My Background and Focus

I joined MBM in 2002, right after graduating from the paralegal program at Capilano University, which is widely regarded as one of the best paralegal programs in British Columbia. My career path began in high school, when I took a single law course. That one course sparked a keen interest in law, eventually leading me to IP law. After graduating from Capilano University, I began looking for a boutique law firm closer to home (Kamloops, BC) that would allow me to immerse myself in IP law and further my knowledge, and that’s how I landed at MBM. I wanted a firm that would provide me with a range of experiences and mentorship to help me achieve my goals. Now, with over 20 years of experience in Canadian and foreign patent practices, I am responsible for managing clients’ large patent portfolios, communicating with Canadian and foreign clients and associates, mentoring paralegals at the beginning of their careers, and managing our patent paralegal team as a whole.

Daily, my role as a senior patent paralegal includes the following:

Patent filing phase:

• Filing direct and national phase patent applications for Canadian and foreign clients
• Filing PCT applications
• Filing formality requirements in the form of assignments, statements of entitlement, exam requests and maintenance fees at the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)
• Filing US provisional and full applications with the USPTO for our Canadian clients
• Coordinating with foreign associates for filings in other jurisdictions around the world

Patent prosecution phase:

• Reporting Office Actions to clients and preparing draft responses (including figure amendments if required)
• Preparing prior art submissions
• Preparing draft voluntary amendments
• Preparing PPH requests
• Preparing sequence listing submissions

Patent issuance phase: providing reports to clients on:

• Notice of Allowance
• Payment of the final fee
• Certificate of Registration

Over the years, I have also assisted with some interesting firm-wide projects, including upgrading docketing and billing systems, generating and updating templates, training others on the various Patent Rule changes issued by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), and keeping our internal teams and clients informed about these changes.

My Approach

Whether I am dealing with a colleague or a client, my goal is to anticipate their needs, concerns, and questions and to provide detailed, thorough and useful information. And, of course, that information is only of value if it is delivered on time, so responding in a timely manner is an integral part of how I approach my work.