Sébastien Roy focuses his practice on intellectual property law and commercial law. Sébastien takes on mandates relating to the various areas of intellectual property law such as copyright, trademarks, industrial designs, patents and trade secrets. He is thus called upon to draft and negotiate various types of contracts, provide legal opinions and ensure the bringing of legal and administrative recourses before both the federal and provincial courts. He is also involved in merger, acquisition and financing cases in which he conducts the due diligence of intellectual property assets at issue in a given transaction or deal.
More specifically, Sébastien is thoroughly knowledgeable in trademark law. He advises clients both on the choice of trademarks as well as on their valuation and protection. As a trademark agent registered with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office, Sébastien prosecutes trademark registration applications and is also involved in matters of oppositions to trademark registration. As well, he coordinates the registration of trademarks abroad by working together with correspondent trademark agents.
Furthermore, Sébastien frequently advises clients in the drafting and negotiation of development, licensing, outsourcing and service contracts in matters of software and technology. He is an e-commerce expert and, as such, guides clients in developing contracts and policies aimed at creating a legal framework for the use of websites and online transactions.
Sébastien has also developed skills in franchising, distribution and marketing, as well as in defamation, entertainment law, advertising law and unfair competition law.
Sébastien recently completed a master's degree with a thesis on trademark law addressing in depth the matter of trademark dilution in Canada, particularly dilution suffered by trademark owners in comparative advertising, parodies or other actions that amount to the tarnishment of trademarks as well as dilution resulting from the blurring of the advertising function of distinctive and well-known trademarks. Due to the excellence of his work in the master's program, Sébastien earned a place on the Honour Roll for Université Laval's faculty of graduate studies as well as the award for best master's thesis in law in Québec (2008) from the Association des professeures et professeurs de droit du Québec. Furthermore, the Chaire du notariat de l'Université de Montréal awarded its Concours de rédaction juridique de 2e cycle (2008) to Sébastien.
Honours and Awards
- Named to the Honour Roll of the Faculté of Graduate Studies at Université Laval for having received three mentions of 'Excellent' during the evaluation of his master's thesis.
- Winner of the award for best master's thesis in law in Québec given by the Association des professeures et professeurs de droit du Québec (APPDQ) for his thesis entitled "La Loi sur les marques de commerce protège-t-elle efficacement le titulaire d'une marque de commerce contre la dilution?"
- Winner of the Concours de rédaction juridique de 2e cycle (2008) awarded by the Chaire du notariat de l'Université de Montréal
Membership/Affiliations
- Member, Québec Bar
- Member, Québec City Bar
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Junior Bar Association of Québec
- Member, Junior Chamber of Commerce of Québec
- Trademark agent (CIPO)
- Associate member, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC)
- Member, Regroupement des praticiens en marques de commerce (RPM)
- Member, Licensing Executives Society (LES)