Advisory Board
Sylvain Audet
General Counsel, Copyright Board of Canada
Patrick Blanar
Director, Copyright and Trademark Policy, Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada
Mario Bouchard
Former General Counsel, Copyright Board of Canada
Casey Chisick
Partner, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
Casey Chisick combines recognized expertise in copyright and other intellectual property matters with an in-depth understanding of the entertainment and media industries, providing transactional advice and litigation counsel to film, television, music, broadcasting, theatre, advertising, literary, fashion and business clients. A graduate of the University of Manitoba and Harvard Law School, and a former law clerk to The Hon. Mr. Justice Frank Iacobucci of the Supreme Court of Canada, Casey has taught copyright to hundreds of students at Osgoode Hall, the University of Toronto and the University of Manitoba. He remains active in legal education circles as an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall and co-chair of the bi-annual Entertainment, Advertising & Media Law Symposium for the Law Society of Upper Canada. Casey has represented clients in proceedings before the courts of Ontario and British Columbia, as well as the Federal Court of Canada and the Copyright Board. In 2006, he acted as lead counsel to the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA) in the historic CSI Online Music Services Tariff hearing, in which the Copyright Board established the royalties payable to songwriters and music publishers by online music services like iTunes, Napster, and Puretracks for the right to reproduce songs and distribute them via the Internet as downloads and streams. He is also a frequent commentator on copyright and entertainment issues for CBC television and radio. For a more detailed biography, click here.
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.
The Honourable Justice Roger T. Hughes
Former Justice, Federal Court of Appeal
Born September 16, 1941, in Montreal, Quebec. Educated at Queen’s University (B.Sc. 1963) and University of Toronto (LL.B. 1966). Called to the Bar of Ontario (1968) and Alberta (1976). Appointed Queen’s Counsel (1984). Associate and Partner, Sim, Hughes, Ashton & McKay and Sim & McBurney (1969 – 2005). Certified Specialist in Intellectual Property Law and in Civil Litigation, Law Society of Upper Canada; Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators; Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers; Fellow, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada; Registered Professional Engineer (1964), Registered Trade Mark Agent (1968), Registered Patent Agent (1969); Past-President, Patent and Trademark Institute of Canada; Past Director, Advocates’ Society; Author and speaker, Court practice and procedure, patent, trade mark and copyright law, and media and entertainment law. Appointed Judge of the Federal Court, and ex officio, member of the Federal Court of Appeal, June 1, 2005. Appointed as a Judge of the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada on June 23, 2006.
The Honourable Justice Michael D. Manson
Judge, Federal Court of Canada
Born in Vancouver, British Columbia. Educated at McGill University (BSc. 1976; Dip.Ed. 1978) and University of British Columbia (L.L.B. 1982). Called to the Bars of Ontario (1984) and British Columbia (1995); Associate and Partner at Smart & Biggar (1984-2012); Fellow of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada and of the Litigation Counsel of America. Adjunct Professor of the University of Victoria (1996-2012). Registered Trade-mark Agent (1984) and Patent Agent (1989). Author and speaker, Canadian Patent, Trade-mark and Copyright Law and Federal Court Practice. Selected Vancouver Intellectual Property Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers, Pre eminent IP Litigation Lawyer in British Columbia by Bench mark Canada, and Canadian Outstanding IP Practioner by Managing Intellectual Property all in 2012. Appointed Judge of the Federal Court, October 5, 2012.
Owen Ripley
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs, Canadian Heritage
Owen Ripley is the Associate Assistant Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs at Canadian Heritage. He leads the policy team responsible for providing the Minister with advice related to the Broadcasting Act, the Copyright Act and CBC/Radio-Canada as well as managing the federal government’s contribution to the Canada Media Fund.
Prior to this, he was Chief of Staff at the Office of the Deputy Minister where he provided daily operational support and strategic advice to the Deputy Ministers on all matters requiring their attention.
Some of his significant achievements include advising on the scope and launch of the review of the Broadcasting Act, the implementation of the Copyright Modernization Act, the negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the development of the Creative Canada policy framework.
Owen has a Common Law and a Civil Law degree as well as a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from McGill University.
The Honourable Justice Marshall Rothstein, CC, QC
Former Justice, Supreme Court of Canada
Marshall Rothstein attended the University of Manitoba where he earned a B. Com. in 1962 and an LL.B. in 1966. He practiced law with Thorvaldson, Eggertson, Saunders and Mauro and then with Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson where he was a partner and a member and periodic Chairman of the Management Committee/Executive Board. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1979. He also served as an adjudicator under the Manitoba Human Rights Act and as a member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.
He appeared before federal and Manitoba administrative tribunals and all levels of courts. He also served as an arbitrator in commercial disputes. Mr. Rothstein taught transportation law and contract law at the University of Manitoba and was a Bar Admission Course lecturer for the Law Society of Manitoba. He was a member of numerous committees and Task Forces, primarily in the transportation sector.
Mr. Rothstein was appointed to the Federal Court – Trial Division on June 24, 1992 and elevated to the Court of Appeal on January 21, 1999. In 2005 he served as a member of a NAFTA panel involving softwood lumber. He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada on March 1, 2006 and he retired on August 31, 2015.
He was an associate counsel at the litigation boutique firm of Hunter Litigation Chambers in Vancouver from December 2015 to May 2017, before joined the national firm of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt, LLP in May 2017 as a partner. Mr. Rothstein was also appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada on June 30, 2017.
Barry Sookman
Partner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Barry Sookman is a partner with McCarthy Tétrault and co-chair of its Technology Law Group. He is also the former head of its Internet and Electronic Commerce Group. Prior to that, he was head of its Intellectual Property Group for six years. He is one of Canada’s foremost authorities in the area of Information Technology Law. Mr. Sookman is the author of the leading three-volume text entitled Sookman: Computer Law: Acquiring and Protecting Information Technology (Carswell 1989-1999) and the leading four-volume text Sookman: Computer, Internet and Electronic Commerce Law (Carswell 1999-2005).Mr. Sookman also authored Computer, Internet and Electronic Commerce Terms: Judicial, Legislative and Technical Definitions (2001-2004). In addition, he is a contributing author to the following: Gordon Henderson Copyright Law in Canada (Carswell 1994), Barbara McIsaac The Law of Privacy in Canada (Carswell 2000-2003); George Takach The Software Business (McGraw Hill 1999); and Marco Giovanoli International Monetary Law: Issues for the New Millenium (Oxford 2000). Mr. Sookman is also the author of numerous articles dealing with information technology and intellectual property and is a frequent speaker on legal issues related to computer, electronic commerce, internet law and intellectual property. For a more detailed biography, click here.