Shapiro Cohen LLP

Ashley’s practice focuses on trade-mark prosecution and enforcement, and contentious proceedings before the Trade-Marks Office and the Federal Court.

Ashley also has experience in domain name matters, and participates in the Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

Ashley graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) in 2010, and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2011. Prior to attending law school, Ashley graduated from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) in 2007.

Chantal has been practising in the IP field for close to 20 years. She is a strong believer that the practice of intellectual property law is not just about knowing the law. It is understanding clients’ needs, concerns, motivations and goals to effectively assist in the protection, defence and enforcement of their intellectual property rights.

Chantal’s practice today is geared more towards contentious proceedings (opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trade-marks Office, appeals to the Federal Court and enforcement of IP rights). Notwithstanding her expertise in that field, she remains very involved in the prosecution of trade-marks.

In a globalized and competitive marketplace, Chantal feels privileged in assisting clients in the clearance and protection of their brands. Today’s new brands are the assets which will drive tomorrow’s economy.

Chantal acted as lead counsel for the landmark case that led to sound marks being registrable as trade-marks in Canada. After a 20 year battle, the famous Roaring Lion whose instantly recognizable voice is heard at the beginning of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Lion Corp’s films, became a registered trade-mark in Canada – free to roar at last!

From strategic planning to sound business advice, Chantal has extensive experience assisting in the management of her clients’ IP portfolios. Her skills are complemented by the talented and experienced professionals at Shapiro Cohen LLP. The collaborative spirit of the firm ensures that all aspects of her clients’ IP needs are fully considered and protected.

Chantal is a focused and driven individual and these strengths are reflected in the manner in which she services her clients. She became a partner of Shapiro Cohen LLP and is now a Managing Partner of the firm.

Chantal graduated from McGill University, with a Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.) and Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) in 1993. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 1995 and the Quebec Bar in 1996. She is bilingual, offering her clients representation in French or English.

More recently, Chantal joined Business Network International (BNI), the world’s largest business referral organization representing major businesses, trades and professions in the community. Her goal is to make IP understandable and accessible to businesses, small and large. She served on the membership committee and is now the VP of her local chapter.

Eric Devenny is a Senior Registered Trade-Mark Agent with over 20 years experience.

Eric has extensive experience in direct handling and providing advice relating to all trade-mark aspects of clients’ domestic and international portfolio including initial development, cost analysis, strategic selection of new brand names and trade-marks and subsequent search, selection, prosecution, registration, maintenance and enforcement of trade-marks.

Eric has vast experience in dealings with both small business clients and start-up clients as well as larger corporations with in-house counsel.

Guy attended Queen’s University, graduating with a B. Sc. in Civil Engineering in 1965 and a Bachelor of Law degree in 1968. In 1970, he was called to the Bar of the Province of Ontario and has been a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC) and a Registered Trade-mark Agent since then. He has been a registered Professional Engineer in Ontario since 1971. Guy is certified by the LSUC as a Certified Specialist in Intellectual Property Law (Trade-marks, Patents and Copyright). He was a member of the LSUC IP Law Specialty Committee of LUSC. Guy is a Deputy Judge of the Ontario Small Claims Court since January of 2010.

Guy is a past President of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC), former Chair of its Professional Liability Insurance Committee, a Past-Chair of its Arbitration/Alternate Dispute Resolution Committee and former member of its Trade-Mark Office Policy Committee. He is past Chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s (CBA) National Section on Intellectual Property, its Court Practice Committee and was the first chair of its Bench and Bar Liaison Committee with the Federal Court of Canada. Guy was also Chair of the Canada Sub-committee of the International Trademark Committee of the International Trademark Association and a member of its North American Regulatory Committee and Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. He is a founding member of “L’Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario”, acting for two years as Chair of its Continuing Education Committee, and has, for many years, been a member of the Advocates’ Society of Ontario, including being a member of its Federal Court Rules Committee and its Intellectual Property Committee. He has also been an Associate member of the American Bar Association and is a current member of The Thomas More Lawyers’ Guild of Ottawa.

Guy has presented legal papers or chaired a number of continuing legal education seminars for the CBA, LSUC, IPIC and the Advocates’ Society of Ontario as well as for a number of American and European IP professional associations. He has been a guest speaker for students in the Advanced Intellectual Property Law course at the University of Ottawa Law School (French Common Law).

Guy has been a member and Chair of the Police Services Board for the City of Gloucester, as well as Chair and member of the Foundation of the Ottawa General Hospital and President of the Ste-Anne’s Medical Centre Inc., a non-profit primary health care service organization in Ottawa. Guy was a member of the Queen’s University Council and a Cabinet Member for the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa-Carleton’s 1998/99 Capital Campaign.

