Smart & Biggar boasts ten lawyers and agents recognized in the 2022 edition of Expert Guides: Rising Stars

Smart & Biggar is proud to share that ten of the firm’s lawyers and agents have been recognized as future IP leaders in the 2022 edition of Expert Guides: Rising Stars. Listed among Canada’s brightest and most skilled practitioners, this recognition represents Smart & Biggar’s full range of expertise across patents, trademarks and litigation.

Receiving one of the highest number of nominations in Canada, Smart & Biggar maintains our standing as ‘Country Leader’ in the 2022 guide.

Congratulations to our outstanding IP leaders:

Patents

Ryan T. Evans, Principal — Toronto

Ryan is recognized by clients and colleagues as a seasoned litigator in all aspects of IP litigation and dispute resolution. Whether providing strategic risk-management advice, conducting investigations, or appearing in Court, Ryan is known for deeply understanding his clients’ needs and objectives and being responsive to them. He takes a practical approach, working to streamline proceedings and minimize work on the part of the client. He has been recognized by leading peer-reviewed publications including Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) IP Stars, IAM Patent 1000 and The Legal 500 Canada, which named him a “Next Generation Lawyer.” He has been praised by peers as a “devastating” litigator and “only going to get better in the years to come” (IAM Patent 1000).

Jeff Leuschner, Principal — Ottawa

Focused primarily in the fields of electrical and computer engineering, Jeff works with businesses to draft and prosecute patent applications and provide insightful advice to clients on patenting activities to best support their business objectives. Clients appreciate Jeff’s decisiveness, responsiveness, and overall approach to patents. Prior to entering the patent profession, Jeff pursued graduate studies in the field of electrical engineering. He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and is Smart & Biggar’s representative on the IPIC Patent Committee, which works to further improve policy and practice within the Canadian Patent Office and reviews proposed changes to Patent rules and practice.

Patrick Roszell, Principal — Toronto

With over a decade of experience counselling clients on the creation, protection and management of IP rights, Patrick has a track record of helping clients secure IP assets that create strategic opportunities. In his practice, Patrick focuses on patent prosecution and strategy, including drafting patent applications and providing patentability, infringement and freedom to operate opinions. His clients, who range from large multinational corporations to technology start-ups, trust him to bring a pragmatic approach to delivering commercially valuable and cost-effective solutions.

Julien Verneau, Senior Associate — Montréal

Julien helps clients navigate the complexities of innovation in today’s competitive environment, creating strategies to leverage the client’s intellectual property (IP) and achieve their business objectives. His clients span from large multinational corporations dealing with IP issues across borders and business divisions to Canadian companies expanding internationally and seeking protection for their IP assets in new jurisdictions. Drawing on technical expertise from a Ph.D. in chemical engineering, Julien advises clients across a broad range of industries, such as metallurgy, transportation, biotechnology, green technology, pharmaceuticals, energy, software, finance, and retail goods.

Trademarks

Tierney GB Deluzio, Associate — Toronto

Tierney is relied upon by leading brand owners to protect and strengthen the value of their brands. With a practice involved in all aspects of trademarks, including counselling, prosecution, enforcement, and litigation, Tierney provides practical advice to her clients on potential risks. She advises them on building and protecting their brands and reputation across a range of industries, including in the cosmetics, fashion and apparel, consumer goods, food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries. As a member of the firm’s Marketing and Advertising Practice Group, Tierney’s practice also includes working with brands to ensure compliance with Canadian marketing and advertising laws.

Jean-Sébastien Dupont, Principal — Montréal

An accomplished IP litigator, Jean-Sébastien is committed to providing legal solutions and achieving results that fit with his clients’ short- and long-term business plans. His practice includes finding and working with technical and financial experts; preparing and arguing various motions; as well as preparing and presenting evidence, witnesses and submissions at trial before the Federal Court and Quebec Superior Court. He also has significant experience in the conduct of appeals before the Federal Court of Appeal.  Jean-Sébastien has been recognized by leading peer-reviewed publications such as a Future star and Litigation Star in IP by Benchmark Litigation Canada and as a Lexpert Leading Lawyer under 40, Best Lawyers in Intellectual property Law, and in IAM Patent 1000 (2022).

Graham Hood, Principal — Toronto

As a highly experienced trademark lawyer, Graham’s counsel is sought after by brand owners focused on building and protecting their brands and reputations through efficient trademark clearance and prosecution. Graham is one of the firm’s leading experts in anti-counterfeiting and has developed a practice in protecting brand owner’s marks both online, across online marketplaces and social media platforms, and at Canada’s borders. Graham sits on the Steering Committee of the Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network and Chairs the Canadian Subcommittee of the International Trademark Association’s Anticounterfeiting Committee. Graham has been listed as a Future Star by Benchmark Canada, recognized by WTR 1000 in Anti-counterfeiting, Enforcement and Litigation and is Lexpert ranked (2022).

Jamie-Lynn Kraft, Principal — Ottawa

Jamie-Lynn is a lawyer and trademark agent who counsels clients throughout the trademark lifecycle and successfully represents clients in proceedings before the Canadian Trademark Opposition Board. As a trusted advisor, Jamie-Lynn helps harness the potential of clients’ brands. Her clients range from small- and medium-sized enterprises to multinational corporations, covering all industry areas. She is a frequent speaker on topics relevant to brand owners and trademark practitioners. In 2018, Jamie-Lynn received the Educational Foundation Award from the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) for achieving the highest mark in the Canadian Trademark Agent Exam. She was listed as a Rising Star by Managing IP in 2020 and 2021 and a Best Lawyer for IP Law by The Best Lawyers in Canada for 2022 and 2023.

Julie E. Larouche, Senior Associate — Montréal

Julie is a litigator who understands the importance of implementing efficient litigation strategies for her clients. In addition to her primary focus on patent and trademark litigation, Julie also provides risk management and IP protection advice to her clients and represents national and international clients in a variety of industries, including railroad transportation, sports equipment, food products and spirits.  She has appeared before the Federal Court, the Superior Court of Québec and the Court of Appeal of Québec, as well as in private arbitration proceedings.

Copyrights

Guillaume Lavoie Ste-Marie, Principal — Toronto

Guillaume is a copyright, patent, and trademark litigator who is trusted by his clients to put in place practical and results-driven litigation strategies in complex IP matters. By devoting the time and energy necessary to fundamentally understand their business, Guillaume can develop efficient and creative approaches to leverage litigation in his clients’ favour. Guillaume has been recognized as a Notable Practitioner by MIP (2022), is Lexpert ranked and was previously listed as a Rising Star by MIP.

This is the 8th edition of the Expert Guides: Rising Stars (a Euromoney publication) dedicated to identifying the brightest talent across 28 practice areas of law. The full list is available to view online.

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.