About John McKeown

John McKeown focuses on providing advocacy and advice concerning intellectual property and related matters, including protecting trademarks, copyrights, patents, confidential information and misleading advertising and claims under the Competition Act. A growing component of his work relates to intellectual property claims on the Internet, including domain name disputes. He is certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a specialist in Intellectual Property Law (Trademarks/Copyright). Some of Canada’s largest marketers have relied on John’s advice.

John supervises obtaining, protecting and licensing trademarks and hundreds of successful trademark applications. He has been involved in many opposition proceedings before the Trademarks Opposition Board and actions for infringement.

John has particular expertise regarding actions relating to copyright.  He is the author of McKeown, Fox, on Canadian Law of Copyright and Industrial Designs (four binders in loose leaf format with quarterly installments) the leading copyright textbook in Canada. John and the text have been referred to by both the Supreme Court of Canada and the Federal Court of Appeal as an authoritative source.

John’s textbook, Brand Management in Canadian Law (currently in its fifth edition) considers brand management from a legal perspective. The components which make up a brand, a consumer’s perception of a brand, brand equity, brand leverage and integration are discussed. Additional chapters deal with legal considerations relating to choosing a brand name, branding on the internet, protecting the components of a brand and developing effective brand management policies.

In Canadian Intellectual Property Law and Strategy: Trademarks, Copyright and Industrial Designs, John provides an overview of Canadian law relating to trademarks, copyright and industrial designs along with strategic commentary designed for legal practitioners outside Canada. An annual version of the book is published each year by LexisNexis.

John is currently the Chairman of the Canadian Bar Association Trademarks Committee. He has been heavily involved in the trademark reform process.

John is also the Vice-Chair of the American Bar Association International Trademark and Internet Committee.

John is also the Vice-Chair of the American Bar Association Standing International IP Task Force.

Languages Spoken

• English
• conversational French