Toronto, ON, APRIL 25, 2022 — Cozen O’Connor announced attorney Noelle Engle-Hardy — widely recognized as one of Canada’s leading up and coming IP litigators — has joined its fast-growing North America Intellectual Property Group. Engle-Hardy joins the firm as a member and will work out its Toronto office — reuniting with former colleagues Shane Hardy, chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Canadian Intellectual Property Practice Group, and IP associate Any Obando Ospina.
Engle-Hardy comes to Cozen O’Connor from Smart & Biggar LLP, where she worked in the firm’s trademark, copyright, industrial design, and litigation practice groups. She focuses her IP practice on trademarks, copyright, digital media, industrial design, marketing and advertising, trade secrets, and patents — guiding start-ups and Fortune 500 enterprises alike through a range of complex legal issues related to the acquisition, licensing, and protection of IP.
Engle-Hardy has advised household names like Colgate-Palmolive Company, Nintendo of America, Inc., Pampered Chef, Radisson Hotels International, Inc., Canadian Tire Corporation; Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Tiffany & Company, Anheuser-Busch, LLC, Sony Music Canada, Universal Music Canada, Schneider Electric SE, Gilead Sciences; and Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook, Inc.) on a variety of IP issues, ranging from complex litigation and prosecution matters to portfolio management in Canada and abroad.
“Having worked with Noelle previously, I’m thrilled to welcome her to our team and Cozen O’Connor,” said Shane Hardy, chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Canadian Intellectual Property Practice Group. “The fact that she’s worked previously with a number of Cozen O’Connor’s Canadian clients — many of which operate in multiple international markets — makes Noelle a valuable and natural fit for our Toronto office.”
“With IP litigation on the rise globally, bringing in an IP litigator with Noelle’s background is a major win for our clients and our Intellectual Property Practice Group,” added Camille M. Miller, co-chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Department. “Noelle brings a proven track record of helping major, brand-name clients succeed in highly competitive markets. And from a purely strategic standpoint, she further strengthens our already impressive IP team, both in Canada and the United States.”
Recognized by Euromoney Legal Media Group’s Expert Guides (LMG) as a Rising Star in Trademarks in both 2020 and 2021, Engle-Hardy prosecutes applications before the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and, when necessary, represents clients before its Trademarks Opposition Board. She also counsels clients on IP protection and enforcement strategies and negotiates and drafts complex domestic and international commercial agreements.
“Joining Cozen O’Connor allows me to reunite with my former colleague and mentor Shane Hardy, a tremendous leader and a highly skilled and technical trademark lawyer, as well as my former colleague and mentee Any Obando Ospina, a fantastic young IP lawyer,” Engle-Hardy said. “In addition, being part of a group that brings such deep, substantive legal skill and knowledge to IP matters at every level — from clearance and prosecution to enforcement and litigation — will greatly benefit my clients. I’m very excited to be here.”
Engle-Hardy earned her LL.M. from the University of Toronto; her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law; and her B.A.Sc. from McGill University in Biomedical science, with a specialization in microbiology and immunology.
About Cozen O’Connor
Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 750 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 32 offices across two continents.
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