Canada’s Intellectual Property Firm

Christine Genge

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Christine Genge

  • she/her/hers
Principal
  • Smart & Biggar LP
Language(s): English

Internationally recognized leader in protecting patent and industrial design innovation

With extensive expertise in patent and industrial design IP, Christine advises Fortune 50 companies and Canadian innovators on securing patent, industrial design and trademark protection. With a background in mechanical engineering, Christine has focused on protecting innovation over a broad range of technologies, from high-tech and consumer products, to oil field related innovations, for more than 20 years.

Christine stands out as one of a select few Canadian practitioners with the in-depth knowledge to successfully navigate the requirements of Canadian, U.S. and European design regimes. Her client base includes top-tier multinational companies from the U.S., Europe, Japan and Korea. Christine assists her international clients in securing intellectual property protection in Canada, and advises on portfolio management, enforcement and freedom-to-operate. She also works with Canadian innovators in securing intellectual property protection in Canada, the U.S. and abroad.

Leading and enhancing industrial design protection in Canada

Christine is a member of the firm's Executive Committee and is a recognized leader in industrial design protection internationally. Among her leadership roles, Christine heads the firm's industrial design practice group and is a past Chair of the design committee of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC). She is also a liaison to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office Industrial Design Practice Committee.

Prior to pursuing a legal career, Christine worked as a research engineer in mechanical aspects of silicon and circuit packaging. Her industry experience informs her approach with clients, providing practical insights and commercialization strategies

Qualifications

  • News
  • Speaking
  • Industry Involvement
  • In the Media
  • "Designs: An overview", IPIC/McGill Summer IP Courses 2023, July 17, 2023
  • "Designs: An overview", IPIC/McGill Summer IP Courses 2021, July 19, 2021
  • "The Hague Agreement: Fueling Canadian Innovation," panel discussion at the Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, December 2018
  • "Passing the Patent Agent Qualifying Examination - The Perspective of a Recent Examination Board Member," Patent Agent Training Course - Module 2: Infringement and Validity, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, Toronto, January 2011

Memberships

  • Fellow, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada; Chair of the Industrial Design Joint Liaison Committee; member of the Women in IP Network; past member of the Patent Agent Examination Board (2008-10); past Chair of the Ottawa IPIC Informals Group
  • Member, American Intellectual Property Law Association

Teaching Activities

  • "Designs: An Overview", IPIC-McGill course Understanding Trademarks, Montréal, July 18, 2022
  • "Intellectual Property Law for Engineers" (with Philip Lapin and Kevin K. Graham), University of Ottawa, 2009 winter term

Publications