Paula Clancy
Founder, Managing Attorney Lawyer, Registered Trademark Agent Certified Specialist in IP Law (Trademarks) pclancy@clancypc.com 613.800.4488 |
Paula is the founder of Clancy PC. She has over 26 years of experience as a corporate/commercial and trademark lawyer and is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in IP (Trademarks). Her background in business and intellectual property law is an asset to her clients. Paula has a significant local practice, and her clients range from start-ups and SMEs to publicly-traded companies.
Clancy PC has been recognized as one of Canada’s top trademark firms by the WTR1000. Paula has also been individually ranked in the WTR1000 as a top IP lawyer for 10 consecutive years (2011-2021). In 2008, Paula was awarded the Ottawa Business Journal’s Top Forty Under 40 award. She was also a finalist for the Businesswoman of the Year Award (2014). More recently, she won Distinctive Women Magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2017).
Paula is a currently member of the Board of Directors of AIPPI Canada, and has also served on the Board of Directors of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC). She is the Chair of IPIC's Indigenous IP Committee, and has successfully completed NVision Insight Group Inc.'s The Path: Your Journey Through Indigenous Canada course.
Paula has also served as Chair of the International Trademark Association's (INTA) Public Information Committee (2017-2019), Co-Chair of INTA’s North America Global Advisory Council (2016-2017), Canadian National Delegate for the Inter-American Association of Intellectual Property (ASIPI) (2012-2015), Chair of IPIC’s International Trademark Issues Committee (2017-2018), Chair of INTA’s Advertising and Related Rights Subcommittee, Chair of IPIC’s Sole and Small Practice Network, President of ASIPI’s Social Action Committee, and Director and Secretary of SOS Children’s Villages (Canada) (2008-2015). Paula is a past-Director for the Children’s Aid Foundation of Ottawa and is currently on the Advisory Council for SOS Children’s Villages (Canada).
Paula is a member of the Women Presidents' Organization, an organization that was formed to improve business conditions for women entrepreneurs and to promote the acceptance and advancement of women entrepreneurs in all industries. The WPO is a premier membership organization for women presidents, CEO's and managing directors of privately held companies seeking to accelerate business growth through a global peer-learning network.
Paula enjoys skiing and scuba diving with her husband and six children. She is, above all, a proud and devoted working mom and a passionate advocate for all working moms.
Clancy PC has been recognized as one of Canada’s top trademark firms by the WTR1000. Paula has also been individually ranked in the WTR1000 as a top IP lawyer for 10 consecutive years (2011-2021). In 2008, Paula was awarded the Ottawa Business Journal’s Top Forty Under 40 award. She was also a finalist for the Businesswoman of the Year Award (2014). More recently, she won Distinctive Women Magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2017).
Paula is a currently member of the Board of Directors of AIPPI Canada, and has also served on the Board of Directors of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC). She is the Chair of IPIC's Indigenous IP Committee, and has successfully completed NVision Insight Group Inc.'s The Path: Your Journey Through Indigenous Canada course.
Paula has also served as Chair of the International Trademark Association's (INTA) Public Information Committee (2017-2019), Co-Chair of INTA’s North America Global Advisory Council (2016-2017), Canadian National Delegate for the Inter-American Association of Intellectual Property (ASIPI) (2012-2015), Chair of IPIC’s International Trademark Issues Committee (2017-2018), Chair of INTA’s Advertising and Related Rights Subcommittee, Chair of IPIC’s Sole and Small Practice Network, President of ASIPI’s Social Action Committee, and Director and Secretary of SOS Children’s Villages (Canada) (2008-2015). Paula is a past-Director for the Children’s Aid Foundation of Ottawa and is currently on the Advisory Council for SOS Children’s Villages (Canada).
Paula is a member of the Women Presidents' Organization, an organization that was formed to improve business conditions for women entrepreneurs and to promote the acceptance and advancement of women entrepreneurs in all industries. The WPO is a premier membership organization for women presidents, CEO's and managing directors of privately held companies seeking to accelerate business growth through a global peer-learning network.
