IP Innovation Clinic ChatBot Launch Event
Watch our recording of the full event here:
FULL AGENDA & SPEAKERS’ BIOS
Greetings and Opening Remarks
Prof. Pina D’Agostino, Founder & Director, IP Osgoode
Prof Pina D’Agostino is a law professor, lawyer and recognized international scholar at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University specializing in intellectual property, technology and innovation law and policy. Prof D’Agostino is regularly called by Canadian and Foreign governments for advice, is a widely published author and a cited authority at the Supreme Court of Canada and in various media. She brings her creativity and passion to her role as Founder and Director of IP Osgoode, the IP Intensive, and the Innovation Clinic, the first legal clinic of its kind helping inventors and start-ups. She was an Associate for a large Toronto firm and recruited into the Canadian Government by the Recruitment of Policy Leaders as a Senior Policy Analyst working on copyright policy. She serves on the Board of Directors of Alectra Inc. and Chairs its new GRE&T Centre advancing innovation and sustainable energy solutions. Prof D’Agostino has a Masters and Doctorate in Law (University of Oxford) specializing in copyright law, an LLB (Osgoode Hall Law School) and is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, a Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), Co-Chair of the York University AI & Society Task Force, and appointed to the City of Vaughan Smart City Task Force. Prof D’Agostino is the recipient of various grants, honours and awards and is currently working on two books in the areas of copyright, AI and technology, innovation law and policy and works tirelessly to advance women’s and more diverse voices in the intellectual property and innovation landscape. Her two books, Copyright, Contract, Creators: New Media, New Rules and The Common Law of Intellectual Property: Essays in Honour of Professor David Vaver (with L Bently and C Ng) are widely available. Her book (with C Piovesan and A Gaon) Leading Legal Disruption: Artificial Intelligence and a Toolkit for Lawyers and the Law is forthcoming.
Prof. Amir Asif, Vice President, Research and Innovation at York University
Dr. Amir Asif is the Vice President, Research & Innovation at York University. Dr. Asif has served as the Dean of the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science (GCS) at Concordia University since 2014. He is well known to members of the York community, having served as the founding Chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) from 2006 to 2014. Dr. Asif has more than 15 years of experience serving in senior university leadership positions. Most recently, he led the development of the 2016-21 GCS Strategic Plan and the creation of faculty research support and capital infrastructure funds focused on attracting the best researchers and achieving excellence in research. Dr. Asif was instrumental in establishing successful research collaborations between the public and private sectors, examples of which are NSERC Canada Excellence Research Chair in Smart and Resilient Cities and Communities ($10M), Green-Surface Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing approved as a NSERC Strategic Partnership Grant ($5.5M), multiple NSERC Collaborative Research and Development Grants ($10M), four Industrial Research Chairs (over $6M) and various NSERC Create and Mitacs Accelerate Grants ($5M).
Dr. Asif is the recipient of several prestigious teaching awards and has published extensively in scientific journals and international conferences. He has been awarded grants for core engineering research and applied industrial projects undertaken in Canada and internationally, including from the Ontario Research Foundation/Research Excellence program for his work as principal investigator of the Centre for Innovation in Information Visualization and Data Driven Design (CIV/DDD), a multi-million dollar, multi-institutional research project. He continues to work with industry on applied research projects, the latest such collaboration leading to a joint patent filing with IBM.
IP Innovation Clinic
Prof. Pina D’Agostino, Founder & Director, IP Osgoode
Prof. Terry Sachlos, Associate Director, Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science & Technology (BEST), Lassonde School of Engineering
A serial academic entrepreneur having co-founded and contributed research to several start-up companies, including a company accepted into Y Combinator start accelerator program, which have collectively raised over $7M in seed-funding, Terry is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Lassonde School of Engineering (LSE), York University and the Associate Director of the Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology (BEST) program, the in-house entrepreneurship program at Lassonde. He completed his doctorate in bone tissue engineering at the University of Oxford and was an early adopter of 3D printing and his research resulted in the development of a novel 3D ink-jet printing technology for bone tissue engineering which was used to co-found Tissue Engineering Oxford (TEOX) Ltd, a university spin-out company to commercialize novel customisable bone grafts for maxillofacial restoration.
