Elizabeth Williams
Managing Partner, Calgary Office
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Related services and key industries
Biography
Elizabeth Williams, managing partner of the Calgary office, has a broad practice in both business law and intellectual property law where she provides general corporate and commercial advice and advises on intellectual property matters. She has extensive experience advising clients in M&A transactions, complex licensing and IP commercialization matters and portfolio monetization. Her experience has included major, complex and multi-jurisdictional M&A transactions, commercial IP matters and portfolio management work across a variety of industry sectors, including consumer goods, retail, food and beverage, technology, energy, manufacturing, and sport.
She also assists clients in providing strategic advice concerning their intellectual property portfolios and providing litigation support for infringement and misappropriation actions.
Elizabeth has experience in franchise law and assisting clients with a broad range of advertising and marketing legal issues, including digital marketing and social media matters, and packaging and labelling matters.
She is described by clients as someone who "understands their business and offers excellent practical, business-oriented advice" and provides "top-notch, business-oriented solutions."
Elizabeth is a member of the firm's Canadian and global management committees.
Professional experience
Collapse allLL.B., University of Ottawa, 2008
M.A., University of New Brunswick, 2004
B.A.& Sc., University of Lethbridge, 2001
- United States (trademarks) 2011
- Canada (trademarks) 2010
- Alberta 2009
Elizabeth has recently acted as counsel to the following clients:
- Solium Capital Inc. on its sale to Morgan Stanley by way of a plan of arrangement for a transaction value of $1.1 billion
- Energizer Corporation in its acquisition of Spectrum Brands' global battery and portable lighting business for $2 billion, adding brands such as Rayovac and Varta to its lineup
- Calgary Co-operative Association Limited's acquisition of Community Natural Foods
- Equicapita Income Trust and Equicapita Investment Corp. in respect of its acquisition of Smitty's Canada
- Chambers Canada, Nationwide: Intellectual Property, Chambers and Partners, 2025
- Best Lawyers in Canada: Intellectual Property Law "Lawyer of the Year," 2025
- Legal 500 Canada: Intellectual Property (Leading Partners), 2023-2025
- Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2024: recommended in Advertising
- World Trademark Review (WTR) 1000: Recommended: Transactions, 2016-2024
- Best Lawyers in Canada: Intellectual Property Law, 2019-2025; Technology Law, 2025; Advertising and Marketing Law, 2020-2023
- Lexpert – Leading Lawyers to Watch (Intellectual Property) 2017
- "Examining different forms of protection for personality rights," Managing IP, September 2018.
- "Supreme Court of Canada confirms test for obtaining Norwich orders in context of Copyright Act," September 2018.
- "Canadian patent and trademark agents acquire privilege," Brand Protection blog, July 2016.
- "Legal issues affecting technology companies in the energy industry," video series, February 2015.
- "File early and watch closely as Canada's IP rules change," Canadian Lawyer, April 2015.
- "Be careful what you claim! A case to watch on false and misleading advertising," November 2010.
- "What is an Environmental Claim?" June 2008.
- "The Fundamentals of Sponsorship Agreements," Western Sponsorship Congress, November, 2018.
- "Managing Legal Risks," Business Transitions Forum Workshop, October, 2018.
- "Ambush Marketing and Social Media," INTA Annual General Meeting Roundtable, May 2017.
- "There's Not an App for That," Brand Plus Seminar, August 2011.
- "Optimizing Use of Trademarks and Copyright Protected Material in Your Marketing Campaign," Advertising & Marketing Law Conference, Canadian Institute, January 2009.
- Canadian Bar Association
- Law Society of Alberta
- Calgary Bar Association
- International Trademark Association - committee member: Non-Traditional Trademarks Committee (past member), Amicus Committee (past member), Rights of Publicity (current member)
Canadian Council on International Law