Intellectual Property and Innovation Legal Clinic becomes partner legal clinic for Trademarks Opposition Board

October 21, 2024

The Western Intellectual Property and Innovation Legal Clinic (WIPILC) has been selected as a Trademarks Opposition Board (TMOB) partner legal clinic. This partnership will foster access to justice and provide needed legal information for self-represented parties pursuing trademark applications.

The TMOB acts on behalf of the trademark registrar to conduct hearings and render decisions with respect to opposition and expungement proceedings of trademarks. Parties submit a trademark application to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office for examination, and the decision of the trademark registrar is subject to opposition in front of the TMOB.

The WIPILC is the only legal clinic in Ontario, and one of four in Canada, approved by the TMOB as a partner clinic. Members of the WIPILC team will help parties who choose to represent themselves before the TMOB in learning about the process and preparing their documents.

The WIPILC provides a unique learning opportunity for law students to develop their professional skills while gaining exposure to a wide range of intellectual property (IP) and related technology law files. By providing pro bono legal information, WIPILC fills the gap in access to affordable IP rights and related legal support for authors, artists, inventors, entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small businesses in Southwestern Ontario.

Learn more about the services offered by the WIPILC and how to become a client on the WIPILC website