Intellectual Property

Bassem Awad is deputy director of international intellectual property (IP) law and innovation, with CIGI's International Law Research Program. In this role, Bassem provides strategic guidance and operations coordination and management of the thematic area. Previously, he was CIGI research fellow from September 2014 to January 2016.

Joël Blit is a CIGI senior fellow researching the topic of innovation, including exploring intellectual property rights, closing Canada’s innovation gap, and the link between Canadian immigration and innovation. Joël is assistant professor of economics at the University of Waterloo, with expertise in the economics of innovation, technology clusters, intellectual property, entrepreneurship, international trade and multinational corporations. 

Senior Fellow Dan Ciuriak joined CIGI’s Global Economy Program in April 2016, focusing on the innovation and trade research theme. At CIGI, Dan is exploring the interface between Canada’s domestic innovation and international trade and investment, including the development of better metrics to assess the impact of Canada’s trade agreements on innovation outcomes. Based in Ottawa, Dan is the director and principal of Ciuriak Consulting, Inc.

Bernard Colas is a senior fellow with CIGI’s International Law Research Program (ILRP), effective August 2016. He is also a partner at CMKZ — Colas Moreira Kazandjian Zikovsky, an international trade and business law firm based in Montreal. 

Dieter Ernst is a senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), focusing on unresolved challenges for the global governance of trade, intellectual property and innovation.

James W. Hinton is a CIGI fellow with Global Economy Program. He is a lawyer and patent and trademark agent with Bereskin & Parr LLP and an assistant professor at Western University. 

Olena Ivus is a senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), focusing on the interface between Canada's domestic innovation and international trade.

Jean-Frédéric Morin is a senior fellow with CIGI’s International Law Research Program (ILRP), effective May 2016. He is also associate professor at Laval University, where he holds the Canada Research Chair in International Political Economy. 

Steven L. Schwarcz has been a senior fellow with CIGI’s International Law Research Program since October 2014. At CIGI, Steven leads research on systemic risk and financial regulation, corporate governance of systemically important firms, cross-border resolution measures and sovereign debt restructuring.

A practising lawyer, Aaron Shull is CIGI’s managing director and general counsel. In addition to advising on a range of domestic legal and corporate matters, he has substantive expertise in international law, global security and internet governance.