Mr. Potvin practices law in both our official languages.

Jonathan C. Cohen is the Senior Partner at Shapiro Cohen. He has a B.A. from Carleton University and an L.L.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School (Toronto) in 1969 and has practiced law exclusively in the field of intellectual property with Shapiro Cohen. Jonathan has lectured and written extensively in both Canada and internationally on various aspects of trade-mark law, including domain name issues.

While continuing to work on a variety of IP related matters, over the past 15 years Jonathan has concentrated on the domain name world, having served on the Board of Directors of ICANN and CIRA, and has had unique opportunities to be involved in international Internet governance and policy from the ground up.

Jonathan has a worldwide client base ranging from small entrepreneurs to multi-national corporations in the entertainment, pharmaceutical, personal care and electronic fields.

Over the last few years, Jonathan has been advising clients around the world on International Internet Trade-mark/Domain Name Strategy and Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). Jonathan’s experience in this area has become increasingly important to companies in an e-commerce world, now facing hundreds of top level domains, all with an instantaneous online international reach.

Jonathan belongs to many intellectual property organizations. He has written and spoken about IP in Canada and around the world over the past 30 years. Among his many dozens of speaking engagements over the years, Jonathan has spoken on domain name and trade-mark matters at INTA, FICPI, APAA, a United Nations Conference, the Committee on Foreign Relations in New York City as well as to the Canadian government, and, testified before a U.S. Congressional Committee.

Jonathan has established himself in a leading role as a legal advisor on trade-marks and international internet and domain name strategy.

Katie Wang is a Canadian lawyer, Registered Patent Agent and Trade-mark Agent. She assists clients on intellectual property (IP) counselling, procurement, transactions and enforcement.

Katie is involved in all aspects of patent portfolio management and advises clients on drafting, filing, prosecution and litigation strategies. Her practice in patent prosecution expands from pharmaceutical, chemical, petrochemical, biotech, cleantech, medical and mechanical devices, to Internet-related technology. She is experienced in conflict, protest, and re-examination proceedings. She regularly counsels clients on patent infringement, validity, patentability, and freedom-to-operate matters and provides IP due diligence services in pre-acquisition assessment. She has negotiated and drafted numerous licensing, R&D and technical consulting agreements.

As a Registered Trade-mark Agent, Katie also assists clients on the development and protection of their trademarks portfolios.

Katie is active in litigation matters on patents, trademarks, domain name and licensing disputes. She is fluent in Mandarin and assists clients in IP matters relating to China.

Katie studied physical and organic chemistry before pursuing her legal career. She has in-depth research experience and several publications. She is the Co-Chair of LES – Women In Licensing Ottawa Chapter and is actively involved in the Chemical Practice and China Committees of AIPLA, the IP Asset Management Committee of FICPI, and the Licensing Committee of IPIC.

Sheema Khan has been a registered patent agent with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office since 2004, and with the United States Patent and Trademark Office since 2005. She has worked as a research scientist in the pharmaceutical industry and holds a number of patents in drug delivery.

Sheema’s practice includes patent drafting and prosecution in such diverse fields as chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology, physics, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, green technology and business methods.

In 2012, Sheema was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for service to Canada.

Sheema is fluent in English, French and Urdu.

Victoria is a lawyer, trade-mark agent and Managing Partner in the firm specializing in the acquisition, protection and enforcement of trade-mark rights, Internet and domain name law, as well as copyright matters. She advises clients with a pragmatic and business-oriented approach that recognizes the fundamental role that intellectual property plays in the value of a business as well as in giving it a competitive edge.

Victoria’s experience ranges from representing multi-national companies with portfolios consisting of thousands of trade-marks and domain names in Canada and around the world to SMEs and individuals with a more local presence.

Victoria has participated actively for a number of years in international Internet governance reform, working extensively in the formation of the Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), and serving as one of the three initial IPC representatives on the Names Council, the governing body of ICANN’s Domain Name Supporting Organization (DNSO).

Victoria has successfully helped clients to take back their domain names from cybersquatters (or retain domain names that were rightfully theirs) through negotiated settlements and numerous Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution (UDRP) proceedings before the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and eResolution. She encourages clients to consider domain names as a key component of their intellectual property portfolios and advises in the development of international trade-mark/domain name protection strategies that are appropriate to their businesses.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Victoria was a dentist, graduating from the Semmelweis University of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry in Budapest, Hungary with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.