Beginner’s Guide: Intellectual Property Protection in Canada [Infographic]

Did you just create a new brand? Invent a new product? Write a new book? There are many forms of intellectual property (IP) that can be registered with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO). IP registration offers the owner exclusive legal rights and prevents unauthorized use. The

Know your IP Rights: Trademark Opposition in Canada

As of June 29th, 2018, there are currently 1,244 trademark registrations under opposition in Canada (as indicated in the Canadian Trademark Database). There are essentially two scenarios with respect to trademark opposition: Your trademark application is being challenged because the owner of a registered trademark believes

Surrey Dental Practice Management Series: Practice Growth Seminar

We are pleased to announce the inaugural “Surrey Dental Practice Management Series: Practice Growth” seminar scheduled on June 28th, from 6:30pm to 8:00pm, at Tasty Indian Bistro. Dinner and drinks are included. This is a free seminar hosted by dental law firm Patrola Law. Our leading panel

3 Reasons Why Startups Need to File Trademarks

Did you know that the combined brand value of the top 50 companies in 2018 is over a trillon dollars? At one point in time, all these companies were startups with zero brand recognition or brand value. You can bet that trademarks played a very integral

#CanITrademarkThisHashtag?

Did you know that 7 out of 10 hashtags used on Instagram are branded related? In today’s digital age, social media plays a large part in a brand’s marketing efforts. Hashtag campaigns, in particular, have become increasingly popular to help build & track brand awareness and

Do I Need to Trademark ALL variations of my logo?

As a startup, how many logo variations have you created for your brand identity? Just one? Two? Three? Startups in today’s world have a plethora of options to market their brand. From social media websites to promotional items (e.g. t-shirts & pens), you can put logos

How BC Realtors Can Protect Themselves From a Massive Tax Hit

Image source: flickr A recent B.C. Supreme Court ruling, Mao v Liu (2017 BCSC 226), creates potential liability for realtors, lawyers, and notaries who deal with property sellers who are non-residents of Canada for tax purposes. What Happened? The case involved a notary public who was required

A Simple Guide to Estate Planning in BC

Estate planning goes beyond just preparing a will. You have numerous tools at your disposal to make sure that you are taken care of in your elder years. At its most basic, an estate plan includes: 1) A will 2) A power of attorney 3) A

BC HOME Partnership Loans to Help New First-home Buyers

Everybody wants to live in the Lower Mainland but a huge number of people simply can’t afford the down payment. Now a new BC government program helps first time homebuyers make that down payment by giving a loan of up to five percent of the purchase price.