Creating business value and protecting innovation for the world’s leading companies
For many companies, a high-quality patent portfolio is their most important asset, strengthening their revenues and reputation.
To safeguard these valuable assets, market-leading companies from around the world turn to our expert patent lawyers and agents who specialize in the strategic development and management of patent portfolios and rights in Canada.
Canada’s leader for patents
Smart & Biggar is widely recognized as Canada's leading patent firm and we are proud to serve as strategic IP partners to some of the world’s largest and most innovative companies. With our recognized strength and reputation for superior service, we have prepared and filed more patent applications than any other firm in Canada.
Our clients include inventors, entrepreneurs or companies in private and public enterprise who trust us for our sophisticated legal and patent counsel. We also work collaboratively with international law firms and associate agents as their representatives for patent filing and prosecution in Canada.
Building strong IP portfolios to last
Our clients look to us to help them create intellectual property assets and strategic IP portfolios that deliver lasting business value. Patent rules and standards for patentability in Canada are aligned with many international treaties, but there are nuances and subtle differences that our team understands through our deep experience. The global patent field is also constantly changing, and the standards for non-obviousness and patent-eligible subject matter and requirements for patentability, such as sufficiency, utility and inequitable conduct, are fluid. We understand the challenges and how to overcome them, and help our clients devise strategies to protect inventions over the long term, with portfolios of valid and enforceable patents in Canada, and around the world.
Unmatched technical expertise
The patent team at Smart & Biggar has technical depth and expertise in patent drafting and procurement in Canada that is unmatched. We manage portfolios across a wide range of client industries, technologies and science disciplines, including computer science, electronics, semiconductors, life sciences and pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, aerospace, consumer products and telecommunications.
Our lawyers and patent agents are consistently recognized as industry leaders and trusted business partners, and are sought after for their hands-on experience working as in-house IP managers and strategic consultants for internationally recognized R&D based companies. We are also a dominant force in patent enforcement and litigation, and routinely handle Canada’s most commercially important and technically complex intellectual property cases.
Our services include:
- Prior art searching
- Performing patent audits
- Patent validity and infringement opinions
- Right to use and “freedom to operate” opinions
- Canadian patent application preparation and filing
- Filing and prosecution in the United States and throughout the world
- Patent licensing, assignment and monetization programs
- Due diligence in commercial transactions
- Patent litigation and enforcement