Mona Karimi is a 3L JD Candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School. This article was written as a requirement for Prof Pina D’Agostino’s IP Intensive Program.

My internship at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (“ISED”) started long before the semester actually began. ISED works with Canadians in all sectors of the economy and across Canada to create a more favourable environment for investment, strengthen Canada's innovation capacity, boost the country's share of international commerce, and create a market that is efficient, fair, and competitive. Eighteen federal departments and agencies make up the ISED portfolio. I had the pleasure of working with the Copyright and Trademark Policy Directorate Marketplace Framework Policy Branch. A mouthful, I know, but fitting for the highly impactful work they do. The Marketplace Framework Policy Branch is mandated to develop and coordinate policies, laws and regulations concerning corporate and insolvency law, foreign investment, competition, copyright, trademarks and industrial design, patents, and data protection.

So why did I start preparing for my internship months in advance? ISED’s work can deeply impact any industry or marketplace and requires a high degree of confidentiality and security. How high? You need Secret Clearance Level II. This was not a quick criminal check, it required a lot more detail and took months. So long in fact, I did not receive my clearance until almost two months into my placement. I was a little worried for a bit there about what they might find. Of course, I had nothing to hide, but you never know!

While I can’t speak too much about my work for security reasons (I’ve always wanted to say that), I can say that my MBA my approach to policy analysis.�� At the Marketplace Framework Policy Branch, I witnessed consultations with a myriad of stakeholders for drafting policies. I have come across something similar during my MBA when I was being taught Edward Freeman's Stakeholder Theory. According to the stakeholder theory, a firm's stakeholders comprise pretty much everyone who is impacted by the firm and how it operates. Although this theory refers to an organization, the same can be applied to a policy, regulation, or legislation. While, it may seem like common sense to make sure to get perspectives from impacted when drafting policies, it’s not always that simple. Identifying all the impacted groups is one task but identifying who should be consulted out of those groups is another. It prompted questions such as, ‘why should this organization speak for the entire group?’, and ‘are we consulting with all the voices represented?’.

I witnessed the collaborative nature of policy work. No one person can capture everything. On quite a few occasions, I thought I understood the reach of a legislation’s impact only to be enlightened by a question another team member posed, a question I had never even considered. It reminded me to employ the following strategies I learned from my MBA Strategy courses. When posed with a problem and/or question, we often kick-start our brains to find a solution as fast as we can. We attribute so much of being a good employee to being able to find a solution before someone else. However, we seldom pause and ask if we are asking the right questions and if the problem is stated correctly. We accept the problem as it was posed. If the problem is not stated correctly, the solutions would not address the real problem. One strategy I learned in that course was to ask, ‘what assumptions am I making and are they valid?’. You learn a lot when you challenge your own assumptions whenever you approach an issue.

That’s the beauty of diverse perspectives, they ignite deep discussions that may be missed if everyone had the same perspective. Unfortunately, much of law school is an isolated experience; but in practice, the law is extremely collaborative. Through the clinics, mooting and intensives like this one, you really get to experience the collaborative nature of legal work before embarking into that world after you graduate. If you would like to sharpen that skill and have an interest in IP, this intensive is for you!

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The following job opportunity was shared with us by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. IP Osgoode is not involved in the hiring process, but we hope to reach eligible and interested members of our community.

Do you have knowledge and experience in the intellectual property (IP) field? Are you interested in helping federal organizations maximize benefits from IP through a range of programs, initiatives and policies?�� If so, then Innovation Canada’s IP Directorate might be right for you!

Who we are:

The IP Directorate in Innovation Canada is home to three IP-focused programs created under the and .�� We are specifically looking to hire for the IP Centre of Expertise (IP CoE), a team of IP experts that provide strategic IP advice, training and collaboration support to federal organizations and officials.��

We are a growing and dynamic directorate, with teammates from varied backgrounds and experiences who have been brought together to address a variety of federal IP challenges.

Who we are looking for:

We are looking for exceptional teammates who will assist us in developing and delivering our programs.�� Note that this is anticipatory hiring. In particular, we are seeking candidates for the following roles:

IP Experts (EC-06 or equivalent), IP CoE: We are looking for bilingual (BBB) individuals with a deep knowledge of IP and significant and recent experience providing IP-related advice, who can:��

• Provide IP expertise, advice, guidance and information to federal organizations
• Draft IP-related documents in order to provide advice, guidance, expertise
• Help federal officials consider and address IP business challenges and opportunities
• Build a network of stakeholders across government departments
• Report to management on the status of your projects

Junior IP Analysts (EC-02 or equivalent): We are looking for bilingual (BBB) individuals with some IP knowledge and a strong interest in IP, who will:

• Work with the IP experts to deliver IP expertise, advice, guidance and information to federal organizations
• Draft IP-related documents in order to provide advice, guidance, expertise
• Conduct research and analysis to inform the work of the IP CoE
• Support in the delivery of IP training and collaboration initiatives, including the Federal Intellectual Property Partnership community of practice
• Report to management on the status of your projects

What do we need from you?

