Kimberly is Co-Leader of the firm's Intellectual Property Group and a registered patent agent in Canada and the United States. With a PhD in chemistry, Kimberly provides specialized expertise to clients ranging from academic/research institutes and startups to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and larger blue chip companies. She thrives on the challenge of figuring out how best to claim, strengthen and protect her clients’ inventions in order to create a strategic patent portfolio. Her expertise and prominence in the field has earned her recognition as one of the leading Canadian patent practitioners in IAM Patent 1000.
Kimberly has extensive experience in drafting and prosecuting patent and design applications, preparing patentability, infringement, validity and freedom-to-operate opinions, providing worldwide strategic patent and design portfolio management and conducting due diligence in patent and design valuations. She is also a member of the firm’s Cannabis, Life Sciences, Mines & Minerals and Space Tech Industry Groups.
Kimberly’s practice focuses on the areas of chemistry, pharmaceutics, medical devices, aerospace and aeronautics, energy and mining. More specifically, she specializes in the fields of organic and inorganic chemistry, such as pharmaceutical formulations, polymers, surfactants, petroleum, propellants, electrochemistry, photochemistry and synthesis. Kimberly’s post-doctoral research experience in chemistry related to synthesis of new drugs for photodynamic therapeutic treatment of cancer (Queen Mary and Westfield College, London, England) and the development of new polymeric materials and methodologies for holographic data storage (NSF Center for Photoinduced Charge Transfer, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY). During that time she co-authored several well-known scientific publications.
Kimberly previously served on the Canadian Patent Agent Examining Board for the qualification of Canadian Patent Agents. She is a Fellow of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) and a member of the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM).
Professional Involvement
Professional Activities
Kimberly has guest lectured for the Intellectual Property course at the Ryerson University School of Business in Toronto; and at various international conferences. She has also lectured on organic chemistry at Acadia University, Dalhousie University and St. Francis Xavier University.
She previously served on the Canadian Patent Agent Examining Board for the qualification of Canadian Patent Agents.
Memberships
- Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM)
- Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC)
- Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO)
"Expanding into Canada 101," Czech Delegation Breakfast Panel, May 1, 2024.
"Psychedelics: A Complex and Changing Regulatory Landscape Focused on Scientific Research and IP Protection," Aird & Berlis LLP Psychedelics Webinar, January 18, 2023.
“Process for Making a Patent Agent: Step 1 – Obtain a Dalhousie Chemistry Degree,” 2019 Carl C. Coffin Lecture Dalhousie University, October 25, 2019.
"Legal Requirements for Doing Business in Canada," Investments & Capital Markets Conference, January 23, 2018.
"Securing Intellectual Property Rights: Why Protect Your Inventions and Designs?," Aird & Berlis LLP Intellectual Property Webinar, June 8, 2017.
"Canadian Pharma Update: Patent Law," Aird & Berlis LLP Intellectual Property Webinar, February 9, 2017.