Ken Clark
- Certified Specialist (Intellectual Property: Patent, Trademark & Copyright), LSO
- Registered Trademark Agent (Canada)
- Bio
- Awards & Recognition
- Professional Involvement
- Selected Speaking Engagements
- Selected Publications
- Insights
- Education
Ken is driven to help his clients resolve their problems, particularly the ones for which it seems there is no answer. He has a reputation for creative solutions that provide both peace of mind and a foundation for action. He strives to identify the underlying issues of a problem, not just the immediate need that is being presented. With a background in engineering and broad experience as a barrister and solicitor in IP, technology and energy law matters, Ken excels at articulating legal concepts and technical matters in a way that is easy for clients and judges to understand.
Ken is a member of the firm's Intellectual Property, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Corporate/Commercial, Energy, Technology and Telecommunications Groups. He is a registered Canadian trademark agent. Ken’s practice focuses primarily on intellectual property law enforcement, including copyright, patents and trademarks, and related areas such as internet law. Ken litigates copyright, patent and trademark disputes, and has a particular interest in mass copyright enforcement. He has appeared at the Supreme Court of Canada and at all levels of the Federal Court.
On the solicitor side, Ken’s practice includes trademark prosecution, intellectual property licensing and assistance with strategic IP planning for new and existing businesses.
Having worked as a mechanical design engineer and a computer systems administrator prior to becoming a lawyer, Ken has a wide variety of technical knowledge and expertise. Some of his areas of particular interest and familiarity include computer technology and systems, telecommunication and the Internet and network systems.
Awards & Recognition
- Shortlisted for the Practitioner of the Year Award (Copyright) by Managing IP Awards 2023.
- Certified Specialist in Intellectual Property Law (Patent, Trademark and Copyright) by the Law Society of Ontario
- Recognized in World Trademark Review 1000: The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals as a leading individual in prosecution and strategy
- Recognized in Managing Intellectual Property's IP STARS Handbook as a Trademark Star - Canada
- Recognized in Who’s Who Legal: Trademarks as a leading Canadian trademark lawyer
- Registered Trademark Agent (Canada)
Professional Involvement
Memberships
- AIPPI Canada
- Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (Fellow)
- International Trademark Association
- Licensing Executives Society
- The Advocates' Society
- Canadian Bar Association
- Ontario Bar Association
Selected Speaking Engagements
"Copyright Litigation and Procedural Journey from Tip to Tail," IPIC-McGill Copyright Master Class 2023, July 25, 2023.
The Harold G. Fox Moot, February 19-20, 2021.
“Copyright Law Update,” IPIC Year in Review in IP Law, February 16, 2021.
"Intellectual Property: Avoiding the Pitfalls," Aird & Berlis LLP Technology Law Webinar, April 2017.
"Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) - Are You Prepared for July 1?," Aird & Berlis LLP Technology Law Webinar, April 2017.
"Top Ten Intellectual Property Mistakes," Aird & Berlis LLP IP Law Seminar, January 2017.
"Technology and Intellectual Property Issues for Startup Businesses," Aird & Berlis LLP Technology Law Webinar, November 2015.
Dealing with Online Anonymous commenters, Aird & Berlis LLP Municipal Law Seminar 2011.
"Retail Businesses: Grey Market and Counterfeit," 14th Annual Anti-Counterfeiting Fraud Conference, December 1 – 4, 2010.
"'Official Marks' for Municipalities: How to Protect Your Place Brand," Aird & Berlis LLP Municipal Law Seminar: Knowledge is Power – Essential Information for Municipalities, October 18, 2009.
"What You Own, What You Don't and What You Should," Aird & Berlis LLP Technology Law Seminar: What Every Business Should Know, February 25, 2009.
Selected Publications
"Ken Clark has successfully sued thousands of Canadians for streaming pirated movies. Is he a troll — or a hero?," featured, Toronto Star, February 11, 2023.
"Why those AI-generated portraits all over social media have artists on edge," quoted, As It Happens, CBC Radio One, December 9, 2022.
"The Beginning of the End of Online Piracy in Canada? Federal Court of Appeal Approves Site-Blocking Order: The Consequences," TheSpotlight, June 7, 2021.
"The Swiss Shield: A Trademark Registration Is a Defence to Damages Even if Later Invalidated," TheSpotlight, December 14, 2020.
"The Federal Court of Appeal Upholds $640 Million Accounting of Profits Award for Patent Infringement," TheSpotlight, September 22, 2020.