He pursued postdoctoral research at MIT, Harvard University and McMaster University. To date, Terry has first-authored or co-authored multiple peer-reviewed articles and filed 8 patents applications, all in the area of regenerative medicine and cancer drug discovery. He is an instructor of Bioengineering, Advanced Manufacturing and Disruptive & Exponential Technologies courses, with the latter course being uniquely delivered to engineering graduate students, MBA students at the Schulich School of Business, JD students at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Nikita Iliushkin, Co-Founder & CEO, Skygauge Robotics
Nikita Iliushkin is the CEO and co-founder of Skygauge Robotics. Since 2016, his team reinvented how drones fly to expand the commercial applications of drones. Under his guidance, the team focused on ultrasonic testing at height as the first use case of the technology. These inspections traditionally required workers to use high-risk methods like ropes or scaffolding. He saw that, by using the Skygauge, these jobs could be performed 5-10 times faster and safer because workers stay on the ground. He assembled an elite group of drone pilots, UT inspectors, and industrial clients to help bring the Skygauge to market. His discussions with all stakeholders have given him a comprehensive understanding to safely implement this technology at industrial sites.
Chatbot Demo Run
Al Hounsell, Senior Innovation Lawyer – Solutions Development Team Manager at Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Al Hounsell is a lawyer and a senior knowledge manager responsible for creating and implementing legal technology solutions. Mr. Hounsell works at the intersection of law and innovation, providing strategic and legal advice to clients and lawyers in matters such as: the drafting and automation of legal contracts for technology and financial services, regulatory compliance management and architecture, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies in the legal tech space. Managing the solutions development team – a cutting-edge team of legal engineers and full-stack developers – he has overseen the production of numerous legal apps, leveraging innovative technologies and artificial intelligence. He has also played a significant role in developing bespoke solutions both internally and directly for clients in the areas of document automation, data analysis and visualization, and workflow process innovation.
Mr. Hounsell is a licensed lawyer and seasoned coder with an extensive background in full-stack software development, having built innovative technologies for a number of tech start-ups prior to and during his studies at Osgoode Hall Law School and the Schulich School of Business.
Subsequent to completing his articles with Norton Rose Fulbright Canada’s Toronto office, Mr. Hounsell joined the knowledge management team. He is now uniquely able to work at the cutting edge of legal tech and process innovation, leveraging his background in business, law and software development. In short order Mr. Hounsell has won numerous awards in the area of legal technology. He is a 2019 recipient of the ILTA (International Legal Technology Association) Distinguished Peer Award for “Young Professionals to Watch.” Under his direction, his team’s work in client solutions development was recognized as “highly recommended” at the 2019 Legal Week Innovation Awards in the category of International Law Firm Innovation. His contributions to Norton Rose Fulbright placed first overall in the global, firm-wide Global Chair Innovation award for his focus on application building platforms.
Ryan Wong, Clinic Student Coordinator, IP Innovation Clinic, JD Candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School
Ryan is attending his final year at Osgoode Hall Law School with an academic focus on Intellectual Property law. He has a unique and diverse background with experiences in scientific research, technology, and business consulting. He will be articling at Smart & Biggar LLP in the Toronto office.
Ryan is active in the IP community at Osgoode. He is currently a Clinic Coordinator for the Innovation Clinic, a research assistant for Professor Giuseppina D’Agostino, and an editor for the Intellectual Property Journal. He is also in the Intellectual Property Law and Technology Intensive Program and completing his placement with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, IP Centre of Expertise. After his placement, Ryan was hired as a Junior Policy Analyst.
Ryan also plays a primary role in developing the IP Innovation ChatBot hosted on the IP Osgoode website. The ChatBot provides general IP information and assistance with IP related matters. He hopes the chatbot can serve as a useful tool for Canadian entrepreneurs and innovators.
Ryan is a recipient of the Gowling WLG Best Blog in IP Law and Technology Prize
Panel Discussion on Navigating the IP Innovation Ecosystem
Moderator: Prof. David Vaver, Professor of Intellectual Property Law, Osgoode Hall Law School
David Vaver is a member of IP Osgoode and Emeritus Professor of Intellectual Property & Information Technology Law in the University of Oxford, Emeritus Fellow of St Peter’s College, Oxford, and former Director of the Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre. He was previously a faculty member at Osgoode (1985-98), UBC (1978-85), and the University of Auckland (1972-78). He rejoined Osgoode in 2009.
Professor Vaver’s main field is intellectual property law and policy. Besides authoring Intellectual Property Law: Copyright, Patents, Trade-marks (2nd ed. 2011), Copyright Law (2000), and (as co-editor) Competition Policy and Intellectual Property Law (2009), all published by Irwin Law, he has edited a five-volume compilation, Intellectual Property Rights: Critical Concepts in Law (Routledge, 2006). He founded the Intellectual Property Journal in 1984, from which he retired as editor-in-chief in 2016 but remains on the advisory board.
Professor Vaver is an associate member of the Chambers of Iain Purvis QC (11 South Square, Gray’s Inn), a former board member of the Intellectual Property Institute (London), and a former member of the UK government’s IP Advisory Committee. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and was appointed in 2016 to the Order of Canada for his “leadership in intellectual property law as a scholar and mentor.”
