Gowling WLG
Firm overview:
International firm Gowling WLG has offices across Canada, Europe, the Middle East and China, with an exclusive association with JurisAsia for clients in Southeast Asia and a strong referral network to serve the US.
The firm has a cross-disciplinary team working on trade secrets matters, covering everything from drafting employee agreements to trade secrets litigation, enforcement and recovery.
Data privacy and cyber security, including artificial intelligence, are key areas of expertise for Gowling, which feed into its trade secrets practice.
The firm runs webinars and publishes articles on topical trade secrets issues, such as tactics for in-house counsel to consider when formulating a trade secret strategy, and employment law updates.
Team overview:
Neena Gupta works out of the firm’s Waterloo Region and Toronto offices, and is described by a peer as “very practical” and “good at everything”, particularly employment-related matters. Gupta advises a wide range of clients, from startups to multinationals, on all aspects of employment law, and is frequently invited to speak on related matters at industry conferences. She also developed the employment law course at Seneca College and taught at the University of Toronto and Queen’s Universities as an adjunct professor on human rights.
Toronto-based partner James Buchan is a key contact for trade secrets matters at Gowling. Buchan has practised in the IP group for over 30 years and has extensive experience covering patent, trade secret, trademark and copyright litigation, and strategic advisory work.
Other notable partners include London-based Huw Evans, who heads up the UK patent litigation team and has been active in trade secrets for many of his 30 years of practice.
Roch Ripley is singled out by a peer as a notable practitioner at the firm for trade secrets matters. Ripley, who is the head of the Vancouver office’s IP department, focuses his practice on providing IP advice, patent drafting and prosecution, and technology commercialisation.
Anita Nador, a former co-leader of the firm’s global trade secrets department, left the firm to join INQ law in January 2025.
