Nathaniel is an intellectual property litigator and strategist, with an emphasis on patent, commercial IP, and IP-adjacent life sciences regulatory issues. Nathaniel’s litigation practice includes all types of technology-driven IP litigation. He acted in Canada’s first litigation involving the patentability of human genes and in litigation that led to revamping of Canadian Intellectual Property Office guidelines for patentability of computer-implemented subject-matter. Nathaniel is a registered Canadian patent and trademark agent and serves numerous emerging and high-growth company clients on mission-critical IP issues. Nathaniel also formerly chaired IPIC’s Life Sciences Committee.
Nathaniel also has a depth of experience advising on international trade-related intellectual property matters, having served as Chair of IPIC’s IP Trade Policy Committee during Canada’s negotiation of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Jason Hynes is a partner with Bereskin & Parr LLP, and Head of the Waterloo Region office. Jason’s patent practice focuses on mechanical, telecommunications and software innovations. In particular, he has a strong interest in working with high tech entrepreneurs and start-ups. Jason is also available to assist clients in trademark, copyright, trade secret, and related intellectual property licensing matters and disputes.
Prior to joining Bereskin & Parr, Jason gained valuable industry experience in litigation and patent preparation while working for a worldwide mobile communications company. Jason also gained experience in mechanical design and manufacturing engineering while completing his undergraduate co-op terms in the automotive and high-tech manufacturing fields.
Jason is Chair of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada's (IPIC) Trade Policy Committee. He is also the Chair of the Kitchener-Waterloo Intellectual Property Group (KWIPG).
Jason is an Adjunct Professor at the Western University, Faculty of Law where he teaches a course on Advanced Intellectual Property. He made the University Students’ Council (USC) Teaching Honour Roll for the academic year 2016-17.
Elizabeth regularly advises corporations on in-depth intangible asset management including licensing, contract, and transactional work with particular emphasis on assisting SMEs achieve their long-term legal strategy to leverage their intellectual capital and assist in the overall growth and development of their company. In her litigation practice, Elizabeth represents clients in matters before the Federal Court, Federal Court of Appeal, Ontario Superior Court and Ontario Court of Appeal. Elizabeth gained significant experience in the intellectual property litigation group of a major national firm and continued her practice at the nation`s top ranked litigation boutique before founding Dipchand LLP.
Elizabeth is a member of IPIC's Conference and IP Trade Policy committees.
Paula has over 26 years of experience as a corporate/commercial and trademark lawyer and is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in IP (Trademarks). Her background in business and intellectual property law is an asset to her clients. Paula has a significant local practice, and her clients range from start-ups and SMEs to publicly-traded companies.
Paula served on IPIC's Board of Directors from 2018 to 2020. She has also served as Chair of IPIC’s Indigenous IP Committee, the International Trademark Issues Committee and the Sole and Small Practice Network.
Neil is currently Associate General Counsel, Intellectual Property at Shopify where he advises on all aspects of intellectual property. He is also responsible for the prosecution of Shopify's worldwide patent portfolio and contributes to the protection and enforcement of Shopify's trademarks. Neil is a lawyer admitted to the bars of Ontario and New York and is a licensed patent agent and trademark agent. Neil is also a professional engineer with a background in computer engineering and has a particular interest in the protection of computer-implemented inventions.
Neil is currently a member of IPIC's Patent Committee and its In-House Practitioner Community and previously served on the Internet and Technology Committee.
Catherine (Cat) Lovrics is a Partner at Marks & Clerk Canada and Head of the firm’s Trademark and Copyright Groups. Cat’s practice focuses on trademarks, copyright, personality and publicity rights, marketing and advertising law, consumer protection and data and privacy law.
Cat is among Canada’s leading copyright and trademark practitioners. She has helped national and multinational clients protect, exploit, and enforce their IP in a wide range of industries, from creative and emergent tech to fashion and food. Cat manages large trademark portfolios. She has coordinated clearance and filing projects, consumer products, licensing programs, and enforcement and anti-counterfeiting programs. She handles all aspects of trademark and copyright clearance, rights acquisition, licensing, and enforcement.
Cat is the most recent Chair of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada’s Copyright Committee. She is a Member of the Canadian Trademark Opposition Board’s Advisory Committee. Cat has served as an expert witness on IP matters before Canada’s Standing Committee on Industry and Technology. She is a Board member of Artists and Lawyers for the Advancement of Creativity, which coordinates the pro bono clinic Artists’ Legal Advice Services, commonly known as ALAS.
Cat is a Co-Chair of the Canadian chapters of the Copyright Society of the USA, and a former Trustee of the Society. She also serves on Ad Standards Council and presides over consumer advertising complaints. Over the years, Cat has received various awards and accolades.
The members of IPIC’s Board of Directors are elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Board is composed of nine members: four officers, the immediate past president and four directors.
Every member of the Board is elected for a term of one year. However, IPIC has adopted a practice which, subject to the vote by the members at the AGM, provides for continuity by allowing directors to serve on the Board for two years with two new members being elected each year.
After being absent from the Board for at least a year, a former director may be invited by the Nominating Committee to become the treasurer. This person makes a five year commitment: after being treasurer, he or she normally becomes secretary then vice president, president and chair of the board and finally, past president.
The Nominating Committee is composed of the president and chair of the board, the two immediate past presidents, and a fourth member-at-large. The Nominating Committee considers, among others, the names of IPIC members who, on their committee application form, have expressed an interest in serving on the Board. The Nominating Committee also takes into consideration volunteer involvement by members as well as the requirement of maintaining a representative Board of Directors.