Graduate Research Supervision (LLM, PhD): Professor Vaver is interested in all aspects of intellectual property law in any jurisdiction, with a particular focus on comparative research.
Prof. Pina D’Agostino, Founder & Director, IP Osgoode
Maya Medeiros, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Ms. Maya Medeiros is an intellectual property lawyer, patent agent (Canada, US) and trademark agent (Canada, US) and has a degree in mathematics and computer science. She has extensive experience in artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity, cryptography, payments, graph theory, risk management, gaming, face recognition, communications, healthcare and medical devices, virtual and mixed reality, wearables, and other computer-related technologies. She is a key contributor to www.aitech.law on the ethical and legal implications of artificial intelligence.
She advises on IP strategy and develops tailored IP policies and training programs. Ms. Medeiros prepares domestic and international IP registrations and manages international portfolios, including coordinating foreign associates for foreign application prosecution. She also drafts and negotiates agreements relating to IP assets, such as licenses, confidentiality agreements, system access agreements, joint development, and collaboration agreements. Ms. Medeiros assists with due diligence, landscape and freedom to operate evaluations.
She is an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University and teaches a course on the commercialization of intellectual property. She leads a collaboration with IP Osgoode Innovation Clinic to supervise its clinic students and service emerging companies.
While obtaining her undergraduate degree, Ms. Medeiros gained valuable industry experience working for a technology start-up company.
While completing her law degree, she attended the International Intellectual Property program at the University of Oxford, where she studied Canadian, European and American patent and copyright law.
Nikita Iliushkin, Founder & CEO, Skygauge Robotics
Konstantinos Georgaras, Chief Executive Officer (Interim), Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)
Konstantinos Georgaras is the Chief Executive Officer (interim) at the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO).In this role, Mr. Georgaras provides strategic direction and leadership to CIPO and ensures the provision of world-class intellectual property (IP) services by granting IP rights and providing IP awareness and information. He also represents CIPO and Canada’s interests, both nationally and internationally.
Mr. Georgaras joined CIPO in 2010. As Director General of Corporate Strategies and Services, he was responsible for legislative, regulatory, administrative and operational policy related to the IP framework that CIPO administers. He also provided expert advice on broader IP policy analysis, policy development and framework modernization. He led the Canadian delegation on various bilateral and multilateral initiatives, such as strategic World Intellectual Property Organization committees, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation’s IP committee and other fora, to develop and advance Canadian IP positions and interests internationally. Mr. Georgaras led an extensive program of professional economic research and analysis to identify and evaluate national and international trends and developments, policies, strategies, plans and initiatives to support Canada’s IP policy. He also led the development of strategic partnerships, financial services and human resources.
Mr. Georgaras began his career in the public service in 1984 and has held strategic and executive positions within the departments of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and within the Science, Technology and Innovation Council. Mr. Georgaras has extensive experience spanning strategic, economic and legislative policy, with direct responsibilities for IP, innovation, insolvency, and industrial and labour market policies.
Mr. Georgaras holds a Master of Arts in Public Administration from Carleton University and an Executive Certificate in Public Leadership from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Claudia Krywiak, President & CEO, Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI)
Ms. Claudia Krywiak is the Vice-President, Corporate Planning, Development and Strategic Initiatives at the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), a not-for-profit organization that drives the growth of a knowledge-based economy in Ontario by helping create new technologies, businesses, and jobs. In partnership with industry, OCI co-invests in industrially relevant R&D and the commercialization of leading edge technologies, and supports the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.
At OCI, Claudia is responsible for the strategic development and implementation of partner initiatives that bring together key players in the innovation ecosystem. Her team has a mandate to work with government, academic and industry leaders to accelerate business innovation in high potential sectors that provide a competitive advantage for Ontario in the global economy.
Prior to joining OCI, Claudia held the position of Vice-President, Business Development (Ontario) at Mitacs, a national research organization that funds research and training programs for undergraduate, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in partnership with universities, industry and government in Canada.
Claudia received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Toronto in 2003 and worked for Bruker BioSpin, a world leader in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technology.
Jennifer Miller, Director General of the Marketplace Framework Policy Branch at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
Ms. Jennifer Miller is the Director General of the Marketplace Framework Policy Branch at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, focusing on issues related to privacy, data protection, intellectual property, copyright, competition and insolvency. Previously, she was responsible for the federal Innovation Superclusters Initiative and served as ISED’s Director of Emerging Technologies.
Previous roles within the federal government have included various responsibilities at the Privy Council Office, including economic and social policy analysis and advice to Cabinet, as well as leadership of the policy innovation agenda. Jennifer also spent several years at ESDC, where she worked on various files related to post-secondary education and student financial assistance.
