People

Services

Industries

Firm

About

Knowledge

Careers

News

Events

Contact

Connect

Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Terms of Use

Accessibility

Legal

Calgary

Edmonton

Montréal

Ottawa

Toronto

Vancouver

New York

Wesley R. Novotny

Corporate Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Partner

Osie Ukwuoma

Corporate Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Wade Ritchie

Tax Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Associate

Wesley Novotny, Osie Ukwuoma, and Wade Ritchie spoke to CIBC’s financial, tax, and estate planning professionals on Canada’s new Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) framework.

Wes CIBCs financial

Introduction to Employee Ownership Trusts With CIBC Financial

James D. Beeby

Corporate Finance, M&A, Private Equity and Venture Capital Lawyer

Jeff Taylor

Corporate Commercial Lawyer, Securities Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Talia K. Bregman

Management-side Employment Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

BioLife Solutions, Inc., a leading developer and supplier of bioproduction products and services for the cell and gene therapy market, has announced the acquisition of privately-held PanTHERA CryoSolutions, Inc., a developer of novel cryopreservation solutions based on proprietary Ice Recrystallization Inhibitor technology. The acquisition further strengthens BioLife's position as the market leader in biopreservation, enhancing its product portfolio of consumable solutions and adds scientific capabilities to the management team.

BioLife Solutions Acquires PanTHERA CryoSolutions

Zachary Thacker

Wesley Novotny, Wade Ritchie and Zachary Thacker write in <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.law360.ca/ca/employment/articles/2300571/a-new-chapter-in-business-succession-the-emergence-of-employee-ownership-trusts" target="_blank">Law360 Canada</a> on Employee Ownership Trusts and the benefits they offer to employees and business owners.

A New Chapter in Business Succession The Emergence of Employee Ownership Trusts

A New Chapter in Business Succession: The Emergence of Employee Ownership Trusts

Effective January 1, 2024, Canada introduced detailed rules into the Income Tax Act (Canada) to facilitate and encourage employee ownership of small and medium sized Canadian businesses through the creation of employee ownership trusts (EOT).

Leading the Way in Employee Ownership Trusts

Bennett Jones Leading the Way in Employee Ownership Trusts

Lorelei Graham

Food and Agribusiness Lawyer, IP Lawyer, Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Toronto

Across the Atlantic, the European Union (EU) and its member states have also been encouraging climate-resilient agri-tech innovation, but their approach to intellectual property incentives has been a bit different. The European Union has set ambitious climate goals (like achieving climate neutrality by 2050) and launched the European Green Deal, a broad policy agenda to support sustainable technologies. While funding and regulations (such as support for sustainable farming practices) are big parts of the EU strategy, there is also recognition that IP rights play an important role in fostering innovation. However, unlike Canada or the recent US pilot program, Europe has not implemented a unified “green channel” for patent examination at the European Patent Office.

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part III

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part III: Green Without the Label: Europe's Pragmatic IP Approach to Agri-Tech Innovation

Steven L. Major KC

Commercial Dispute, Construction, Fraud, Police and Personal Injury Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Drew C. Broughton

Corporate Commercial and M&A Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Kevin Myson

Corporate, Commercial Transaction, Energy, Natural Resource and M&A Lawyer at Bennett Jones Calgary

Canada is navigating a "wild frontier" in the energy industry, with a unique opportunity to forge successful and sustainable partnerships both domestically and internationally. This was the rallying call at the Energy Business Forum during the 74th Canadian Energy Executive Association (CEEA) conference in Banff, Alberta, where industry leaders gathered to share visions for the future of Canada's energy landscape.

Key Takeaways From the Wild Frontier Energy Business Forum CEEA 74

Key Takeaways From the "Wild Frontier" Energy Business Forum at CEEA '74

Melanie Teetaert

Commercial Litigation Lawyer at Bennett Jones Vancouver

Jennifer (Jenn) K. Choi

Maruska Giacchetto

This article examines the Ontario Court of Appeal's decision in J.P. Thomson Architects Ltd. v Greater Essex County District School Board, 2025 ONCA 378, which provides critical clarification on the interpretation of multi-step dispute resolution (MSDR) clauses. MSDR clauses, commonly used in commercial contracts, outline escalating steps such as negotiation, mediation, and arbitration to resolve disputes. The Court addressed ambiguities in the drafting of MSDR timelines, emphasizing that specified timeframes should be interpreted as minimum waiting periods rather than strict deadlines. The decision overturned a lower court ruling that barred a party from arbitration due to a perceived failure to meet a 30-day mediation request deadline. This article highlights the importance of precise drafting in MSDR clauses, discusses the implications of the Court's decision, and provides practical guidance for parties drafting or negotiating dispute resolution provisions in commercial agreements.

Do you need to rush to mediate - Ontario Court of Appeal

Do You Need to Rush to Mediate? Ontario Court of Appeal Clarifies Interpretation of Multi-Step Dispute Resolution Clause

The United States has long been a major player in both agri-tech innovation and the intellectual property (IP) landscape. In the past, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) offered its own version of a green patent fast-track to encourage climate-friendly inventions. Notably, in 2009 to 2011 the USPTO ran a Green Technology Pilot Program that prioritized examination for certain eco-friendly patents. The pilot ended in 2012, but more recently the USPTO brought back the idea in June 2022, with the Climate Change Mitigation Pilot Program, which was essentially an accelerated examination program for patent applications directed to fight climate change. Under this program, inventions designed to reduce or monitor greenhouse gas emissions, including many clean energy, sustainability or climate-smart agriculture innovations, could be examined out of turn. Importantly, like Canada’s program, the US pilot did not charge the usual petition fee for expediting. The goal was to spur green tech by making it faster and cheaper to secure IP rights.

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part II

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part II: Innovation Interrupted: What the End of the USPTO's Green Program Means for Agri-Tech

Climate change is driving a surge in agricultural technology (agri-tech) innovations aimed at making farming more resilient and sustainable. From drought-resistant crops to carbon-capturing soil techniques, these climate-focused agri-tech solutions are crucial for global food security. An often-overlooked piece of this puzzle is intellectual property (IP) strategy, namely how patents and other IP rights are used to protect and incentivize innovation.

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part I

Fast Tracks and Green Gaps Part I: Planting the Future: Why Canada's IP System May Be the Climate Innovation Sleeper Hit

Marshall Haughey and Wade Ritchie in Canadian Tax Focus

Authors


Bennett Jones Article Marshall Haughey and Wade Ritchie in Canadian Tax Focus October 26, 2020 Authors Marshall R. HaugheyPartner Wade RitchieAssociate Marshall Haughey and Wade Ritchie write in Canadian Tax Focus on "Correcting Tax Mistakes: Rescission Reborn". They look at how in the first Canadian appellate court rescission case decided after Fairmont and Jean Coutu, the BCCA in Collins Family Trust dismissed the Crown's appeal and upheld the BCSC's rescission order. In doing so, the BCCA affirmed Re Pallen Trust—a leading rescission case decided before Fairmont and Jean Coutu—and gave new life to rescission as an equitable remedy in tax cases. Share by Email Social Media Download Download Subscribe Republishing Requests For permission to republish this or any other publication, contact Amrita Kochhar at kochhara@bennettjones.com. For informational purposes only This publication provides an overview of legal trends and updates for informational purposes only. For personalized legal advice, please contact the authors. Authors Marshall R. Haughey, Partner Calgary, Edmonton • 403.298.3461 • haugheym@bennettjones.com Wade Ritchie, Associate Calgary, Edmonton • 403.298.3034 • ritchiew@bennettjones.com