Our History

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.

A deep tradition of unparalleled IP

Smart & Biggar has held a deep tradition of delivering unparalleled intellectual property services in Canada for more than a century.

Our firm’s roots date back to 1890 when the patent agency Fetherstonhaugh & Co. first opened its doors. The vision and energy of founder Frederick B. Fetherstonhaugh propelled the rapid growth of the firm during the early 20th century, with a client roster of industrialists and innovators in Canada and around the world. Within a few short decades, the firm expanded its banner and services under the closely related law practice of Smart & Biggar, founded by Russel S. Smart and Oliver M. Biggar.

Throughout our history, the two firms have operated in close union, and our clients have benefited from the combination of our unmatched technical expertise, efficient IP agency services and exceptional legal advice and counsel within a single, full-service intellectual property firm. In 2019, the firms were renamed under the common banner of Smart & Biggar.

In September 2023, IPH acquired Canadian IP firm Ridout & Maybee to combine with Smart & Biggar. Founded in 1893, Ridout & Maybee grew to become a full-service Canadian IP firm with offices in Toronto, Ottawa and Burlington serving clients across the country and internationally. The co-founders, John G. Ridout who authored the first Canadian textbooks on patents “Ridout on Patents” and J. Edward Maybee who was the first President of what is today the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC), were instrumental in establishing the IP industry in Canada.

In August 2024, IPH announced the acquisition of premier Canadian IP firm Bereskin & Parr to combine with Smart & Biggar. Founded in 1965, the firm earned its status as one of the largest IP firms in Canada, delivering quality service and producing outstanding results. Bereskin & Parr included more than 80 lawyers and patent and trademark agents recognized as leading practitioners and thought leaders in their specialized fields. Bereskin & Parr's core values have distinguished its culture for over 50 years and continue to influence its legacy.

Today, Smart & Biggar continues the legacy of the Fetherstonhaugh, Ridout & Maybee and Bereskin & Parr brands and offers award-winning IP solutions to our clients with legal, patent and trademark agency services.

Membership of the IPH Limited group

In October 2022, IPH announced that Canada’s leading IP agency firm, Smart & Biggar, had joined the IPH group. Smart & Biggar operates as part of the IPH Limited group. IPH is an international intellectual property services group; a network of member firms working throughout ten IP jurisdictions, with clients in more than 25 countries. For more information on the IPH Limited group and its member companies please see the IPH website.

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