This summer I worked at an intellectual property firm in downtown Vancouver, immersed in the world of patent prosecution. My days were spent drafting correspondence and amendments for patent applications destined for the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Our clients included both Canadian inventors filing patents […]

AI: An Acute Issue? Trademarks traditionally serve a commercial function by allowing a person to distinguish their goods or services from those of others.[1] However, amidst the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, and the resultant proliferation of deepfakes,[2] could trademarks emerge as a potential safeguard against the unauthorized exploitation of one’s physical likeness? English television […]

For my project, I chose to look into something I’m truly passionate about: cats. But Tyleigh, isn’t this all a little millennial cringe? Yes, but consider this a palate cleanser from all the very serious, real world problems going on. Instructions for Viewing Presentation Link: https://www.canva.com/design/DAG75lu26AU/hwQ6-HgHBQh3rD65SKi5cg/view?utm_content=DAG75lu26AU&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h696852ee1f ——— References, Organized by Topic: Grumpy Cat PUMA Deadmau5/Meowingtons […]

Term project by Dylan Nouri Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is my favourite movie of all time. The 2015 Best Picture winner features Riggan Thomson, a washed-up Hollywood actor who used to play the titular Birdman in a series of exciting, but superficial, action movies back in the 90s. Decades later, in an […]

Recent social media posts and YouTube uploads have reimagined the early-2000s hip-hop classics. One striking example is Outcast’s Ms Jackson, reimagined as though it were recorded in a 1950s soul-blues club, complete with vintage instrumentation, crooning vocals, and a soundscape that feels lifted from another decade. The concept is widespread, occurring with other big artists, […]

   On June 17th of 2025, a swath of significant amendments to Canada’s Trademarks Act entered into force, quite literally going as far as to change the definition a trademark. Out was any reference to a distinguishing guise, and in was a definition of Trademark including “a sign or combination of signs that is used […]

In this post I’d like to tell a story about Magic: the Gathering. Magic: The Gathering (MTG, or Magic) is a trading card game developed by Wizards of the Coast (WotC), and for the past 6 years it has been my obsession. I’ve collected cards, traded with friends, and played the game, both casually and […]

Over the last decade, we have seen a revolution on the internet. Particularly, now more than ever, people have begun to embrace digital assets, from Bitcoin and cryptocurrency tokens to NFTs (non-fungible tokens). According to Zimmerman and Giddens, an NFT can be understood as a digital certificate associated with specific rights in an asset. They […]

Term Paper by Shaan Lail Generated image using Gemini During this term, we learned about technological protection measures [TPMs] and how those who manufacture, import, distribute, offer for sale/rental, or provide any technology, device or component may be liable if the primary purpose is circumvention of a TPM. Nintendo of America v King, 2017 FC […]

1. Copyright, Design, and the Shape of Sound In intellectual property (IP) law, the boundaries between different forms of protection are not always clear-cut. Copyright traditionally safeguards creative expression, whereas industrial design regimes focus on the visual appearance of manufactured products. When an object serves a practical function while also embodying distinctive aesthetic qualities, it […]

A Case Study of AI and the Music Industry What is the trending “I Run” Controversy?  Last month, the music side of TikTok went absolutely crazy over a new song called “I Run.” An anonymous producer “Haven” dropped what sounded like a new, unreleased Jorja Smith single. It went viral immediately, hitting almost 3 million […]

Before attending our final Intellectual Property class together last week, I went to my local theatre to see the new film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel “Frankenstein.” The film, aptly also titled “Frankenstein,” directed by Guillermo del Toro, was an incredible reminder of my love for this infamous story of a scientist (Dr. Frankenstein) […]

In our classes we’ve learned that the patent bargain forms the foundational concept for the protection of inventions. A patent is described as a “bargain” because the patent does not unilaterally favour the inventor, instead it is a mutually beneficial arrangement between the inventor and the public. Under this bargain, the inventor receives a 20-year […]

The fashion world is no stranger to imitation, be it the artful homage to another designer or the much-derided “dupe” of a cut-rate pirate; famously avant-garde American designer Rick Owens told the Wall Street Journal in 2024 that “It’s always a delight,” to see his designs out in the world, “but it’s almost more of a […]

To many, the technological advancements leading to the widespread accessibility of generative AI (“genAI”) have been a source of excitement: simple inputs are now capable of solving complex and personalized problems, and information is as convenient to access as it has ever been. However, the implications of these advancements extend beyond what the average Canadian […]