Meika Ellis

Located in the firm’s Ottawa office, Meika specializes in trademark and copyright prosecution and litigation. She also collaborates with Indigenous peoples, organizations, businesses, government departments, and non-profit entities discussing protections for Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Expressions. Her work encompasses learning, educating others, and participating in projects aimed at enhancing the role of IP in serving the interests of Indigenous communities in knowledge governance.

Meika graduated from the University of Ottawa’s Common Law program. When not taking courses, Meika worked on several law and technology projects including doing work for CIPPIC, and, under professor supervision, researching how emerging technologies fit into Health Canada's existing liability framework. Her primary "job" prior to entering private practice was working with professors and researchers at uOttawa and throughout Africa in the partnership network, Open African Innovation and Research (Open AIR), where she and her colleagues dedicated their research to looking at easing the tensions between intellectual property and access to knowledge throughout the African Continent.

As a member of Gwich'in Fort McPherson Band, Meika is continually looking for opportunities and people to collaborate with to find and understand ways to better serve Indigenous communities, which are often unable to benefit as easily as others from the Western IP system.

When Meika is not working, she is likely exploring the thrilling landscapes across the globe on her bike–track or road–as a competitive racer in training. Her passion is on the velodrome, which has influenced the name of her TV series (if HBO ever replies…): "why does turning right feel so wrong."