Advocacy   |   Business Law   |   Intellectual Property

Welcome to an overview of the Gowlings Ottawa student programs.

With a team of approximately 160 professionals, Gowlings Ottawa is the largest firm in the nation's capital region and provides legal services in both official languages. Therefore, no law firm is better prepared to serve the Eastern Ontario market.

The Ottawa office is focussed on three broad practice areas—advocacy, business law and intellectual property law—each of which is comprised of a number of specialty groups. Our ability to assemble project-specific teams drawn from across these areas represents not only a sound business advantage, but also a uniquely rewarding climate for both summer law students and articling students.

Advocacy

The Ottawa Advocacy Department consists of approximately 60 lawyers practising in all areas of litigation and administrative law, including commercial litigation, professional negligence, employment law, and insurance defence law. Its professional liability practice is one of the largest in Canada.

Gowlings Ottawa is also recognized for special expertise in Aboriginal law, media law, international trade, education law, defamation, competition law, railway law, food law, bankruptcy law and family law. The Firm has a long tradition of excellence in the Supreme Court of Canada, the Federal Court Trial Division and the Federal Court of Appeal. We offer prominent government relations services to clients at all levels of government.

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Business Law

The Business Law Group, made up of approximately 40 lawyers, offers a broad range of expertise in all aspects of corporate and commercial law, including real estate and secured lending, tax and estate planning, public and private financings, and financial institutions law.

A particularly dynamic team under the business law umbrella is the technology sub-group. Comprised of individuals from the Business Law Group and Intellectual Property Department, this team focuses on the business, technical and legal challenges faced by growth companies.

Gowlings is one of the few law firms with the breadth of expertise necessary to advise on technology and intellectual property issues such as patents and software licensing, as well as on corporate transactions and their related venture capital financing, securities law issues, tax planning, acquisitions, joint-ventures and spin-offs.

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Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property has been a major practice area for Gowlings since its inception. The Ottawa IP Department consists of more than 60 lawyers and patent and trade mark agents. This practice group has earned an unparalleled reputation in Canada and around the world for its broad and comprehensive litigation practice relating to all aspects of intellectual property rights.

In addition, our IP group handles a range of high-technology issues in fields such as biotechnology, genetic engineering, plant breeders' rights, and food and drug production. Related areas of practice include computer law, franchising, licensing, advertising and product labelling, and trade secrets.

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