"Retrograde in Taurus: Ninth Circuit Upholds Judgment That Stairway to Heaven Did Not Infringe Taurus," TheSpotlight, April 7, 2020.
"The Supreme Court of Canada’s Clarifies Standard of Review for Trademark Appeals," TheSpotlight, February 28, 2020.
"Changes to Canada’s Trademarks Act," TheSpotlight, June 4, 2019.
"The Dawning of a New Dark Age for Europe," TheSpotlight, April 5, 2019.
"The Competition Bureau Publishes Final Version of its Revised Intellectual Property Enforcement Guidelines," TheSpotlight, March 22, 2019.
"“BIG MAC” Attack!," TheSpotlight, January 31, 2019.
"What Do You Mean I Don’t Own My Own Logo?," TheSpotlight, November 19, 2018.
"Will the EU Copyright Directive Break the Internet?," TheSpotlight, November 12, 2018.
"IP Budget 2018 – Changes to Canada’s IP Laws," TheSpotlight, November 7, 2018.
"Get into the Octave-gon with the New MMA," TheSpotlight, October 16, 2018.
"SLAPP Fight!: Ontario Court of Appeal Clarifies SLAPP Legislation," TheSpotlight, October 10, 2018.
"Tales from the Crypt(ocurrency)," TheSpotlight, October 9, 2018.
"Court of Appeal Sends “Stairway to Heaven” Back to Trial," TheSpotlight, October 2, 2018.
"The Dangers of Discount Patent Services - You Get What You Pay For," TheSpotlight, August 22, 2018.
"The Value of a Copyrighted Photograph Is Not Necessarily in the Eye of the Beholder," TheSpotlight, July 19, 2018.
"Quebec Court Denies Exclusive Use Of Geographic Location in Car Dealership’s Name," TheSpotlight, June 18, 2018.
"Google Fails to Amend Canadian De-indexing Injunction Despite California Court Order," TheSpotlight, April 23, 2018.
"U.S. Court of Appeals Finds That the Lines Remain Blurred," TheSpotlight, April 20, 2018.
"Human Rights Complaint on “Chief Wahoo” (Cleveland Indians) Logo to Proceed – Update on Law of Controversial Sports Logos," TheSpotlight, February 8, 2018.
"Cannabis Trademarks Remain Unregistrable in U.S. Despite Federal Circuit’s Ruling in Re: Brunetti," TheSpotlight, January 31, 2018.
"The Future of the Internet: Less "Walking Dead" and More "House of Cards"? The FCC and CRTC Consider Implications of Data Caps and Differential Pricing," TheSpotlight, September 22, 2016.
"How the (Copyright Test) Was Won: Led Zeppelin Victorious in "Stairway to Heaven" Suit," TheSpotlight, July 27, 2016.
"Blockchain and Smart Contracts: The Future of Doing Business?," TheSpotlight Newsletter, June 9, 2016.
"The Copyright Act Reformed – Provisions of the Copyright Modernization Act Proclaimed into Force," co-author, Lexology, November 12, 2012
"The Copyright Act Reformed – A Brief Look at Bill C-11," co-author, Lexology, July 30, 2012
"ICANN Releases List of New Proposed Top-Level Domain Names," co-author, Lexology, June 26, 2012
"Top Court Rules ISPs are Not Broadcasters," co-author, Lexology, March 1, 2012
"Googlers and Gmailers, Be(a)ware! Google to Implement New Privacy Policy," co-author, Lexology, February 29, 2012
"Proposed Introduction of Internationalized Domain Names in the Canadian .ca Registry," co-author, Lexology, December 15, 2011
"Century 21 v. Rogers: A Look at Online Copyright Infringement and Breach of Contract," co-author, Lexology, September 21, 2011
"The Canadian Telecom Saga," co-author, A&B Blawg Briefs, March 16, 2011
"Product Labelling with Expired Patent Numbers Can Lead to Lawsuits in the U.S.," co-author, A&B Blawg Briefs, September 3, 2010
"LimeWire and its CEO taken to the canvas. Score one pyrrhic victory for the RIAA," A&B Blawg Briefs, May 20, 2010
Insights
Education
- LLB and BCL (Great Distinction), McGill University, 1999
- B.A.Sc. (Mechanical Engineering) (First Class Honours and Dean's Honour List), University of Waterloo, 1992