Smart & Biggar recognized as Canada’s leading intellectual property litigation firm for seventh consecutive year at the Benchmark Litigation Canada Awards

Smart & Biggar is honoured to be named “Intellectual Property Firm of the Year” at the 2021 Benchmark Litigation Canada Awards, announced on May 12, 2021. This is the seventh consecutive year we have received this honour in recognition of the important victories we have obtained for our clients in high-stakes litigation across all areas of IP.

Additionally, Montreal managing partner François Guay received the high distinction of Canada’s ‘IP Litigation Lawyer of the Year'. Featured prominently as one of the firm’s most seasoned IP litigator, François successfully represented Canadian National Railway (CN) before the Federal Court of Appeal, and Fromageries Bel Canada in a trademark infringement matter against Agropur Coopérative and Aliments Ultima.

Smart & Biggar also received two coveted Impact Case Awards for victories in:

Loblaws Inc v Columbia Insurance Company - Toronto Managing Partner Mark Evans, Toronto partner Mark Biernacki and Ottawa Managing Partner Steven Garland, with partner Graham Hood, senior associate Noelle Engle-Hardy and associate Tierney GB Deluzio, acted in successfully defending a trademark infringement action brought by Loblaws in relation to Pampered Chef’s use of its “PC” logo. The case wound its way to the Federal Court of Appeal, where Smart & Biggar triumphed in February 2021. 

Canadian National Railway Company v BNSF Railway Company - François Guay scored a victory, with partner Jean-Sébastien Dupont and senior associate Julie E. Larouche, for Canadian National Railway (CN) in February 2020, when the Federal Court of Appeal issued its judgment granting CN’s appeal in its lower court win against BNSF Railway Company, reaffirming the long-established practice of granting protective orders to parties involved in IP litigation before the Federal Court in Canada.

Benchmark Litigation also recently released the 2021 Benchmark Canada Guide recognizing 14 Smart & Biggar lawyers as “Litigation Stars” for their exceptional work and expertise across IP litigation in trademarks, patents, pharmaceutical, industrial designs and copyright and media, through recommendations made by peers and clients.

The Benchmark Litigation Canada Awards celebrate the leading litigators and most impactful disputes across Canada based upon research conducted between October and March 2021. These awards aim to recognize the firms and litigators who have performed exceptionally at both local and national levels.

Awards were accepted by Sheldon Hamilton, Francois Guay and Mark Evans.

Intellectual Property Firm of the Year

François Guay — IP Litigation Lawyer of the Year

Loblaws Inc v Columbia Insurance Company — Impact Case Award

Canadian National Railway Company v BNSF Railway Company — Impact Case Award

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.