If any of this has piqued your interest, please send your CV and a short summary (no more than 150 words) outlining how you would be an ideal candidate for a role in the IP Directorate to Rami Farah, Administrative Assistant, at rami.farah@ised-isde.gc.ca by September 7, 2021, 10am EST. Please clearly indicate the position(s) for which you are interested in applying.

Please feel free to share with colleagues who may be interested in this position.

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Avez-vous des connaissances et de l’expérience dans le domaine de la propriété intellectuelle��(PI)? Aimeriez-vous aider des organismes fédéraux à maximiser les avantages de la PI grâce à un éventail de programmes, d’initiatives et de politiques?�� Si c’est le cas, la Direction de la PI d’Innovation Canada serait peut-être le milieu de travail idéal pour vous!

Qui sommes-nous?

La Direction de la PI d’Innovation Canada regroupe trois programmes axés sur la PI créés dans le cadre de la et du . ��Nous recherchons spécifiquement à embaucher pour le Centre d’expertise en PI (CE en PI), une équipe d’experts dans le domaine de la PI qui offre des conseils stratégiques, de la formation et un soutien à la collaboration aux organismes et aux fonctionnaires fédéraux.��

Nous sommes une organisation dynamique et en pleine croissance, composée de coéquipiers aux parcours et aux expériences variés, qui ont été réunis pour relever une vaste gamme de défis en matière de PI au niveau fédéral.

Qui recherchons-nous?

Nous sommes à la recherche de collègues compétents qui nous aideront à élaborer et à mettre en œuvre nos trois programmes. Notez qu'il s'agit d'une embauche anticipée. Nous recherchons des candidats pour les rôles suivants��:

Experts en PI (EC-06 ou équivalent), CE en PI : Nous recherchons des personnes bilingues��(BBB) ayant une connaissance approfondie de la PI et une expérience appréciable et récente de la fourniture de conseils en matière de PI, qui peuvent��:��

• fournir une expertise, des conseils, des orientations et des renseignements en matière de PI aux organismes fédéraux;
• rédiger des documents relatifs à la PI afin de fournir des conseils, des orientations et une expertise sur le sujet;
• aider les fonctionnaires fédéraux à examiner et à aborder les défis et les possibilités d’affaires liés à la PI;
• créer un réseau d’intervenants à l’échelle du gouvernement fédéral;
• rendre compte à la direction de l’état d’avancement de leurs projets.

Analystes subalternes de PI (EC-02 ou équivalent)��: Nous recherchons des personnes bilingues��(BBB) ayant une certaine connaissance de la PI et un intérêt marqué pour la PI, qui devront��:

• travailler avec les experts en PI afin de fournir une expertise, des conseils, des orientations et des renseignements en matière de PI aux organismes fédéraux;
• rédiger des documents relatifs à la PI afin de fournir des conseils, des orientations et une expertise sur le sujet;
• effectuer des recherches et des analyses afin d’éclairer le travail du CE en PI;
• soutenir la mise en œuvre d’initiatives de formation et de collaboration en matière de PI, notamment la communauté de pratique sur le Partenariat fédéral en matière de propriété intellectuelle;
• rendre compte à la direction de l’état d’avancement de leurs projets.

Qu’attendons-nous de vous?

Si ce qui précède a suscité votre intérêt, veuillez envoyer votre CV et un bref résumé (maximum 150��mots) expliquant en quoi vous seriez le candidat idéal pour un poste au sein de la Direction de la PI à Rami Farah, adjoint administratif, à rami.farah@ised-isde.gc.ca ��’i���� le 7 septembre 2021, 10h HNE. Veuillez indiquer clairement le ou les postes pour lesquels vous souhaitez postuler.

N’hésitez pas à diffuser cette information à des collègues qui pourraient être intéressés par ces postes.

The post JOB OPPORTUNITY – Innovation Canada’s IP Directorate / Possibilité d'emploi - la Direction de la PI d’Innovation Canada appeared first on IPOsgoode.