France Côté

Co-Founding Partner / Patent Agent

France is a patent agent registered to act before the Canadian and United States Patent Offices. France’s expertise allows her to represent a wide range of clients. She works with start-up and multi-national biotechnology companies, as well as domestic and international universities and research institutes. France assists clients in the prosecution and management of patent applications, in the strategic planning of their patent portfolios, due diligence analysis of portfolios and related prospectus drafting for initial public offerings.

Although France’s background is biochemistry, her expertise is varied and includes inventions in the following fields: simple mechanics, chemistry, biochemistry, pharmaceuticals and business methods.

She has been active in the training of new biotech patent agents through her involvement with the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada and McGill University. France has served as Chair of the IPIC/McGill Course Liaison Committee from 1997 to 2001, Assistant director of the 1995 and 1996 IPIC/McGill patent courses and director of the course in 1997.

France started in the profession at Goudreau Gage Dubuc in 1988. France joined Swabey Ogilvy Renault in 1992 and became a partner in 1998. After the merger with Ogilvy Renault she was the chair of the Montreal IP group from 2003 to 2005. France was a co-founding partner of the Montreal Office of Bereskin & Parr in 2005.

In 2009, France joined Marc to co-found BENOÎT & CÔTÉ.

EDUCATION

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  • B.Sc. in Biochemistry (1988), McGill University
  • EXPERTISE

    • Patent Agent, Canada (1992)
    • Patent Agent, USA (1992)
    • Specialties: Biochemistry, Organic chemistry, Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical inventions

    MEMBERSHIPS

    • Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC)
    • International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI)
    • International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI)
    • Ordre des chimistes du Québec (OCQ)
    • International Trademark Association (INTA)
    • French Chamber of Commerce in Canada (CCFC)

    PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

    • Director of the 1997 PTIC/McGill Patent Course
    • Guest teacher for the microbiology course No. MCB-3995 entitled Industrial Microbiology of “Université de Montréal” (1992-1996)
    • Guest teacher for the Faculty of Medecine of McGill University (Since 1992)
    • Co-lecturer of GES-840 entitled “Propriété Intellectuelle” of 3 credits, École de technologie supérieure, Programme de 2e cycle en gestion de l’innovation (2008-2009)
    • Trustee of Manning Awards Foundation
    • On the Board of various companies