Jenna Wilson Receives 2021 IPIC Outstanding Contribution Award

IPIC’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Jenna Wilson is this year's recipient of the Institute’s Outstanding Contribution Award. Jenna received the award on October 14 for having gone above and beyond expectations of our volunteers on IPIC’s response to development of regulations for the College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents, as well as two separate comprehensive responses to consultations to amend the Patent Rules, among other initiatives.

Always an active IPIC volunteer, Jenna Wilson played a key role in IPIC’s advocacy efforts relating to the College Regulations. Jenna’s laser-like focus and ability to parse dense wording with forensic precision was on full display, as she gamely dissected and analyzed the draft amendments to the Patent Act arising out of the College Regulations. Jenna also participated in a key information webinar on the Regulations after they came into force. Jenna’s contributions to the IP profession in this regard are much appreciated. – Stephanie Chong, IPIC President and Chair of the Board, 2020-2021

Jenna has more than 20 years of experience in intellectual property law with a focus on patent drafting and prosecution. Her patent prosecution work emphasizes emerging technologies and subject areas that challenge the boundaries of current patent law, such as biotechnology and information technology. As a registered patent agent, she has drafted patent applications and procured patent rights for clients across a wide range of fields ranging from medicine to oil & gas to financial technology.

Jenna is active in the intellectual property community as a writer, speaker, and educator. In addition to authoring articles on intellectual property matters, she is co-author of the patents chapter in Intellectual Property Disputes: Resolutions and Remedies published by Thomson Carswell and she has taught the Patent Law course at the University of Windsor.

The Outstanding Contribution Award aims to recognize a committee member who, among other things, has gone above and beyond to help its committee achieve its goals. Jenna’s work on the Patent Committee is the epitome of “above and beyond”. In addition to the regular committee work to liaise with CIPO, Jenna worked tirelessly to prepare the Committee’s submissions on behalf of IPIC for all of the recent changes to the Patent Rules. Jenna’s unmatched knowledge of Canadian Patent Law was invaluable in the preparation of these submissions, which resulted in several positive changes in the Patent Office’s original proposals. There is certainly not a more deserving person for this Award on our Committee and it has been a pleasure and an education to work along side Jenna these past two years. – Patricia Folkins, IPIC Patent Committee Chair, 2019-2021

Jenna is also currently Lead of the Practice section of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada’s Patent Committee, leading a joint liaison committee of the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada concerning Patent Office practice matters. She has also participated in consultative roles with CIPO on patent practice issues and the Canadian intellectual property regime, and has led the patent profession’s response to draft statutory and regulatory amendments to Canadian patent law over the past several years. Jenna also serves on the Board of Examiners for the Patent Agent Qualifying Examination, administered by the College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents. She also served for several years on the previous Patent Agent Examining Board administered by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office.

I’m honoured by this recognition. Preparing consultation responses to the proposed regulations is challenging and complex, but it is vital to ensure that the concerns of our clients and profession are heard by the government. But I would also like to thank the members of our committees who contributed to the submissions I have worked on. It wouldn’t have been possible without them. – Jenna Wilson

IPIC's submissions to all levels of government can be viewed here.