George Locke practises in all areas of intellectual property law, with an emphasis on patent matters, including litigation, infringement and validity opinions and drafting. His expertise also covers the licensing of patents, trade-marks and technology and drafting agreements for the co-operative development of new technology.
Mr. Locke's litigation practice involves acting as counsel to parties involved in patent and other types of disputes involving intellectual property. He represents large and small clients, plaintiffs and defendants, in matters ranging from relatively simple to very complex. He appears on behalf of clients on interlocutory motions, at trial and at the appellate level, in the Federal Court and in the Quebec Superior Court, as well as before the Patent Appeal Board.
Mr. Locke has been accredited by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a Certified Specialist (Intellectual Property Law: Patent).
Selected client work
Mr. Locke acted recently for the following clients:
· Sverica International, a leading private equity firm, in connection with its purchase from Securus Technologies of software solutions company Syscon Justice Systems
· A medium-sized Montréal-based manufacturer of wall anchors defending against allegations of patent infringement by a large US-based multinational
Rankings and recognitions
· IPIC's Past Presidents' Award
Memberships and activities
· Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC)
- Fellow
· Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ)
· International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI)
· International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI)
· Canadian Bar Association
Related Publications
Is commercial success still a central component of the test for obviousness
A pair of recent court decisions have cast doubt on the long-accepted principle that commercial success is a factor that may be considered when assessing the obviousness or non-inventiveness of a patent.
05/03/2012
Correcting mistakes in Canadian patent maintenance fee payments: a glimmer of hope
The Federal Court of Canada has set aside a decision of the Commissioner of Patents in which the Commissioner refused to correct a clerical error in the payment of a maintenance fee on a patent. In Repligen Corporation v. Canada (A.G.), the Court ruled that the Commissioner of Patents had failed to
18/01/2011
Quebec court discusses rights and obligations regarding employee inventions (2)
Three times in the last few months we have produced newsletters concerning recent court decisions discussing the rights and obligations of a university in an invention made by a member of its academic staff.
23/06/2010
US Appeals Court addresses the right to sue for false patent marking
The United States Court of Appeal for the Federal Circuit has issued a ruling of importance in the recently rejuvenated issue of false patent marking: Stauffer v. Brooks Brothers, Inc.
09/09/2010
Does Another Recent Decision From Outside Canada Have Implications For the Rights of Universities in Inventions Made by Their Academic Staff?
Hot on the heels of an Australian decision in September,[i] an October 1 decision of the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University v. Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.[ii]) gives further reason for universities to be vigilant in ensuring
26/10/2009
Do universities have secure rights in inventions made by their academic staff?
A recent decision of the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia (University of Western Australia v. Gray (Gray) puts into question the rights that universities may hold in inventions made by their academic staff. Because Canadian law relating to the assignment of inventions from inventors to
21/09/2009
Inadvertent lapse of patent rights in Canada
On September 9, 2008, Canada's Federal Court of Appeal rendered a decision in a closely watched case concerning the inadvertent lapse of patent rights...
29/09/2008
Quebec Court discusses university's rights and obligations regarding employee inventions
The Quebec Court of Appeal recently released its decision in Université de Sherbrooke v. Beaudoin et al.
03/03/2010
Related News
Universities Must Review Their Rights To Employee Inventions
George Locke is quoted in the Lawyers Weekly's focus on intellectual property.
22/01/2010
Ogilvy Renault's George Locke Elected Councillor of Intellectual Property Institute of Canada
George R. Locke, lawyer, agent and partner in the Intellectual Property Group at Ogilvy Renault LLP, was elected Councillor of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC).
05/11/2008
Ordonnance contre Microsoft : plusieurs solutions s'offrent
George Locke explains in La Presse Affaires the kind of order issued against Microsoft is not uncommon.
15/08/2009
Canada Patent Law Needs to be Changed After Ruling, Group Says
George Locke, of our Intellectual Property Group, tells Bloomberg that Canada's patent laws must be changed to protect companies from losing rights to intellectual property when administrative errors are discovered.
29/09/2008