IP Hub: Protect it - Enforcement/infringement

It is essential to understand the different ways you can enforce and litigate your IP rights and see how your rights can protect your creation.

Alternative dispute resolution

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) commonly refers to other forms of solving disputes between parties, such as arbitration, mediation and negotiation. ADR methods are generally consensual in nature and enable the parties to tailor the outcome and the dispute resolution process to the parties' needs.

• Canadian Intellectual Property Office
• World Intellectual Property Organization

Infringement

• Canada – Combating Counterfeit Products
• IP Australia – IP infringement
• IPR Helpdesk – What is an IP infringement?

Find additional practical tools to help you with enforcing your IP rights:

• Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) – Request for Assistance application
  As a Canadian trademark or geographical indication rights holder or owner registered with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office, you are eligible to file a Request for Assistance (RFA) application with the CBSA. RFAs will help the CBSA to effectively identify and detain commercial shipments suspected of containing counterfeit trademark goods.
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) – Arbitration and Mediation Center
  Based in Geneva, Switzerland, with a further office in Singapore, the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center was established in 1994 to offer alternative dispute resolution options for the resolution of international commercial disputes between private parties.
• WIPO ­– Domain Name Panelists
  To help parties to a domain name dispute select appropriately qualified panelists, the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center has established a list of persons who have agreed to serve on WIPO Domain Name Administrative Panels.

Have questions? Ask an IP expert!

Canadian Intellectual Property Office

• Client Service Centre
• IP advisors

IP agents

• College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents
• Intellectual Property Institute of Canada

Alternative dispute resolution experts

• ADR Institute of Canada
• International Trademark Association (INTA) – Panel of Trademark Mediators
  The INTA's Panel of Trademark Mediators offers parties access to an international roster of qualified mediators with specific expertise in trademark and related unfair competition issues, combined with a deep understanding of the business drivers underlying these kinds of disputes.
• World Intellectual Property Organization – Arbitration and Mediation Center

Other experts

• Canada Border Services Agency
• Canadian Chamber of Commerce – Canadian Intellectual Property Council
• Canadian Bar Association