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Gunars Gaikis

Senior Counsel
‘A dean of the field who continues to receive much applause from respondents’ for his ‘excellent work on pharmaceutical patent litigation’
— Who’s Who Legal
Toronto
About

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 by independent IP lawyers’ reviewers as "one of the best patent litigators since the industry began," an "IP Star" and a "Life Science Star." He has been recognized as amongst the world’s leading life sciences patent litigators, as an outstanding biotechnology lawyer, as one of the top thirty patent attorneys in the world and as one of the top 50 trial lawyers in Canada, amongst his many accolades. In 2020, he was inducted into the LMG Life Sciences Hall of Fame. 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."

Areas of FocusIntellectual PropertyLitigation, Arbitration and InvestigationsLife SciencesTechnologyPatent LitigationPatent Development and Strategy
Bar admissions / Professional QualificationsOntario, 1983

EXPERIENCE

  • Gunars has acted in litigation for many of the world's largest multinational innovative 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.
Languages
  • English

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Chambers Canada

  • Intellectual Property – Litigation, (2016 – 2026)

Chambers Global

  • Canada: Intellectual Property – Litigation, (2015 – 2025)
Additional Recognitions
  • Recognized, Toronto Intellectual Property Law, (2006 – 2026)
  • Recognized, Toronto Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, (2009 – 2026)
  • Lawyer of the Year, Biotechnology Law, Best Lawyers in Canada, (2021)
  • IAM Patent 1000: World's Leading Patent Professionals, (2023 – 2025)
  • Notable Practitioner, Managing IP, IP Stars, (2023 – 2025)
  • Most frequently recommended biotechnology lawyers, Lexpert, (2021)
  • Most frequently recommended intellectual property litigation lawyers, Lexpert, (2020 – 2021)
  • Inducted into the LMG Life Sciences Hall of Fame, (2020)
  • Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada: Intellectual Property and Intellectual Property Litigation, Lexpert/American Lawyer, (2020)
  • Thought Leader (Patents), Who's Who Legal Canada, (2020)
  • Global Elite (Life Sciences and Patents), Who's Who Legal Canada, (2020)
  • Biotech, Life Sciences, Patent, Technology and Trademark, World Intellectual Property Review, (2020)
  • Top 50 Trial Lawyers in Canada, Benchmark, (2018 – 2019)
  • Amongst the top 30 patent experts worldwide, Legal Media Group's Expert Guides: Best of the Best, (2014, 2016, 2018)
Education
  • J.D., Osgoode Hall Law School of York University, 1981
  • B.Sc. Phm. (Pharmacy), University of Toronto, 1977

My latest insights

News
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DLA Piper Canada lawyers recognized by IAM Patent 1000 for their skill with contentious...

30 May 2025 .1 minute read

News
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DLA Piper Canada welcomes Gunars Gaikis

15 January 2025 .2 minute read

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Phone

+1 416 862 3395
(Work, Toronto)