GETTING TO KNOW RON DIMOCK
“Everyone knows Ron Dimock because Ron Dimock is everywhere.”
World IP Handbook (2010) – Managing Intellectual Property
Expertise
Intellectual Property Arbitrator
Intellectual Property Mediator
Intellectual Property Neutral Case Evaluator
Intellectual Property Expert Witness
Patents
Trademarks
Copyright
Designs
Information Technology
Certifications
Called to the Ontario Bar (LSO# 15925J) in 1976
PEng - Professional Engineer (Ontario) 1982 to 2024
Certified by the Law Society as a Specialist (CS) in Civil Litigation 1993 to 2024
Certified by the Law Society as a Specialist (CS) in Intellectual Property (Patent, Trademark and Copyright) Law 1993 to 2024
Certified Mediator - International Mediation Institute since 2015
Certified Arbitrator - Chartered Institute of Arbitrators since 2013
ICD.D - Institute of Corporate Directors since 2018
Education
Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario
Bachelor of Science (Engineering Mathematics with Honours) 1971
Bachelor of Laws 1974
Harvard Law School, Mediation Workshop, June 1999
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Advanced Workshop, December 2012
Rotman School of Business, University of Toronto Directors Education Program, 2017-2018
Accolades and Awards
“The guru of IP law in Canada” - Chambers Global
“One of the finest litigators in Canada” - Who’s Who Legal
“Chairman of the Board for Canadian Patent Lawyers” - IAM Patent 1000
“The King of IP Litigation in Canada” - WTR 1000
“The Dean of the Patent Bar” - Who’s Who (Patents)
Inducted into LMG Hall of Fame for Life Sciences Lawyers, 2018
“Lawyer of the Year” - Best Lawyers in Canada (Intellectual Property Law: Toronto), 2010, 2013 and 2021
“Patent Litigator of the Year” - Benchmark Canada, 2013 and 2015
AV® Preeminent™, by Martindale-Hubbell, continuously since 1989
“Star” - LMG Life Sciences
Luminary - World Trademark Review 1000
“Global Leader” - World Trademark Review 1000,
Acritas Star™ Lawyer
“Star Individual” - Chambers Canada (IP Litigation)
“Litigation Star” - Benchmark Canada (IP Litigation)
“Leading Lawyer” - The Legal 500 Canada
“Patent and Trademark Star” - Managing Intellectual Property
“Thought Leader (Patents)” - Who's Who Legal
Career
Principal, Dimock IP - 2020 to present
Partner, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP - 2020 to 2024
Partner, DLA Piper (Canada) LLP - 2016 to 2019
JAMS Panel member - 2013 to 2016
Partner, Dimock Stratton LLP, Barristers and Solicitors and Patent and Trademark Agents - 1994 - 2016
Partner, Sim, Hughes, Dimock, Barristers and Solicitors, and Sim & McBurney, Patent and Trademark Agents,
practicing primarily in intellectual property and civil litigation - 1982 - 1994Associate Lawyer, Donald F. Sim, Q.C., practicing primarily in intellectual property and civil litigation - 1976 - 1982
Articled Student-at-Law, Donald F. Sim, Q.C. - 1974-1975
Appearances in Supreme Court of Canada
Whirlpool v Camco (General Electric) [2000] 2 S.C.R. 1067
This is one of the two seminal cases on patent claim construction.
Kirkbi AG (Lego) v Ritvik Holdings Inc (Mega Bloks) [2005] 3 S.C.R. 302
This is the leading case on the constitutionality of section 7(b) the Trademarks Act and the law of functionality of trademarks.
Robertson v Thomson Publishing (Globe & Mail) [2006] 2 S.C.R. 363
This is the leading case on copyright in published text stored in databases.
Society of Composers, Authors & Music Publishers of Canada v Bell Canada [2012] S.C.R. 36
Intervention on behalf of the Canadian Federation of Law Societies in a case on fair dealing for purposes of research.
Memberships
Law Society of Upper Canada, Member since 1976
Law Society of Upper Canada (Ontario)
Founding Chair, Intellectual Property Law Specialty Committee (1990-1998)
Founding Chair of IP Year in Review Lectures (1995)
Canadian Bar Association, member since 1974
Canadian Bar Association, Chair, Court Practice Committee, Intellectual Property Law Section (1988-1993)
Founding Chair of Federal Court Judges’ Dinner (1991)
Advocates’ Society
Member since 1982, Director (1998-2000)
Education Committee (2001-2002)
Sub-committee drafting Principles of Civility for Advocates (2000)
Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario, Member 1982 to 2024
Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (I.P.I.C.), Fellow since 1976
I.P.I.C. Trademarks Office Liaison Committee (1982-1984)
American Bar Association, Member 1986 to 2024
American Bar Association, Chair, International Law Subcommittee of Patents and Trademarks (Canada) (1990-1992)
American Bar Foundation, Fellow 2013 to 2024
American Intellectual Property Law Association, Member 1986 to 2024
International Bar Association, Member 1990 to 2024
American Counsel Association (Intellectual Property), Member 1991 to 2024
International Trademark Association, Canadian Panel of Neutrals for Mediation and Arbitration, Member 2012 to 2020
American College of Trial Lawyers, Complex Litigation Committee, Fellow since 2007
Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow 2013 to 2024
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Fellow since 2013
International Mediation Institute, Certified Mediator and Panel Member since 2016
IP Neutrals of Canada, Member since 2011
Editorial Appointments
Editor-in-Chief - Intellectual Property (five volumes) Disputes, Resolutions and Remedies, Thomson-Reuters - 2002 to Present
Contributing Editor and Member of Advisory Board - Practical Law Canada, Thomson Reuters - 2015-2019
Editor-in-Chief - Intellectual Property Journal, Federated Press - 2004-2012
Contributing Editor - Intellectual Property Journal, Federated Press - 1996-2003
Contributing Editor - Editorial Board of Canadian Commercial Law Guide, CCH Canadian - 1995-2000
Teaching Appointments
Lecturer in LL.M. program for Osgoode Hall Law School of York University (Intellectual Property Remedies),
tri-annually (1998-2016)Lecturer in Guest Speaker Series in Patents at Osgoode Hall Law School on “Patent Specifications, Claim Construction and Patent Infringement”, annually (2003-2)
Lecturer at “Understanding the Business of Copyright – Exclusive Rights in Copyright and Some Neighbouring Rights, Too”
IPIC Course in Copyright, McGill, annually (2002-2008)Lecturer in LL.B. program for Queen’s University Law School (Advanced Patents), autumn semester 2000
Community Service
United Way GTA - Member of Major Individual Gifts Cabinet (2009-2020)
Big Brothers of Toronto
Big Brother (1976 -1982)
Big Brother of the Year, Toronto (1979)
Director (1979 -1982)
Chair of Publicity and Recruitment Committee (1980 -1982)
Fundraising Cabinet Member (2021-Present)
Advocates Society - Director (1998-2000)
PARTEQ Innovations - Queen's University, Director (2012-2017)
Selected Professional Activities
Organized the first Federal Court Judges’ Dinner as chair of the CBA Court Practice Committee
Initiated the Certification of IP Specialists for the Law Society as chair of the Committee for the Certification of IP Lawyers
Organized the first IP Year in Review for the Law Society as chair of the Committee for the Certification of IP Lawyers
Founded the Harold G Fox IP Moot
Organized the first Harold G Fox IP Lecture
Participated in writing the Principles of Civility for the Advocates Society of Ontario
“Invention, it must be humbly admitted, does not consist in creating out of void, but out of chaos.”
- Mary Shelley