Charlotte McDonald > Gowling WLG > Toronto, Canada > Lawyer Profile

Gowling WLG
1600 – 1 FIRST CANADIAN PLACE
100 KING STREET WEST
TORONTO, ONTARIO, M5X 1G5
Canada

Email firm Visit website 1 416 862 7525 1 416 862 7661

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1 416-369-7328 [email protected] View profile

Work Department

Intellectual Property

Position

Partner, Trademark Agent

Career

Charlotte McDonald is a partner and trademark agent in Gowling WLG’s Toronto office. She practises intellectual property law, with a focus on intellectual property litigation and trademark prosecution.

Charlotte has extensive experience before the Federal Court. She has been counsel for parties involved in patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and Patented Medicine Prices Review Board disputes. She has participated in multiple Federal Court trials and judicial reviews. She manages complex trademark oppositions and expungement proceeding before the Trademark Opposition Board. She is skilled in alternative dispute resolution, frequently settling matters prior to trial and participating in successful court-assisted and independent mediations.

Charlotte provides advice for contentious and non-contentious legal issues, including enforcement of copyright, trademark and patent rights; patent, trademark and copyright licensing and assignments; and trademark registrability and use opinions.

With her wide range of legal experience, Charlotte has managed small to mid-sized trademark portfolios in Canada and internationally in a variety of different fields, including software, education, cosmetics, publishing, environmental conservation, cannabis, food and beverage and other consumer products.

Charlotte is also an active member of Gowling WLG’s IP Litigation Practice Group, Trademark Practice Group and pro bono program. Charlotte is also a member of the National Association of Women Lawyers, Editorial Board of the CIPR, the Executive Committee for the Intellectual Property Section of the CBA and the Indigenous Rights Committee of INTA.

Charlotte won the Legal 500 Next Generation Partner in 2023 and 2024 and the 2022 Gowling WLG Neil Abbott Mentorship Award.

Memberships

Registered Trademark Agent, Canada (2018)

Year of Call, Ontario (2012)

Lawyer Rankings

Canada > Intellectual property

(Next Generation Partners)

Charlotte McDonald – Gowling WLG

IP powerhouse Gowling WLG stands out for its unrivalled national platform — which takes in seven offices across the country — as well as for its ability to leverage on-the-ground teams in the UK, Europe, the UAE and China. The group’s global coverage and comprehensive service offering marks it as a first port of call for major companies looking for support on domestic and multinational IP issues, with its strong suits encompassing the full range of patents, trademarks, designs, trade secrets, copyrights, advertising and IP litigation matters. The department is led jointly by Canadian IP head Shelagh Carnegie (Toronto), who stands out for her premier trademark prosecution practice; John Harris (Ottawa), who spearheads the patents area; Will Boyer (Ottawa), who serves as head of IP litigation and strategy; and Nelson Godfrey (Vancouver), who fronts the trademark group. The firm’s formidably deep bench additionally benefits from the senior expertise of seasoned IP litigators Christopher Van Barr (Ottawa), Michael Crichton (Ottawa) and Laurent Massam (Toronto). Also highly recommended are: Ottawa-based trademark specialists Martha Savoy and Paula Clancy; Toronto-based Natalie Rizkalla-Kamel, who focuses on contentious work involving patents, trademarks and copyrights; and Ottawa-based patent partner Jay Zakaïb. An impressive pool of younger lawyers includes next generation partner Charlotte McDonald, who specializes in IP litigation and trademarks, as well as talented associate Jasleen Chahal — both are in Toronto.

Charlotte McDonald > Gowling WLG > Toronto, Canada > Lawyer Profile

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