including product recalls) and access to information matters.
This impressive acknowledgment of the firm’s Global Elite Thought Leaders follows Smart & Biggar’s notable success in the most recent Who’s Who Legal: Canada Guide 2022 in early November in which Smart & Biggar saw 17 leading lawyers and agents recognized among the world’s most revered lawyers and agents in trademarks, patents and copyrights.
The Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders Global Elite 2023 guide is available to view online now.
About Smart & Biggar
Smart & Biggar is widely recognized as Canada’s leading intellectual property firm, with offices in Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. We are leaders in intellectual property and have been serving clients for over a century. Smart & Biggar operates as part of the IPH Limited group, under its own brand and independent from other IPH member firms.