In This Issue Are You an Experienced Licensing Professional? Become a CLP President's Message: Foundation Focus
Vancouver Local Chapter Plays Key Role In Meeting 2007 Deals of Distinction Awarded At Annual Meeting:
Traveler’s Guide: The Local Chapters LES 2008 Spring Meeting & LESI Conference: |
Traveler’s Guide: The Local Chapters So, you were charmed by the sights and sounds of Vancouver and believe that Canadian travel may be in your future, eh? Here is a guide to some of our more popular Canadian cities and their vibrant Local LES Chapters. 
Calgary, From our recent Annual Meeting location in Vancouver, Calgary is just one beautiful Rocky Mountain train ride away. Call ahead and a member of the LES Calgary Local Chapter will be glad to meet you at the station. Interest in the Local Chapter is building throughout the Calgary licensing community. Chapter Co-Chairs Robert Hendry and Richard Stobbe provide quarterly meetings, which are currently hosted by Brownlee LLP and are accompanied by lunch in a downtown location. Members of the Local Chapter represent many industries, including oil and gas services, hi-technology, and university/ technology transfer. Most local members have one thing in common–they are awaiting the start of ski season! Just one view of the Canadian Rockies from the top of the Calgary Tower, which elevates to 189 meters (626 ft.) above the city, will have you searching for the nearest ski resort. At ground level, you’ll find Calgary to be a cosmopolitan city of more than one million people. Wide blue skies and a moderate climate embrace some of the finest natural park areas in North America. And, if you’d rather spend time indoors, the city has no Provincial sales tax–how’s that for shopping? Hike, bike, ski, shop or dog sled while you’re in Calgary; but, be sure to contact Local Chapter Chairs Robert, Robert. Hendry@shell.com, or Richard, rstobbe@brownleelaw.com. 
From train to plane, we’ll fly into Ottawa, Ontario, the capital city of Canada. Ottawa is known as "Silicon Valley North," with quite a few high tech, and more recently, biotech companies in the area. It is also home to various government agencies, including the National Research Council of Canada and the Patent Office, as well as two universities (Carleton and Ottawa) that are involved in licensing ad IP matters. A trip to Parliament Hill showcases the Federal Court of Canada, which specialize s in IP matters, the Supreme Court of Canada, and numerous IP law firms. With such a vibrant IP and tech transfer community on hand, it is easy to see why the LES Local Chapter typically attracts 20 to 40 participants at their monthly meetings. Individuals from high technology, biotech, university, government and law firms gather in the evening at the firm of Gowling Laufleur Henderson LLP to hear speakers and panel discussions covering a wide range of topics. As the second largest city in Ontario, Ottawa is resplendent in gothic architecture, green parks and Victorian homes. In the winter, the Rideau Canal becomes the world’s longest ice skating course, running 5 kilometers through the city. While in Ottawa, contact Chapter Chair Michael Crichton, Michael.crichton@ gowlings.com. Maybe you’ll be just in time for a Chapter Meeting or to take in an Ottawa Senators National Hockey League match. 
Toronto, "Toronto is the center of the universe," says Chapter Co-Chair Charles Boulakia lightheartedly. If it is not the center, it is certainly a microcosm of the world. This cosmopolitan and international city is Canada’s largest, and just a five-hour car ride from Ottawa, our previous destination in Ontario. The cultural diversity of Toronto is reflected in the vibrant LES Local Chapter. "In the same meeting, there may be a Russian-Canadian doing international biotech and pharma, a guest from southern China, and consultants who focus on Latin America," says Co-Chair Paul Jones. Stop in for a monthly lunchtime meeting, usually located in a boardroom at Gowlings LLP, one of Canada’s largest national firms. Most meetings attract 25 to 40 individuals from the Greater Toronto Area, home to biotech companies, food manufacturing and food ingredient companies, pharmaceutical industries, IT and software companies. Toronto’s central location also draws an audience from along the corridor from Kingston to London and the Golden Horseshoe area, and as far west as Windsor. Co-Chair Arlene Yee remarks, "Toronto is the financial hub of Ontario and its proximity to the U.S. also makes it an attractive location to do business between Canada and the U.S." While in town, take a bird’s eye view of this beautiful city from the top of the CN Tower, a Toronto landmark and the world’s second largest freestanding structure. When you arrive on solid ground, contact a Toronto Chapter Chair: Charles Boulakia, cboulakia@ridoutmaybe.com; Paul Jones, pjones@jonesco-law.ca; Arlene Yee, arleneyee@sickkids.ca.
|
|||
| Copyright© 2007 Licensing
Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada), Inc. |
||||
