John W. Knox, Principal, Smart & Biggar LP, Vancouver, Canada
John Knox has distinguished credentials and long experience, so his views on potential changes to the practice of an independent IP attorney carry a lot of weight.
In the early days of his career, on leaving the University of British Colombia in 1983 with a degree in electrical engineering, John started out as a professional engineer.
Putting his engineering expertise to a different use, John moved to the Bull Houser & Tupper Law Firm as a Patent Agent Trainee in 1987.
His new career as an IP attorney blossomed and he eventually joined Fetherstonhaugh & Co. and soon became a partner. Fetherstonhaugh & Co. became Smart & Biggar IP agency Co. which was sold to IPH in 2022. He is now a Principal in the Vancouver office of Smart & Biggar LP, which operates as part of the IPH Group.
John’s look ahead for the future of the independent IP practitioner makes interesting reading, as he explains:
“Independent IP attorneys will likely have the opportunity to perform roles formerly performed by in-house IP attorneys, due to downsizing of IP departments.
“These IP departments are having to operate with fewer resources and, as such, in-house IP attorneys are likely to give independent IP attorneys more autonomy in prosecuting applications due to a lack of bandwidth and the increasing challenges of keeping up with local laws, practices and procedures.”
Professional Background
- 1983-1986: Math and Digital Electronics Instructor: British Columbia Institute of Technology
- 1984-1987 Dynapro Systems Inc. (Subsidiary of Allen-Bradley) - Hardware designer
- 1987- 1995: Bull Housser & Tupper, Law Firm (Patent Agent trainee and Junior Patent Agent
- 1995-2000: Patent Agent: Fetherstonhaugh LP
- 2000-2018: Patent Agent Partner: Fetherstonhaugh LP
- 2018-2022: Patent Agent Partner Smart & Biggar IP Agency Co.
- 2022-now: Principal, Smart & Biggar LP
Education & Training
- 1983: Electrical Engineering (UBC)
- 1985: Professional Engineer
- 1991: Registered Patent Agent (Canada and US)
Value of FICPI membership
John has been a member of FICPI for more than 20 years, after joining in 2001. He has held several leadership and committee positions, including concurrently being President of FICPI Canada and President of the Finance Advisory Board of FICPI International from 2015-2018.
He is very clear on the value of FICPI membership:
“The camaraderie of interacting with other competent professionals outside my own firm is very special to me. This gives me a broader perspective of the business and can contribute new ideas to my own firm.”
He adds:
“I have found that my career has been enriched by participation on councils in organizations like FICPI, because of the many different perspectives I have been exposed to, which helps to reinforce good practices and helps to identify poor practices.”
“It all provides a much better understanding of the overall practice, which has made me a better IP practitioner than I would have been had I not participated to the extent I have.”
Professional Satisfaction as an Independent IP Attorney
John comments that his greatest satisfaction as an independent IP attorney is winning arguments before the Patent Office, seeing new technologies and training patent agent trainees.
Best Practice to Share
The best practices that John offers to share with the FICPI global community relate to support staff. John says:
“Treat them with the utmost respect as they are the key to providing good service. We’re all good practitioners, but it is good service that distinguishes us. Good service means quality work in a timely manner at a reasonable price. Good support staff allow you to focus on the aspects of the job than can only be done by a qualified agent and add value to that work by professionally packaging it.”
Final word – outside of work
Outside of work, among other relaxing pursuits, John is a musician. He’s played the drums since he was nine and has played in many bands in Vancouver. Now, he spends his time with his wife, and two dogs, at their home among the vineyards in the interior of British Columbia and he has turned to tinkling the keys of the piano to express his love for music.
