Professional staff from Hicks Intellectual Property Law and Hicks & Associates Intellectual Property recently participated in the following IP events in Canada and the United States:
Christine Hicks attended the Banff Venture Forum on September 21st and 22nd, 2017 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta. Recognized as one of Canada’s marquee financing events for innovative technology companies, the Banff Venture Forum offers insight into key industry issues and provides superior networking opportunities with world-class professionals in the investment community.
Christine also attended the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) Annual Meeting, held in Niagara Falls, Ontario between October 11th and 13th, 2017. The Annual Meeting provides the IP community with information on recent developments and offers the opportunity to network with fellow practitioners.
Mark Roach attended the annual BioAlberta Health & Life Sciences Showcase in Edmonton on September 20, 2017, during Global Biotech Week. Hicks and Associates Intellectual Property has been a member of BioAlberta (www.bioalberta.com) since 2014. Mark participated in a round table discussion on industrial biotechnology policy and presented a promotional pitch on intellectual property services and educational opportunities provided by Hicks and Associates Intellectual Property. He also enjoyed socializing with old friends and new acquaintances in the life sciences and biotechnology industries during the awards gala at the end of this action-packed day. Congratulations to Botaneco Inc. for winning the Company of the Year Award and to Cristian Scurtescu, founder, president and CEO of SmileSonica Inc. for winning the Scientific Achievement and Innovation Award.
William Murphy attended the International Patent Prosecution and Practice Seminar at the John Marshall Law School in Chicago from September 14th to 15th, 2017. Organized by the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO), and Kuhnen & Wacker (a European and German Patent Attorney firm based near Munich, Germany), this two-day comprehensive CLE program brought together experienced speakers including patent attorneys from the United States and Europe, as well as a Deputy Director from WIPO. Key topics included recent and future developments in the PCT, international filing strategies and claim drafting for international filings, as well as a briefing on the new European United Patent and Unified Patent Court, which included a discussion on its structure and implementation (e.g. ratification in light of Brexit and legal challenges).
Melanie Ward attended the 2017 Canadian PCT Roundtable on October 23 and 24, 2017 at the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) in Gatineau, Quebec. Organized by IPIC, this forum allows Canadian PCT system users to effectively communicate with and provide feedback to WIPO and CIPO on issues related to the PCT, as well as promote the exchange of ideas on PCT and foreign patent administrative practice. Representatives were present from the European Patent Office (EPO), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as well as Panawell and Synaptive Medical. They provided key updates on the PCT process, developments at CIPO, WIPO, the EPO and the USPTO and how the various Intellectual Property Offices collaborate with each other, as well as options for accelerating examination, including the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH).