Careers in IP

Selena Kim

I am an IP lawyer specializing in chemical and life sciences patent enforcement, strategy, and procurement. I have been practicing for twenty years, and am often struck by how lucky I feel to be in this profession.

I work with a variety of inspiring companies in technology, as well as international lawyers who need Canadian services for their clients. It is fun to see new innovations every day, and to both obtain and enforce IP rights. The opportunity to build friendships and relationships with IP lawyers from across Canada and around the world is another great benefit of our profession. I am truly thankful that I work in IP.

David Lipkus

As an IP lawyer specializing in brand protection, my personal journey started as a pre-teen when I attended my first law enforcement raid in Montreal, Quebec resulting the seizure of thousands of fake goods (including shoes and toys).

I knew I wanted to be a lawyer very early on in life, but I didn’t know how much I would fall in love with IP. I love working with businesses (both big and small), and playing a part in the global fight to protect brands against all different types of crime and fraud.

There is no cooler job in IP – I get to work closely with the most popular brands in the world, law enforcement, online intermediaries, and really smart colleagues. I wake up excited to work every day, and love protecting consumers from the dangers of fake goods without them even knowing that I am helping.

It’s so important to find a job that you find interesting (and are passionate about), and IP does that for me – every day! Plus – I get to travel the world, meet new people and educate others on IP.

Roula Thomas

As a Patent Agent that specializes in biotechnology, I have had the opportunity to work with highly specialized scientists and researchers who have discovered and developed game-changing innovations.  Before I began my professional work in IP over 20 years ago, I was a young biochemistry graduate student doing laboratory research.  A career in IP helped me move out of the lab and into a rewarding profession that has allowed me to witness the culmination of years of research by world-class scientists. 

As a Patent Agent, I work to protect the important inventions of today so they become the drugs and therapies of tomorrow. Today, I get to lead an IP program with the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) called IP Assist, which helps support innovative companies with their intellectual property.  Understanding the business of IP is a skill that few people have, so it is so exciting to be part of a small community of professionals that are on the frontline of innovation.