Smart & Biggar leads Canadian rankings with an impressive ten lawyers and agents in the 2021 edition of Expert Guides: Rising Stars

Smart & Biggar is pleased to share that ten of the firm’s lawyers and agents have been recognized as future IP leaders in the 2021 edition of Expert Guides: Rising Stars. Listed among Canada’s brightest and most skilled practitioners, they represent Smart & Biggar’s full range of expertise across patents, trademarks and litigation.

Having received one of the highest number of nominations in Canada, Smart & Biggar maintains a position as Country Leader in the 2021 guide.

Congratulations to:

Daniel Davies, Partner — Ottawa
Daniel’s strong background in electrical engineering and experience in computer programming are valuable assets when providing strategic advice and efficient service to clients.

He focuses primarily on patent, trademark and copyright litigation and works with clients in a wide variety of fields, including high-tech companies, internet companies, manufacturers, retail chains, pharmaceutical companies and the oil and gas industry.

Jean-Sébastien Dupont, Partner — Montreal
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.  

In 2020, Jean-Sébastien was listed as a Future star by Benchmark Litigation Canada and as a Lexpert Leading Lawyer under 40.

Noelle Engle-Hardy, Senior Associate — Toronto
Noelle’s practice centers on intellectual property disputes and litigation in a variety of industries including alcohol, food and beverage, luxury goods, clothing and cosmetics, consumer packaged goods, cannabis, casino and real estate development, franchise and fine art.

She obtained her LL.M. from the University of Toronto and graduated cum laude from the DePaul University College of Law where she served as editor of the DePaul Journal of Women, Gender and Law and was a three-time recipient of the Dean’s Merit Scholarship.

Ryan T. Evans, Counsel — Toronto
Ryan has been recognized by leading peer-reviewed publications including Managing Intellectual Property 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). He is recognized by clients and colleagues as a skilled strategist and seasoned litigator in all aspects of IP litigation and dispute resolution. With the ability to understand complex technologies and the related legal issues that arise, Ryan has earned a reputation as a razor-sharp advocate with a pragmatic approach.

Graham Hood, Partner — Toronto
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. As one of the firm’s leading experts in anti-counterfeiting, Graham is also experienced 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.

Jamie-Lynn Kraft, Senior Associate — 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. Jamie-Lynn’s 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.

Julie E. Larouche, Senior Associate — Montreal
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.

Julie represents local, 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.

Jeff Leuschner, Partner— 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. 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.

Kwan T. Loh, Counsel — Vancouver
Kwan works to protect and enforce some of the world’s most valuable brands. Known for his attention to detail, thoughtfulness, and collaborative approach, Kwan provides practical trademark advice based not only upon the law, but also on broader strategic business considerations that are unique to every client’s case.

In his trademark prosecution practice, Kwan regularly handles a wide range of matters across the trademark life cycle. Additionally, drawing on more than 10 years of litigation experience, he is able to proactively identify and counsel on potential points of contention, mitigating risks and unnecessary costs for his clients. In 2020, Kwan was listed as a Managing IP Rising Star.

Abigail Smith, Senior Associate — Toronto
In her litigation practice, Abigail applies her legal expertise and background in biochemistry and chemistry to help her life sciences clients protect and strengthen their IP assets. She provides advice on life cycle management (including strategic advice relating to patents, certificates of supplementary protection, and data protection), patent listing under the PM(NOC) Regulations, pricing and reimbursement (including PMPRB and provincial interchangeability matters), provincial and federal access to information requests, and advertising/marketing matters, and represents clients in related judicial review applications.

Abigail is a Certified Market Access Professional (CAHR/CCPE) and was recently elected to both the Ontario Bar Association’s Information Technology & Intellectual Property Law Section and Canadian Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Section executives. In 2021, Abigail was identified as a ‘Lawyer to Watch’ by Lexpert and as a ‘Notable Practitioner’ by Managing IP.

This is the 7th edition of the Expert Guides: Rising Stars (a Euromoney publication) dedicated to identifying the brightest talent across 28 practice areas of law.

See Smart & Biggar’s full list of experts. 

Smart & Biggar is Canada's largest firm practising exclusively in intellectual property and technology law, with offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary. We are leaders in intellectual property and technology law and have been serving clients for over a century.