Aird & McBurney Welcomes Three New Members to IP Group

We are pleased to announce that Jay Millman, Michelle Lacroix and Jonathan Adams have joined Aird & McBurney as members of our Intellectual Property Group. 

Jay Millman is a registered patent agent in Canada and the United States, with extensive experience in mechanical, electromechanical and software-related technologies. His technical background and hands-on engineering experience allow him to speak with engineers and inventors as a genuine peer and to thoroughly understand the technical merit of an invention, which is key to securing strong patent protection. His combined engineering and patent skills have attracted clients that include a number of leading multinational companies in Canada and abroad across many industries, including automotive (both internal combustion and electric vehicles), toys and recreation, injection molding systems, sports equipment, self-balancing personal transportation, electric motors, mechatronics, power generation, construction industry devices and systems and fibre optics.

Jay's practice focuses on drafting and prosecution of patent applications and industrial design applications; patent infringement; freedom-to-operate and validity analyses; and due diligence in relation to licence agreements and IP-related purchase agreements. He also guides clients on matters relating to global IP strategy. 

Prior to joining Aird & McBurney, Jay founded and led a boutique patent and trademark firm. He also spent several years as the head of the Automotive Patent Group at a large intellectual property firm in Toronto.

Michelle Lacroix is a registered Canadian trademark agent licensed to practise in Canada and the United States. She has been working in the intellectual property field for over 15 years and manages international client portfolios both large and small. Michelle specializes in trademark searches and procurement in Canada and the United States. She also has domestic and cross-border expertise in the drafting and procurement of industrial designs.

Michelle's practice includes trademark clearance, filing and prosecuting trademark applications, drafting and prosecuting industrial design applications and supervising the preparation, filing, prosecution and registration of foreign trademark and industrial design applications via trusted foreign associates. She also advises clients on matters relating to global IP strategy and management.

Jonathan Adams is an associate patent agent trainee at Aird & McBurney. He has been working in the intellectual property field since 2017. With experience that includes developing medical devices at Sunnybrook Hospital and at various startups, Jonathan has first-hand knowledge of the challenges faced by inventors in protecting their innovations. 

Jonathan works with clients ranging from academic researchers to multinational corporations across many disciplines, including automotive technologies, medical devices, software and hardware systems, robotics and biotechnology. He leverages his background in mechanical and industrial engineering to advise on the patentability of inventions and to prepare domestic and foreign patent applications. 

Jonathan earned a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Engineering Science degree at Western University. During his graduate studies at the University of Toronto, Jonathan focused on the design and testing of a novel cardiac implant for patients with complex congenital heart disease.

It is with great pleasure that we welcome Jay, Michelle and Jonathan to the firm.