IP Intensive Placements
For the Fall 2021 term the following entities will participate in the IP Intensive program as a placement organization.
Alectra Utilities (2020-2021)
Alectra Inc., through its subsidiary Alectra Utilities Corporation, serves approximately one million homes and businesses across an 1,800 square kilometre service territory comprising 17 communities including Alliston, Aurora, Barrie, Beeton, Brampton, Bradford, West Gwillimbury, Guelph, Hamilton, Markham, Mississauga, Penetanguishene, Richmond Hill, Rockwood, St. Catharines, Thornton, Tottenham and Vaughan. The Alectra family of companies includes Alectra Inc. (Mississauga), Alectra Utilities Corporation (Hamilton) and Alectra Energy Solutions (Vaughan). Our mission is to be the energy ally that our customers expect us to be. We are equipped to discover the possibilities of energy conservation and new technologies for enhancing the quality of life in the communities we serve. In the most recent Fall term, Alectra offered student work under two broad categories: IP Audits and Contract Review.
AstraZeneca Canada Inc. (2014-2021)
AstraZeneca is a global innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company specializing in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription medicines that make a meaningful difference in healthcare. This internship will involve assisting the Legal Department and Government Affairs team with projects related Federal IP policy, patent litigation, data protection and privacy and many other aspects of the highly regulated pharmaceutical environment.
BEST Lab (2020-2021)
The BEST program supports entrepreneurial programs and initiatives at Lassonde focused on enabling engineering students to develop business skills and understand what it takes to launch a start-up enterprise. BEST offers students opportunities to interact with entrepreneurs, advisors, alumni and partners in the local ecosystem.
Canadian Heritage – Broadcasting, Copyright and Creative Marketplace Branch (2011-2021)
The Broadcasting, Copyright and Creative Marketplace Branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage is responsible for formulating and implementing Canadian copyright policy. The internship involves work that has domestic and international scope.
Canadian Heritage – International Trade Branch (New in 2021)
As part of the Trade Negotiations and Investment Directorate at the Department of Canadian Heritage, the International Copyright Team helps to represent Canada’s creative sector and copyright interests in international trade agreement negotiations (e.g., the Canada—United States—Mexico Agreement and MERCOSUR) and at the World Intellectual Property Organization. The team also participates in multilateral and bilateral discussions regarding copyright-related issues and Indigenous traditional and cultural expressions. In addition, the team is working in partnership with the Canada Council for the arts to engage with Indigenous creators and experts on issues concerning the promotion and protection of Indigenous arts and cultural expressions. During the placement, the student will undertake research help to provide guidance on the development and implementation of policies and programs that support branch objectives.
Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) (2011-2021)
CIPO is responsible for the administration and processing of intellectual property rights in Canada. The internship may involve one or more areas of CIPO’s work, including the Patent Branch, Patent Appeal Board, Trademarks and Industrial Designs Branch, Trademarks Opposition Board, and the Policy Branch.
CBC (2013-2021)
CBC is a Canadian Crown corporation that serves as the national public radio, television and digital broadcaster. It is the oldest existing broadcasting network in Canada and is considered a Canadian cultural institution. This internship may involve work related to copyright licensing and enforcement, fair dealing, and defamation.
Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) (2011-2021)
SOCAN is the Canadian copyright collective that administers and protects the performing and reproduction rights of more than 160,000 songwriters, music publishers, composers and visual artists in Canada. This internship is expected to involve various matters, including copyright litigation, administrative law, music licensing, and general in-house issues.
TEVA Canada Limited (2012-2021)
Teva’s mission is to be a global leader in generics and biopharmaceuticals, improving the lives of patients. With 3,500+ products across almost all therapeutic areas, Teva reaches nearly 200 million people around the world every day and has significant innovative research, commercial and manufacturing operations including in Canada. The student intern will assist the Legal team with projects and research in IP and regulatory frameworks in select jurisdictions.
The Globe & Mail (2011-2021)
The Globe and Mail is a nationally-distributed newspaper with one of the largest circulations in Canada. It is known for being an early provider of digital media and device-agnostic in the delivery of its content. This internship may involve work related to copyright litigation and the roll-out of a privacy policy.
TVO (2011-2021)
TVO is Ontario’s public educational media organization and a trusted source of interactive educational content that informs, inspires, and stimulates curiosity and thought. At TVO, the student will get an opportunity to work on IP and related legal issues that arise in the broadcast, media and digital educational product space. They will work with the Legal team and internal clients, participating in some one-off and some project-oriented work. All of which will be tied to the organizational goals of TVO.
ventureLAB (2011-2021)
ventureLAB is a leading global founder community for hardware technology and enterprise software companies in Canada. Located at the heart of Ontario’s innovation corridor in York Region, our initiatives have enabled thousands of companies to create over 4,000 jobs and raise more than $200 million in investment capital. The internship allows students to work directly with tech start-ups to address their business, IP strategy, and legal needs to accelerate the commercialization of transformational products on a global scale.
Xanadu Quantum Technologies (New in 2021)
Xanadu’s mission is to build quantum computers that are useful and available to people everywhere. Their team designs and integrates quantum silicon photonic chips into existing hardware to create truly full-stack quantum computing. They have a world-class team of R&D professionals developing the theory, hardware and software for their unique style of photonic quantum computing. The company currently has more than 50 PhDs from leading institutions around the world and is continuing to steadily grow its technical team. In June 2019, Xanadu publicly announced a Series A financing round, worth $32M CAD, from the largest venture investors in Canada, including Omers, Georgian Partners, Radical Ventures and Real Ventures. The placement with Xanadu will primarily focus on their growing portfolio of granted and pending patents, and could also involve agreements, licenses, copyrights, open-source software, customer data processing and protections, and international trademarks.
Past Placements
The following organizations have supervised IP Intensive students in the past.
- Apotex (2013)
- Cineplex Entertainment (2014-2015)
- CMRRA (2019-2020)
- Cobalt Pharmaceuticals Company (2013)
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada (formerly Industry Canada) (2011-2020)
- Janssen Inc. (2016-2017)
- Motion Pictures Association – Canada (2018)
- Pharmatrust: Patient Care Automation Services (2011)
- Sandoz Canada Inc. (2018)
- Stanford Center for Legal Informatics (CodeX) at Stanford University (2011-2018)