In NCS Multistage Inc. v. Kobold Corporation, 2023 FC 1486, the Federal Court revisited the question of what constitutes a “forced” divisional patent application—an important distinction given that forced divisionals enjoy immunity from double patenting allegations. This Emilie-Anne Fleury explores how the Court assessed whether certain divisional patents were truly “forced,” clarifies how voluntary versus forced divisions are treated under Canadian patent law, and highlights the practical considerations for patent applicants navigating unity of invention objections.

Émilie-Anne Fleury walks us through the highlights of the most recent WING Book & Breakfast event. The annual gathering brought together members of IPIC’s Women in IP Networking Group (WING) across Canada to discuss Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, a satirical novel delving into copyright, authorship, identity, and cultural appropriation.