Marked annually on March 8th International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Participation is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements and rally for women's equality. This year's campaign theme is ‘Break the Bias,’ whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. Knowing that bias exists isn’t enough, action is needed to level the playing field. In celebration of this day IPIC will highlight prominent women members who are just some of the many incredible women within the IP profession.  

Marked annually on March 8th International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Participation is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements and rally for women's equality. This year's campaign theme is ‘Break the Bias,’ whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. Knowing that bias exists isn’t enough, action is needed to level the playing field. In celebration of this day IPIC will highlight prominent women members who are just some of the many incredible women within the IP profession. 

With the ongoing pandemic, recent national and worldwide political developments and invasions, it is easy to become overwhelmed by incessant stream of bad news. Now more than ever it is important to also recognize our members, not only for your endurance and resilience over these past two years but for the dedication, passion and professionalism you have always brought to our association and to the IP profession. It is critical for IPIC to continue to celebrate our members and the important work you continue to accomplish amidst these challenges.  This is one of the reasons why IPIC continues to raise the profile of our profession and of our members through our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) related activities.

In celebration of Black History Month in February, IPIC has developed a spotlight series featuring BIPOC leaders within the IP profession. These spotlights help to highlight the significant contributions BIPOC professionals have made to the IP industry and to inspire the next generation of IP leaders. The following spotlight features IPIC member Rama Panford-Walsh, Associate, Intellectual Property, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt.

In celebration of Black History Month in February, IPIC has developed a spotlight series featuring BIPOC leaders within the IP profession. These spotlights help to highlight the significant contributions BIPOC professionals have made to the IP industry and to inspire the next generation of IP leaders. The following spotlight features IPIC member Tony Sabeta, Partner / Patent Agent, Aird & McBurney LP.

In celebration of Black History Month in February, IPIC has developed a spotlight series featuring BIPOC leaders within the IP profession. These spotlights help to highlight the significant contributions BIPOC professionals have made to the IP industry and to inspire the next generation of IP leaders. The following spotlight features IPIC member Simone M. L. Ndiaye, Trademark Agent with Therrien Couture Joli-Coeur S.E.N.C.R.L.

IPIC Vice President and Chair of the IPIC Insurance Committee Tim Lowman has provided an important update regarding insurance coverage for the profession, in terms of requirements laid out by the College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents (CPATA). All IPIC Members need to take note of the resolution of the CPATA Board and its subsequent notice to the profession regarding insurance which must be obtained and maintained by CPATA members for the 2022 policy year.

IP administrators play a crucial role in the management of intellectual property on behalf of their employers, and these roles typically require a great degree of specialized knowledge and experience. Over the past several years, IPIC has been committed to supporting the ongoing education and training of assistants, paralegals and clerks involved in the administration of IP through the development and implementation of comprehensive professional certification programs. To learn more about IPIC’s work in supporting trademark administrators, we e-interviewed Karin Binder and Jennifer Dove, the current Chair and Vice-Chair (respectively) of IPIC’s Trademark Administrator Committee.

Earlier this year, we discussed various strategies employed by bad actors using social media platforms to sell and distribute counterfeit goods and evade enforcement, including live selling and hidden links. In addition to these strategies, recent trends show that for individuals and criminal networks, dropshipping has also become a popular method for counterfeiters and their willing (and unwitting) enablers. Dropshipping involves shipping goods from a manufacturer or wholesaler directly to a customer instead of to the retailer who took the order. Similar to the live selling and hidden links trends, dropshipping is not a new activity. However, the rise of social media and the ability for consumers to shop directly on particular platforms has boosted the popularity of this business model.

Many facets of our industry have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, both from a business perspective as well as the more important personal perspective. We thought it would be interesting to take a deeper look into the current situation facing younger IP practitioners, particularly in light of the pandemic. To that end, we e-interviewed Richard Mar, Chair of the Young Practitioners Committee, to learn more about the work of the committee and the reality for our young practitioners.

On December 17, 2020, IPIC submitted a White Paper to Minister of Public Safety Bill Blair concerning the Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Request for Assistance (RFA) program. The White Paper, drafted by the Anti-Counterfeiting Committee, discusses the successes and limitations of the RFA program, and recommends solutions to make the program more responsive and less burdensome for all stakeholders, including government agencies, brand owners, and individual border officers.

As brand owners continue to navigate online space, bad actors aim to capitalize on the ability to manipulate platforms, algorithms, and consumers through deceptive practices. Online platforms continue to implement procedures and tools for rights owners to proactively combat the sale of infringing and counterfeit merchandise. These tools can assist, however, there are certain activities and trends that are not as easily detected as a hashtag or stock image. Bad actors are creating new strategies to promote and sell counterfeit goods while strategically evading enforcement. There are a handful of new trends to be mindful of as consumers continue to spend a significant amount of their time scrolling and shopping online.