Annual Report 2014/2015

  • August 10, 2015

Submitted by Section Chair, Kwan T. Loh

Summary of Meetings

Number of Meetings Held: 4

November 6, 2014
Guest Speaker: N/A
Meeting Title/Topic: Section Social Gathering - 2014/2015 Section Term Kickoff
Synopsis: This was our annual social event to kick off each new term. The event was reasonably well attended by members new and old, as well as executive members.

April 14, 2015
Guest Speaker: Christopher Robinson, Smart & Biggar
Meeting Title/Topic: Current Trends in Canada for Life Sciences and Pharmaceuticals
Synopsis: Chris gave a presentation and led a discussion on life sciences and pharmaceutical law, including on changes and recent developments on the topics of utility and patentable subject matter.

May 26, 2015
Guest Speaker: Sze-Mei Yeung and Scott Lamb, Richards Buell Sutton LLP
Meeting Title/Topic: Recent Developments in Copyright Law
Synopsis: Our speakers gave a presentation and led a discussion on the recently implemented notice and notice provisions of the Copyright Act, as well as the recent case law in the copyright area.

June 24, 2015
Guest Speakers: Christopher Wilson, Partner, Bull, Housser & Tupper, Scott Foster, Partner, Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, and Vincent Yip, Counsel, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Meeting Title/Topic: An Open Table Discussion on Agent Privilege
Synopsis: Our speakers led a round table discussion on the creation of a statutory privilege over communications between Canadian patent and trade-mark agents and their clients, including a discussion of the history and background leading up to the creation of the privilege, problems and issues with the privilege, and possible solutions.

Comments and Observations of the Chair

As an executive, I believe we could have been more organized and spread out our section meetings through the term. That is our priority for next term. I enjoyed my term as Chair and believe that our section serves an important role in providing a social gathering forum for members of the IP bar, as well as timely updates on the law.