Skilled litigator and Trademark Agent offers strategic solutions
A skilled intellectual property lawyer, Laura has a talent for finding practical solutions to complex problems. Laura’s litigation practice is focused primarily on patent, trademark and copyright litigation, together with litigation surrounding misappropriation of confidential information or trade secrets. Laura also advises clients with respect to the selection, prosecution, and enforcement of their trademarks, and the protection of their confidential information.
Laura has appeared before the Federal Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Appeal, all levels of the Alberta courts, the British Columbia Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Canada. She has also appeared before the Trademarks Opposition Board and the Alberta Surface Rights Board, and has represented clients in private arbitration.
In addition to her litigation practice, Laura counsels brand owners on trademark selection, clearance, prosecution, use and enforcement, and also represents clients on opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademarks Opposition Board.
Industry understanding informs strategic solutions
Laura counsels Canadian and international clients on intellectual property matters across a broad range of industries, with a particular emphasis on oil and gas. Laura focuses on understanding her clients’ respective businesses and industries to create strategies tailored to best serve her clients’ individualized needs.
Before joining Smart & Biggar, Laura practiced in the Calgary litigation group of a large global law firm, where she had a broad practice with an emphasis on commercial litigation, oil and gas, and employment law. Her diverse legal experience helps her assess her clients’ IP concerns within the context of the industry, the market and the larger business picture.
Laura obtained a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Civil Law from the bilingual law program at McGill University in Montréal.
Qualifications
- News
- Speaking
- Industry Involvement
- In the Media
- "Fast track your trademark applications in Canada: Expediting Canadian trademarks examination", (co-presenter: Kwan T. Loh), Smart & Biggar webinar, June 15, 2023
- "Contentious trademark proceedings: What brand owners should know about defending and enforcing their rights in the Great White North", (co-speaker: Graham Hood), Smart & Biggar Webinar, April 20, 2023
- "Strategies for in-house counsel to manage intellectual property risk and opportunity" (with Evan Nuttall, Jonas Gifford and Kwan T. Loh), Association for Corporate Counsel-Alberta and Smart & Biggar webinar, November 26, 2020
Memberships
- Member, International Trademark Association (INTA), member of the Enforcement Committee - Taskforce Lead for the AI, Metaverse Taskforce (2024-2025)
- Member, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC)
- Member-At-Large, Canadian Bar Association (CBA) National Intellectual Property (IP) Section Executive
- Member, Association of Women Lawyers (AWL)
- Member, Calgary Bar Association
- “Canada: Patent Litigation” (co-authors: Steven Garland and Jeremy Want), The Legal 500: Patent Litigation Country Comparative Guide, November 2019