Industrial Designs

8. Your Next Step

If, after having read this treatment, you are interested in pursing legal protection for your design, please contact our office to set up an initial office conference with one of our intellectual property law professionals to review your situation. Such appointment will, in most cases, be set one or two weeks from the date you contact us to schedule same. It is advisable to prepare a written summary explaining your design, your plans for its production and marketing, and details of any similar products of which you are aware, prior to your attending your initial office interview. Additionally, please bring any drawings or prototypes of your design with you to the interview, if you wish to derive maximum benefit from the time allotted for your interview, which is normally about one hour.

With regard to confidentiality, all disclosures made to our firm are received in the strictest confidence. As a firm of Barristers & Solicitors and Patent & Trade-Mark Agents, we are subject to the disciplinary proceedings by both the Law Society of Upper Canada (which licences lawyers to practice in Ontario) and the Patent Office (which licences patent agents to practise in Canada). Moreover, we are also members of the Patent & Trade Mark Institute of Canada, which professional organization sets and administers a Code of Ethics for all member patent agents practising in Canada. If requested, we will date and sign a Disclosure Form at the initial interview, so as to provide you with a detailed record of your disclosure to us.