IPIC Congratulates This Year’s Foundation Award Winners

The Patent and Trademark Institute Education Foundation is a registered charity managed by IPIC that awards prizes to the candidates who obtain the highest marks in the patent and trademark agent exams.

In order to be eligible to take the Trademark Agent Qualifying Examination, prospective Canadian trademark agents must have worked for at least 24 months in the area of Canadian trademark law and practice, including preparing and prosecuting trademark applications. There are two parts to the exam that must be successfully passed: Part A which focuses on pre-advertisement issues and Part B which focuses on post-advertisement issues. In order to pass the exam, you must receive a minimum score of 65% on each part of the exam.

The Foundation’s Award for the highest mark overall in the 2020 Trademark Agent Exam is awarded to Andrew Lau of Parlee McLaws LLP in Calgary. Andrew is a partner at Parlee McLaws LLP whose focus is in the area of patent and trademark prosecution, and assisting clients with intellectual property-related transactions and agreements. In his spare time, Andrew enjoys running, cycling, playing musical instruments, and photography.

I am honoured to receive the Education Foundation Award by the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada. This award is the culmination of many hours of study and preparation for these exams, and is a testament to the unwavering support and encouragement of my mentors, family, and friends. - Andrew Lau

Prospective Canadian patent agents must have worked for at least 24 months in the area of Canadian patent law and practice, including preparing and prosecuting patent applications, in order to be eligible to take the Patent Agent Qualifying Examination. There are four papers that must be successfully passed: Paper A – Drafting, Paper B – Validity, Paper C - Office Practice and Paper D - Infringement

In order to pass the examination, you must receive a minimum score of 50 out of 100 on each paper, with a minimum aggregate of 240. You may carry forward scores greater than 60 out of 100 to subsequent years until all papers have been passed.

The J. Edward Maybee Memorial Prize for the highest overall mark in the 2020 patent agent exam. The Marie F. Morency Memorial Prize is awarded to the individual with the highest mark in Paper A of the Patent Agent Examination. The recipient of both of these awards is Callum Lootsma of Bereskin & Parr LLP in Toronto. Callum completed his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in material science, at Queen’s University and received his J.D. from the University of Toronto. Callum’s practice focuses on patent prosecution in a wide range of technologies, with an emphasis on mechanical inventions.

I am honoured to receive both the J. Edward Maybee and Marie F. Morency Memorial Prizes for the 2020 Patent Agent Exams. Ever since I decided to go to law school, my goal was to become a patent agent. I am very thankful to have reached this milestone so early in my career. Passing the exams on my first try and receiving these awards is a testament to the superb training at Bereskin & Parr that comes from working alongside some of the best patent agents in Canada. I am very thankful to have had the support of the firm and my friends and family as I studied for long hours during the pandemic. Thank you to everyone who supported me, I appreciate it more than you know. - Callum Lootsma

IPIC offers its sincere congratulations to its members Andrew and Callum for their accomplishments.

Click here to learn more about the Patent and Trademark Institute Education Foundation.