Smart & Biggar welcomes four new associates to Toronto and Ottawa
Smart & Biggar is pleased to welcome four new lawyers to the firm, adding to the depth and breadth of our practice groups in Toronto and Ottawa.
Each new associate previously articled with the firm, and have returned following their call to the bar this summer. We are very proud of their academic and professional achievements and look forward to their future at Smart & Biggar as they continue our tradition of delivering deep technical expertise and the highest quality of service and advice to our clients across all areas of IP.
Jacob Green
Jacob’s practice focuses on patent protection. He works with innovators and cutting-edge technology on a daily basis, providing clients with patentability options for proposed patent applications, and prepares and prosecutes patent applications in a wide range of technologies. His clients range from local start-ups to large global companies, with specialization in the consumer goods, industrial automation, software, telecommunications and microelectronics industries. Before joining Smart & Biggar, Jacob worked in electronic design with unmanned aerial vehicles ranging from toy helicopters to autonomous industrial drones.
Chen Li
In her intellectual property litigation practice, Chen leverages her top-notch legal skills and technical expertise to deliver insightful work products for clients. With a focus on life sciences, she is involved in all aspects of litigation and regulation, including drafting court documents, corresponding with expert witnesses and preparing opinions. In addition to litigation, Chen also assists in patent prosecution, and related strategic counseling and due diligence. Before entering law, Chen worked as a research scientist at multiple labs, conducting research on fibroproliferative diseases, DNA repair mechanisms, stem cell therapy and micro-RNA technology.
Michael Sgro
Michael’s experience covers the pharmaceutical and chemical patent fields. He specializes in chemical compositions, small molecules (NCEs), semiconductors, polymers, catalysts and catalytic processes, and manufacturing processes and apparatuses. He works with new technologies; particularly those relating to new drugs, specialty chemicals, industrial chemical processes and clean technologies. With his background expertise in chemistry and wide-ranging experience in several chemical fields, he is well-positioned to help inventors protect their inventions and leverage the value of their intellectual property assets. Prior to entering the legal field, Michael completed a Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Toronto and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary.
Eleanor Wilson
Working within the firm’s life sciences team, Eleanor focuses primarily on patent litigation and advising clients on patent-related matters. She routinely assists in the development of litigation strategies, drafts written arguments and prepares opinions. In addition to her litigation practice, Eleanor assists in patent prosecution and providing strategic guidance related to securing and enforcing patent rights. Day-to-day, Eleanor uses her in-depth scientific knowledge to inform her legal practice. Her clients—who include companies in the biotech, pharmaceutical and chemical industries—can trust that her background in law and chemistry gives her valuable insight into their businesses.
Smart & Biggar is widely recognized as Canada’s leading firm for intellectual property, 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.