Canadian Lawyer

REGIONAL WRAP-UP LKD JOINS NEW INTERNATIONAL IT LAW NETWORK sionals in Montreal and Quebec City, is reaching out to the world through a new international legal network called Lexing. The newly formed partnership, which L went live in late January, bills itself as the first international network of lawyers dedicated to information technology law. Lexing aims to share both legal work and knowledge among lawyers of member firms in 13 countries seeking to repre- sent or assist clients looking to expand or operate e-commerce platforms in multiple jurisdictions. Jean-François De Rico, the LKD part- ner and IT lawyer who is front and centre in the Lexing venture, says the time is ripe for joint advising on hot issues like electronic data management and protec- tion, information privacy and security, and compliance as countries around the world develop new laws or replace old ones to govern them. "Lexing will allow clients of member firms to benefit from a pooled approach to identifying technical- legal solutions consistent with the legal rules of all countries," De Rico says. Indeed, the idea for Lexing was first conceived in France by Alain Bensoussan Avocats when it became obvious to the boutique firm specializing in new tech- nology law that local lawyers in differ- ent jurisdictions were needed in order to submit requests for proposals in procure- ment bids by companies like telecoms or accounting firms moving beyond their anglois Kronström Desjardins LLP, the mid-size regional law firm with almost 100 profes- own borders. "The interest for us is ben- efiting from the input and knowledge of these different lawyers, but also to be included in those service offers," says De Rico. "LKD is strong in Quebec, but we don't have the ramifications that bigger Canadian firms have, so this network is a way for us to compete with larger Canadian firms." In addition to France, Lexing has a heavy European component with mem- ber firms in Belgium, Italy, Germany, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. But Morocco and Israel are also represented and LKD joins firms in Palo Alto, Calif. in the United States and a Mexican firm for coverage in North America. Key lawyers from some of the Lexing firms have already started sharing infor- mation about the quickly changing legal landscape for technology on Lexing pages of social media networks Twitter (@eLex- ing), Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+. A quick peek at some of Lexing's Twitter posts — written in English, French, and Spanish — shows links to apps, analysis of the European Commission's proposed radical overhaul of the legal framework for the protection of personal data, and information about exclusivity rights for agents and distributors and online reputa- tion management. The social media sites are not only informational but provide a modern marketing platform for Lexing lawyers and firms. In Quebec, De Rico works alongside LKD litigation co-chairman and informa- Correction The entry for Toronto firm Sim Lowman Ashton & McKay LLP in Canadian Lawyer's Top 10 intellectual property boutiques feature, which appeared in January, contained outdated information. Below is how the entry should have appeared. Started in 1970, the firm has been led by Harold Fox QC, Donald Sim QC, and now-Federal Court Justice Roger Hughes, all pre-eminent Canadian IP counsel during their time in practice. It has played a 8 M A RCH 2012 www. CANADIAN Lawyermag.com Jean-François De Rico is the IT lawyer who is front and centre in the Lexing venture. tion technology liability specialist Richard Ramsay. As well as advising on the increas- ing demand for technology policies for communications providers, manufactur- ers and distributors, insurers, software designers, and others, the firm has steadily acquired experience in disputes and litiga- tion in connection with technological and networking infrastructures and comput- ing environments. LKD made the fortuitous connection to Lexing by chance in France during an international bar meeting. "Not all law firms present themselves as offering services in IT law, but you are seeing it more and more," says De Rico, who is connected to the Canadian scene as a member of the executive committee of Sedona Canada, and is president of the national law practice management and technology section of the Canadian Bar Association. — KL leading, long-term role in the development of Canadian IP law in such cases as: Monsanto Canada Inc. v. Schmeiser, CCH Canada Ltd. v. Law Society of Upper Canada, Euro-Excellence Inc.v. Kraft Canada Inc., Beloit v. J.M. Voith GmbH, and others. It represents clients such as Nokia, Kraft, Walt Disney, Verizon, and Xerox in IP and related disputes over confidential information, licensing, invention ownership, product liability, and professional errors/omissions. Sister firm Sim & McBurney's patent agents include electrical engineers and four PhDs in chemistry, clinical biochemistry, materials sciences, and engineering.

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