Charlotte McDonald

About Charlotte McDonald

Charlotte McDonald protects and enforces the brands, inventions and creative work of businesses, both in court and at the trademarks office. As a partner in Gowling WLG's Toronto office and a registered trademark agent, Charlotte works on two fronts: intellectual property litigation, and the prosecution of trademarks for clients in fields like software, cosmetics, cannabis, and food and beverage.

The Federal Court is where much of that litigation plays out. Clients Charlotte has represented in the federal courts include Google, Galderma and Harley-Davidson, and the Google matter and Galderma's case at the Federal Court of Appeal were each named MIP Impact Case of the Year, in 2023 and 2020. Not every dispute needs a judge, though, and Charlotte often settles cases before trial through mediation, whether court-assisted or private.

Science came before law. Charlotte took an honours B.Sc. in biopharmaceutical science at the University of Ottawa with a focus on genomics, then a JD at the University of Toronto. After articling at Gowling Lafleur Henderson, Charlotte was called to the Ontario bar in 2012, stayed on at Gowling WLG as an associate, and became a registered trademark agent in 2018.

Charlotte also gives time to the wider IP bar. Charlotte chaired the Canadian Bar Association's Intellectual Property Section for the 2025 to 2026 term, inviting colleagues to the section's IP Day and Federal Court Judges' Dinner in Ottawa, and presents regularly for the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada. In October 2025, Charlotte spoke to the Toronto Star about the continuing effects of funding shortfalls on the Federal Court's services.