Paula enjoys skiing and scuba diving with her husband and six children. She is, above all, a proud and devoted working mom and a passionate advocate for all working moms.
Committees & Leadership
Director and Officer (Treasurer), Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (2021- present)
Council Member, AIPPI Canada (2020 - present)
National Delegate for Canada, ASIPI (2021-present)
Member, INTA Indigenous Rights Committee (2021- present)
Member, IPIC Indigenous IP Advisory Group (2018-present)
Member, IPIC Trademark Practice Committee (2016-present)
Member, AIPPI Communications Committee (2019-present)
Member, SOS Children's Villages (Canada) Advisory Council (2017-present)
Past Leadership Roles:
Past Director, Children's Aid Foundation of Ottawa (2018-2020)
Past Chair, IPIC Indigenous IP Committee (2019-2021)
Past Chair, INTA Public Information Committee (2018-2019)
Past Co-Chair, INTA North America Global Advisory Council (2016-2017)
Past President, ASIPI Social Action Committee
Council Member, AIPPI Canada (2020 - present)
National Delegate for Canada, ASIPI (2021-present)
Member, INTA Indigenous Rights Committee (2021- present)
Member, IPIC Indigenous IP Advisory Group (2018-present)
Member, IPIC Trademark Practice Committee (2016-present)
Member, AIPPI Communications Committee (2019-present)
Member, SOS Children's Villages (Canada) Advisory Council (2017-present)
Past Leadership Roles:
Past Director, Children's Aid Foundation of Ottawa (2018-2020)
Past Chair, IPIC Indigenous IP Committee (2019-2021)
Past Chair, INTA Public Information Committee (2018-2019)
Past Co-Chair, INTA North America Global Advisory Council (2016-2017)
Past President, ASIPI Social Action Committee
Awards and Recognitions
Speaking Engagements & Publications
- Moderator: Women Business Enterprises Canada Council (WBE Canada) 2021 Annual Conference, November 9, 2021: "Emotional Intelligence: Today's Leadership Superpower"
- Moderator: Women Business Enterprises Canada Council (WBE Canada) 2021 Annual Conference, November 9, 2021: "Export Development Canada - Build Your Dream Team: Using Networking and Partnership to Accelerate International Business Growth"
- Presenter: University of Western Ontario, Faculty of Law, November 5, 2021: "IP Strategy Bootcamp: Trademarks"
- Moderator: Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, November 4, 2021: "Forging a New Path in the Protection of Indigenous Intellectual Property: Indigenous Culture
- Lecturer: Faculty of Law University of Western Ontario, March 5, 2021: "The Madrid System: A One-Stop Solution For Global Trademark Protection"
- Presenter: IPIC Webinar, Ottawa, Ontario, February 26, 2021: "Can't We All Just Get Along? Consents and Coexistence Agreements in Canada and the U.S."
- Author: "O'Brien's Encyclopedia of Forms", ThomsonReuters, Trademarks Chapter - January 2021
- Presenter: McGill Faculty of Continuing Education – Understanding Trademarks – An Introductory Course, July 9, 2020 – Lecturer: “The Basics of Trademark Use in Canada: the Who, What, Where, When, Why, How and Future”.
- Presenter: Webinar, Ottawa, Ontario, March 12, 2020 - Presenter: "Trademark Case Law Series: Opposition Issues".
- Speaker: AIPPI World Congress, London, England, September 17, 2019 - Speaker: "Genuine Use in Canada"
- Author: "Canada's New Trademark Law: A Practical Update for UK Brand Owners", published in CITMA Review
- UK Chartered Institute of Trademark Attorneys (CITMA) Webinar, July 16, 2019 - "A Year of Change: Canada's New Trademark Law" - Presenter
- Lecturer: McGill Faculty of Continuing Education - Understanding Trademarks - An Introductory Course, July 9, 2019 - Lecturer
- Presenter: IPIC Webinar, Ottawa, Ontario, April 17, 2019 - Presenter: "Madrid - A Practical Guide to Filing & Prosecution".
