For Canada to cement its position as a leader in machine learning-based artificial intelligence (AI), it must progress its efforts to protect the associated intellectual property (IP), Toronto intellectual property lawyer Erika Murray tells AdvocateDaily.com. AI is expected to play a significant role in both the workplace and society in …
3 Things Every Trademark Search Needs to Cover
A trademark search is an effective way of seeing the listings of existing trademarks in Canada. Given there are thousands of trademark applications per year and growing, this can seem a little daunting. Luckily, there are many ways to conduct a search starting with preliminary online tools. For a more …
The Dos and Don’ts of Registered Trademarks
When you think of trademarks, what comes to mind? Probably an assortment of symbols, each evoking a particular large company brand identity with its respective qualities. The value of these associations is obvious. Certainly, one role of a trademark is to represent this defining aspect of branding – i.e. trademarks …
Great branding sells: American Apparel’s big IP payoff
Entrepreneurs can learn important lessons on the value of good branding from T-shirt maker Gildan Activewear Inc.’s $88 million purchase of American Apparel, says Toronto intellectual property lawyer Erika Murray. The Montreal-based clothing company will acquire the intellectual property rights related to the American Apparel brand, but not its 110 …
How Startups Can Create Value from Filing Patent Applications
Uber has quickly risen from an early stage controversial disruptor to a household name. Uber has transformed the delivery of personal transportation and is one of several companies on the verge of bringing autonomous vehicles to the masses. When Uber was a startup, its goal was to put intracity travel …
What Intellectual Property Means for Every Business
What is intellectual property? Intellectual property refers to several items that fall under the umbrella of intangible assets. Intangible assets are those assets that aren’t physical but are worth something to your company. They often bring in revenue and represent significant value to investors, shareholders or stakeholders. In today’s market …
The Benefits of an Early Patent Search
Are you working on a new technological invention or innovating upon an existing technology? Creative development requires a lot of time and financial resources, and it’s attached to a string of demands and details that need constant attention. While the logistics that go into your technological development are highly important, …
International Women’s Day is all about unity
Though the number of women in entrepreneurial roles has inched up in recent years, there’s still room for improvement — and a solid business case for doing it, says Toronto intellectual property lawyer Erika Murray. International Women’s Day — March 8 — is an ideal time to reflect on what changes need to …
Starting Your Patent Journey on the Wrong Foot: Why to be Cautious about Filing a Weak U.S. Provisional Application
In the Canadian startup community, a common and perpetuated piece of advice given to entrepreneurs is to self-file their initial patent application. Often, this advice involves self-filing a United States provisional patent application. Due to the lack of formal examination of provisional applications, entrepreneurs can file these types of applications without …
How to Create an Innovation Ecosystem – Patents
By: Robert Tremblay IP protection strategies are certainly not ‘one-size-fits-all’, but rather depend to a significant extent on a company’s motivations, technological focus and budget. In this article series, we will explore innovative strategies to encourage the development of innovation ecosystems, both from within a company and by leveraging third-party …