Intellectual Property
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July 18, 2025
Federal Court of Appeal shuts down rare, longstanding film copyright reverse class action
For the second time, the Federal Court of Appeal has refused to certify a rare reverse class action proposed by Los Angeles-based film producer Voltage Pictures, setting aside the Federal Court’s finding that a class proceeding was the preferable procedure for resolving Voltage’s allegations that its film copyright was infringed through online sharing.
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July 18, 2025
The long arm of the law: Canadian court orders offshore gambling site to block Manitoba users
In a wake-up call for digital platforms offering online gaming services to Canadian consumers, a provincial court in Manitoba has issued a decision blocking a service provider for violating Canadian gambling laws.
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July 17, 2025
Newfoundland and Labrador invests $420,000 in AI-powered wearable gas detector for safety
Newfoundland and Labrador is providing $420,000 in funding to a company developing a wearable safety device that can detect multiple gases and enhance workplace safety in high-risk sectors, according to a release issued on July 16.
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July 17, 2025
Wide-open-door policy ‘is not how we roll,’ Federal Court of Appeal judge tells would-be interveners
The Federal Court of Appeal’s senior puisne judge says those applying to intervene at the national intermediate appellate court should ask themselves whether their presence “will advance our work.”
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July 17, 2025
Court revives Clearview AI class action, finds query-based class identification not ‘opt-in scheme’
The Federal Court of Appeal has revived a proposed class action against facial recognition firm Clearview AI, ruling that a process requiring potential class members to query the company to confirm their inclusion does not undermine the “opt-out” nature of Canadian class actions.
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July 17, 2025
Novel pleadings alleging inferiority of grey market goods survive motion to strike
The decision in Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (c.o.b. Toyota Motor Corp.) v. Marrand Auto Inc., 2025 FC 1105, issued on June 18, 2025, by Justice Janet Fuhrer, upheld a decision by Associate Judge Trent Horne that barely allowed the claim to survive a motion to strike. Justice Fuhrer makes the following query at the outset of her appeal decision on the motion to strike: “When is a TOYOTA bumper no longer a TOYOTA brand product? When it is damaged during shipment by a grey marketer, according to the Plaintiffs. Not so fast, says the Defendant.”
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July 16, 2025
Federal Court rules pulsed electric field tech not covered by McCain patent on french fry treatment
The Federal Court has dismissed a patent infringement suit brought by McCain Foods, finding that the company’s claims over electric field processing of potatoes for french fries does not extend to a newer pulsed electric field (PEF) technology, which applies higher electric fields in rapid pulses.
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July 16, 2025
Be cautious when using a variant of a registered trademark
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is the registered owner of the trademark SAGE & Design Mark, for use in association with “restaurant services; catering services.” The registration does not include a colour claim.
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July 16, 2025
Dentons stands by its commitment to inclusion as it navigates trade volatility, say CEOs
These are “interesting times” to be one of the world’s largest law firms. With about 5,900 lawyers across more than 80 countries, Dentons is helping clients navigate some of the worst economic volatility in decades and generational technological change as it carefully works to protect its own flanks from a U.S. administration that’s frequently been hostile to the legal sector. Global CEO Kate Barton said that while several major U.S. law firms have been targeted by President Donald Trump — particularly those perceived as opposing him or representing his adversaries — Dentons has managed to avoid the administration’s scrutiny by maintaining a bipartisan approach.
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July 16, 2025
Prepare for change: The plain language legal writing standard is coming
What lawyer has not heard that legal writing should be clear and concise? Everyone wants legal documents to be straightforward, client-oriented and “crisp.” Yet, cryptic memoranda, wordy submissions, legalese-filled judgments and insurmountable walls of text in contracts and policies remain common. Even with clarity in mind, writing clearly is hard without knowing the rules to guide the process.