Derek Sheppard

About Derek Sheppard

Inventors who want to protect a new idea in Canada can turn to Derek Sheppard, who prepares patent applications and takes them through examination at the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. Derek is an associate with Gowling WLG in Hamilton, working in the firm's Intellectual Property Group, and gives advice on whether something can be patented, whether an existing patent will stand up, freedom-to-operate questions and infringement. Deals are part of the work too: Derek handles the IP terms in contracts like licences, assignments and confidentiality agreements, and reviews a business's IP assets when a transaction calls for due diligence.

Derek came to law from the lab. After a BSc at Carleton University in 2015, Derek earned an MSc from the University of Ottawa in 2017, researching how joint cells regenerate. Even earlier, as an undergraduate, Derek worked as a research assistant at the Ottawa General Hospital on retinal regeneration. Derek's research has been published in peer-reviewed journals.

Law school at Western University came next, with a JD in 2020 focused on intellectual property, information and technology. Derek was active in the Western Intellectual Property Association there and took on its vice-president, finance, role in second year. The Ontario call followed in 2021.

Newcomers to the patent system have heard from Derek too. In the fall of 2023 Derek gave two lunchtime talks to students at Carleton University's Innovation Hub, and in 2024 Innovation Factory shared patent search tips for new inventors from Derek and Alex Ross of Gowling WLG. When the work day's done, Derek's interests run to hockey, golf and reading.