- Presenter: IPIC Webinar, Ottawa, Ontario, April 4, 2019 - Presenter: "Trademark Case Law Series: Opposition Issues".
- Moderator: IPIC Webinar, Ottawa, Ontario, November 27, 2018 - Moderator: "Introduction to Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions".
- Host: IPIC Annual General Meeting, October 12, 2018 – Moderator: “Brexit Update – CITMA Perspective”, with Tania Clark, President of the UK Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys.
- Moderator: IPIC Webinar, Ottawa, Ontario, August 23, 2018 – Moderator: “General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) – What it Means for Canadian Businesses”.
- McGill Faculty of Continuing Education – Understanding Trademarks – An Introductory Course, July 24, 2018 – Lecturer: “The Basics of Trademark Use in Canada”.
- Genuine Trademark Use, author of Canada Chapter published by Kluwer (AIPPI) in 2018.
- Getting the Deal Through: Trademarks 2017, author of Canada Chapter.
- IPIC Webinar, Ottawa, Ontario, March 30, 2016 – Moderator: “EU Trademark Reform and Nice Class Headings – What Canadian Owners of EU Trademarks Need to Know”.
- Getting the Deal Through: Trademarks 2016, author of Canada Chapter.
- “Clancy and McKay on Intellectual Property” Lecture Series, The Commons Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, November 6, 2015 – Presenter: “Changes to Canada’s Trademark Regime and Their Impact on Canadian Brand Owners”.
- “Practice Management for the Female Lawyer” Lecture Series, The Commons Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, January 29, 2015 – Presenter: “Thoughts on Going Solo or Small”.
- Getting the Deal Through: Trademarks 2015, author of Canada Chapter.
- “Intellectual Property Exploitation and Enforcement in Canada” Lecture Series, The Commons Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, October 20, 2014 – Presenter: “Drafting Trademark License Agreements – A Practical Guide”.
- IP Law Lecture Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario – September 25, 2014 – Presenter: “Trademark Law Basics”.
- ASIPI XVIII Congress, Punta del Este, Uruguay – December 4, 2012 – Presenter: “Profesion y Calidad de Vida”.
- IPIC Webinar, Ottawa, Ontario – November 28, 2012 – Moderator: “Bytes, Borders and Buy-In: Building a (Nearly) Paperless IP Office”.
- IP Law Lecture Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario – November 15, 21012 – Presenter.
- Lead to Win Phase II: Opportunity Development, Ottawa, Ontario – October 31, 2012 – Presenter: “Business Aspects of Intellectual Property”
- IP Law Lecture Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario – March 1, 2012 – Presenter: “An Entrepreneur’s Overview of Intellectual Property”.
- IPIC Webinar, Ottawa, Ontario – October 26, 2011 – Presenter: “Achieving Work-Life Balance”.
- LSUC CPD Seminar – September 2011 – Presenter: “Review of Critical Case Law in Patents and Trademarks”.
- Web Essay in Thomson Brandy (Japan) on Bases for Canadian Trademark Applications – July 2011.
- IP Law Lecture, Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario – March 10, 2011 -Presenter: “An Entrepreneur’s Overview of Intellectual Property”.
- ASIPI Conference, Santiago, Chile – November 2010 – Moderator: Women’s Committee Breakfast featuring Chilean Minister Carolina Schmidt.
- IPIC Young Practitioners Committee Webinar, Ottawa, Ontario – June 2010 – Presenter: “A Yen For Euros and Pesos: Doing Business Abroad”.
- ASIPI Conference, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – November 2006 – Presenter: “Universal and Sporting Symbols” Roundtable.
- Women in Law Conference, Ottawa, Ontario – October 2006 – Panelist: “Managing Emotions in the Practice of Law”.
- ASIPI Conference, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – November 2004 – Presenter: “Panel de Arbitraje”.
- Legal Drafting Workshop, Ottawa, Ontario – January 2000 – Presenter: “Behind and Beyond Boilerplate”.