Stéphanie
Thurber

Hotline: 438 943-2067

Stéphanie Thurber holds a bachelor's degree in law from Université de Sherbrooke and a master's degree in information technology law from Université de Montréal. She began her career in business law and quickly became interested in intellectual property and technology, fields that fuel her curiosity for innovation and correspond to her artistic interests and her thirst for discovery.

She daily develops strategies to protect copyrights, trademarks, industrial designs, trade secrets and domain names in Canada and abroad. Her practice also focuses on technology commercial law and related transactions, including licensing, technology transfers, hosting agreements, service contracts, distribution agreements and related agreements such as confidentiality and non-competition agreements. Finally, she advises and validates the protection of sensitive information and privacy for her clients.

M^e Thurber's areas of expertise include traditional and electronic commerce, information technology, publishing, cultural and entertainment industries, manufacturing, product distribution and franchising.

Some of M^e Thurber's significant mandates include: the preparation of proceedings and representation in the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal in a trademark dispute between manufacturers of bleach, the drafting of terms of use for products incorporating information technology IoT allowing for the compilation of physical performance information, the development of an IP protection strategy in more than 40 countries, advice on applying the French Language Charter to foreign companies wishing to establish themselves in Quebec, due diligence on IP portfolios and the protection of personal information in the context of mergers and acquisitions, and the drafting of collaboration agreements between private companies and university research centers.

Involved in her community, M^e Thurber is a member of the Auberges du cœur's campaign firm in order to help them finance their operations, which include, among other things, housing thousands of young people and teenagers in difficulty each year and helping homeless young people get out of the street, promoting the social integration of these young people by actively supporting their quest for autonomy and recreating meaningful ties that can stimulate them to invest in a life project.

M^e Thurber stands out for her humane and friendly approach and she always aims at accompanying entrepreneurs towards the achievement of their objectives. She fosters a close relationship with her clients by listening to them, keeping them informed of the various legal aspects that interest them and organizing personalized training sessions.

When M^e Thurber is not involved in her client cases, she enjoys many sports, arts and outdoor activities. She is also committed to the recognition of society’s women's achievements.

Assistant: Nathalie Lebreton

Expertise

• Business law (corporate law)
• Intellectual property (technology law and protection of personal information-privacy)
• Access, protection of personal information and privacy

Education

• Master’s Degree in Information Technology Law, Université de Montréal (2001)
• LL.B. Université de Sherbrooke (1993)

Professional experience

• De Grandpré Chait (2010 to 2020)
• Bélanger Sauvé (1998 to 2010)
• Marque d’or Inc. (1995 to 1998)

Lecturing, conferences, publications

Enseignement :

• Programme Entreprism, HEC Montréal (since 2017, each year)
• Training workshops on types of business, intellectual property in a business context, and contracts

Conférences :

• Webinar for the Montreal Bar and Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA): « TOP 10 Things to Know About Canada and U.S. Trademark Law » (2019)
• Conference for the Association of Law Libraries: Copyrights and libraries (2017)
• Basics of copyright and reflexes to developp, training for the Ordre Professionnel de la Physiothérapie du Québec; Intellectual property, training workshop for the members of the Conseil interprofessionnel du Québec (CIQ), Ordres professionnels (2017)

Publications :

• Did you know? Canada becomes a member of the Madrid System (2018)
• On your marks, on your rights, register! (2018)
• Copyright exceptions: finally literature for all and the end of the shortage of suitable books (2016)
• Are you ready? (Part 1) for Canada's anti-spam legislation (2014)
• Piratage : attention au laxisme - Utilisez-vous des logiciels piratés? Cela pourrait vous coûter cher. Très cher même (2014)
• Piracy: Do you use pirated software? Being permissive could end up being very expensive!

Associations, committees, boards

• Member, International Literary and Artistic Association (ALAI)
• Membre, Regroupement des praticiens en marques de commerce (RPM)
• Member, BCA Women Lawyers Forum
• Member, Canadian Bar Association – Quebec Division du Québec, Intellectual Propriété Section (CBA)
• Member, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC)
• Member, Information Technology Association of Canada (CAN-TECH)
• Member, College of Patent Agents and Trademark Agents (CPATA)
• Member, Women in the Legal Profession Committee, Bar of Montreal (2008 to 2009)
• Member, Cabinet de campagne des Auberges du cœur (2019 to present)
• Member, Association des juristes pour l’avancement de la vie artistique (AJAVA)
• Member, Technology Committee, Fédération des Chambre de commerce du Québec