Gunars Gaikis

Senior Counsel
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP

Toronto
Canada
T:+1 416 202 6700
Toronto
Canada
T:+1 416 202 6700
Gunars Gaikis

Gunars Gaikis

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Biography

Gunars Gaikis is an intellectual property lawyer based in Toronto. He is one of Canada's most experienced life sciences intellectual property litigators, with more than 30 years of experience in the highly technical field of pharmaceutical patent, trademark and related litigation. He has appeared as lead counsel in numerous intellectual property cases before the Ontario and federal courts, as well as the Supreme Court of Canada.

He has been described as "one of the best patent litigators since the industry began," an "IP Star" and a "Life Science Star." Researchers comment on Gunars, who "maintains a stellar reputation in the market with sources keen to highlight some recent big victories, including in the Supreme Court of Canada." In addition to being named a Thought Leader, Gunars is hailed as "a dean of the field who continues to receive much applause from respondents" for his "excellent work on pharmaceutical patent litigation."

Professional experience

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J.D., Osgoode Hall Law School of York University, 1981
B.Sc. Phm. (Pharmacy), University of Toronto, 1977

  • Ontario 1983
  • Gunars Gaikis has acted in litigation for many of the world's largest multinational pharmaceutical companies.
  • He was lead counsel on the team that successfully represented AstraZeneca in a landmark pharma patent case in which the Supreme Court of Canada in 2017 struck down the utility "promise doctrine" and upheld AstraZeneca's NEXIUM patent as useful.
  • Best Lawyers in Canada: Intellectual Property Law, 2006-2025; Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, 2009-2025 
  • Chambers Canada, Nationwide: Intellectual Property - Litigation, Chambers and Partners, 2016-2025
  • Chambers Global, Canada: Intellectual Property - Litigation, Chambers and Partners, 2015-2024
  • IAM Patent 1000: World's Leading Patent Professionals, Individuals: Litigation, Law Business Research Ltd., 2023-2024
  • Managing IP, IP Stars, 2023-2024: Notable Practitioner
  • Lexpert: Most frequently recommended biotechnology lawyers, Most frequently recommended intellectual property litigation lawyers, 2021
  • Best Lawyers: Toronto Biotechnology Law "Lawyer of the Year," 2021
  • Inducted into the LMG Life Sciences Hall of Fame, 2020
  • Lexpert: Most frequently recommended intellectual property lawyers, 2020
  • Lexpert/American Lawyer: Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada: Intellectual Property and Intellectual Property Litigation, 2020
  • Who's Who Legal: Canada - Patents, Thought Leader - Patents, Global Elite: Life Sciences and Patents, 2020
  • World Intellectual Property Review: Leader in Biotech, Life Sciences, Patent, Technology and Trademark areas), 2020
  • Benchmark`s Top 50 Trial Lawyers in Canada, 2018, 2019
  • Legal Media Group's Expert Guides: Best of the Best (Amongst the top 30 patent experts worldwide) 2014, 2016, 2018

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