BLAZE IP

About BLAZE IP

BLAZE IP is a small intellectual property law practice based in Hamilton, Ontario, led by principal lawyer and trademark agent Michele Ballagh, who has over 25 years of experience in the field. The name dates to January 2022, when Ballagh returned to sole practice after founding Ballagh & Edward LLP in Hamilton in 2009 and running it for thirteen years. Before that, Ballagh spent close to a decade as an associate at Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP starting in 1997, learning the ropes of commercial litigation and becoming qualified to practice as a trademark agent, then was called to the Ontario bar in 1999 and registered as a trademark agent in 2000.

The practice covers the range of intellectual property work: trademarks, copyright, patents and industrial designs handled with the help of outside patent agents, trade secrets, and IP licensing and agreements. BLAZE IP is authorized to represent Canadian and foreign businesses registering trademarks in Canada, and Canadian businesses registering trademarks in the United States, and it keeps reciprocal relationships with agents abroad for clients who need protection in other countries. The firm's site notes that the practice carries on the trademark work of Jack Smugler, a detail from its history that predates the current name. Two associates, Luke McIvor and Kyle Glazier, are also trademark agent trainees, called to the Ontario bar in 2023 and 2025.