NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015
32
INHOUSE
get out of certain jurisdictions in the U.S.
While boutiques may be lower cost, many
in-house counsel say it is not the primary
reason they seek out the services of a special-
ized fi rm. Silversides says some fees can be
equivalent to those at the top Canadian na-
tional fi rms because of the often high-profi le
counsel involved. Kargas agrees, saying if it's
typically specialty work they are looking for,
the price is not the fi rst consideration. "We're
lucky that we have great rates with our panel
fi rms so, in terms of cost sometimes, it does
end up being the same," says Kargas.
"The smaller fi rms sometimes
don't have the three partners
and three associates who have
the ability to work on the
one fi le — they have dif-
ferent capacity issues. The
cost sometimes really depends on
the case you have," he says. "If you're at the
human rights tribunal, for example, at that
level, the cost will be the same because
if you're going through a hearing at the
tribunal it will essentially cost you the
same whether with a larger or smaller fi rm
It would be a mistake to say cost doesn't
always play into it, but the reality is if you need
something done, you need it done well,
and if the cost is 10- or 15-per-cent higher and
it's mission critical, then you will pay.
ROD GIRARD, Alberta Investment Management Corp.
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DW
2
is very proud to have our own Douglas Deeth as
President of the Fédération Internationale des Conseils
en Propriéte Intellectuelle, the global organization
representing IP attorneys in private practice.
Doug, take your Chair.
DWW.com
Lawyers, Patent & Trademark Agents
Everyone's going Green.
FICPI Readies for Deeth's
Patented Leadership Style
Untitled-3 1 2015-10-01 1:28 PM
