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Cristina Mihalceanu

Partner
Toronto
About

Cristina Mihalceanu is a Partner in DLA Piper's Intellectual Property and Technology group in Toronto. She focuses on complex intellectual property disputes—including patent, trademark, trade dress, and copyright matters, as well as regulatory and compliance advisory work. Her technical background enables her to advise clients across technology-intensive industries on the full range of IP issues.

Cristina has significant trial and appellate experience and regularly appears before the Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal. She advises clients on the full lifecycle of intellectual property disputes—from pre-litigation strategy and risk assessment through trial and appeal—and coordinates multi-jurisdictional enforcement and portfolio protection strategies with counsel across borders.

Her practice spans the life sciences, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, mining, oil and gas, and high-technology sectors. Cristina's clients rely on her to navigate patent validity and infringement challenges, trademark and trade dress disputes, IP portfolio management, and regulatory compliance—combining rigorous technical analysis with commercially practical advice.

Areas of FocusEnergy and Natural ResourcesLife SciencesIntellectual PropertyTechnology and Commercial TransactionsMining and Mineral ResourcesTechnologyPatent Development and StrategyTrademark and Copyright LitigationFood and Beverage
Bar admissionsOntario, 2011

EXPERIENCE

  • Alexa Translations v. Amazon (T-1188-23) – representing Amazon in a Federal Court trademark action relating to the Alexa virtual assistant
  • Hyper Hippo v. Redcell and AppQuantum (SCBC Action No. S217364) – representing Redcell, the company behind the Gold & Goblins mobile gaming title, in B.C. Supreme Court proceedings involving allegations of misuse of confidential information
  • Representing Multi Access Limited and Every Green in trademark enforcement proceedings in the Federal Court and opposition matters before the Trademarks Opposition Board concerning a popular canned herbal tea product
  • Representing Zoe International Distributing Inc. d.b.a. HBI Canada, a leading smoking accessory wholesaler and manufacturer, on IP portfolio management, including enforcement matters in the Federal Court and numerous opposition matters before the Trademark Opposition Board
  • Representing StorageVault Canada Inc., Canada’s leading self-storage provider, in trademark protection and opposition matters before the Trademarks Opposition Board
  • Representing Adaptability Store Inc. in a passing off action in the Federal Court (T-3959-25) and in opposition matters before the Trademarks Opposition Board relating to its retail store brand
  • Representing Imdex, a global mining technology company, in multiple patent infringement and invalidity proceedings in the Federal Court (T-410-23, T-903-23, and T-2198-25)
  • Sandvik Mining and Construction OY et al. v Epiroc Canada (T-754-22) – represented Sandvik in a Federal Court patent infringement action concerning battery-enabled underground mining equipment
  • Darin Grenke et al. v. DNOW Canada ULC et al. (T-1236-01/A-282-10/A-244-18) - representing GrenCo in a patent infringement and damages action including appeals to the Federal Court of Appeal, concerning stuffing boxes used on oil wellhead drives
  • SNF Inc. v. Ciba Specialty Chemicals Water Treatments Limited (T-1749-11/A-479-15) - acting as counsel in a patent impeachment action, including an appeal to the Federal Court of Appeal, concerning treatment of tailings ponds
  • San Remo Lighting v. Ortech Industries Inc. (T-2188-14) - acted for San Remo in a Federal Court declaratory relief action concerning non-infringement of a patent relating to plastic electrical boxes
  • Aria Vent Inc. et al v 2033784 Ontario Inc. c.o.b. Made2Match (T-469-20) - represented the plaintiff in a Federal Court patent infringement action relating to air vent register assemblies
  • Deb Worldwide Healthcare v. Ecolab (T-379-11) - represented Deb in a Federal Court patent infringement action relating to foamed alcohol hand sanitizer compositions

Awards

  • Recognized, Toronto Intellectual Property Law, Best Lawyers in Canada, (2025 – 2027)
  • Rising Star, Managing Intellectual Property: IP Stars, 2020 and 2025-2026
Education
  • J.D., University of Windsor, 2010
  • B.Sc., Biochemistry and Biotechnology (Hons), University of Windsor, 2007

Publications

  • Co-author, "International Copyright Law: A Practical Global Guide, Second Edition," Globe Law and Business, February 2022
  • Co-author, "Cannabis regulations: Health Canada's solution to support the Cannabis Act," Inside Internal Controls, August 2018
  • Co-author, "Canada to recognize patent agent privilege," The Lawyers Weekly, January 2016
  • Co-author, "Science v. sales," The Lawyers Weekly, July 2015
  • Co-author, "Red Label Vacations Inc. (Redtag.ca) v. 411 Travel Buys Limited," E-Commerce Law Reports, Volume 15 Issue 2, March/April 2015
  • Co-author, "Patents: Year in Review," (presented at the annual Intellectual Property Law: The Year in Review program), Law Society of Upper Canada, Toronto, 2010 – 2015 

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Member, Toronto Intellectual Property Group
  • Member, Intellectual Property Institute of Canada
  • Member, Ontario Bar Association
  • Member, Canadian Bar Association
  • Member, Canadian Bar Association Biotechnology Committee, 2015 – current

My latest insights

News

DLA Piper welcomes six new Canadian partners

14 January 2026 .4 minute read

Publication

Executive Order aimed at reducing prescription drug prices could affect prescription drug...

28 May 2025 .2 minute read

Publication

Not a prank – How April 1 changes to trademark proceedings in Canada will impact your IP...

26 March 2025 .13 minute read

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Phone

+1 416 862 3384
(Work, Toronto)

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