Professor Wissam Aoun launches online patent seminar

Windsor Law Professor Wissam Aoun has organized a national patent seminar for Canadian law students, a virtual program offering of which he is also the chair.

Launched Monday, Claiming Inventions: Philosophies, Principles and Practices is an intensive three-day seminar offered free to students in Canadian law schools and funded by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).

The online seminar will explore many essential topics of patent practice, including inventor interviewing, patent searching, reporting, drafting, and prosecution.

“Practical and experiential education opportunities have been lacking for many years in Canada,” says Professor Aoun. “The fact that we have students registered from across the country is a testament to the demand for this sort of training.”

ISED funds the seminar as part of its IP Strategy; according to its website, the federal government is investing $85.3 million over five years to help Canadian businesses, creators, entrepreneurs, and innovators understand, protect, and access IP.

Experts in the area of intellectual property law who will present during the seminar include:

  • Roger T. Hughes, retired judge of the Federal Court of Canada;
  • Richard Hacon, presiding judge of the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court and the Royal Courts of Justice;
  • Andrew Currier, CEO of PCK Intellectual Property;
  • Reshika Dhir, partner at Bereskin & Parr;
  • Anna Wilkinson, partner at Norton Rose; and
  • Matt Norwood, partner at Ridout & Maybee.

Professor Aoun is no stranger to intellectual property law. His research focuses on patent law as well as professional regulation and governance. He has more than 10 years of international intellectual property clinical experience and was the founding director of the International Intellectual Property Clinical Program — a USPTO Certified Patent and Trademark Clinic and the world’s first international intellectual property clinic — which is operated jointly between Canada and the U.S.

For more information, visit the seminar website.