Natalie S. Rizkalla-Kamel
Natalie Rizkalla-Kamel is a Toronto-based Gowling WLG partner specializing in intellectual property law.
Natalie has a broad range of experience in all aspects of IP litigation, with a focus on contentious work in the areas of patents, trademarks and copyright. She has acted for clients from various industries including retail, cosmetics, manufacturing, financial services and pharmaceuticals. She is dedicated to understanding her clients' business interests and goals, developing an effective litigation strategy and advising them toward favourable outcomes in each case.
She has appeared as counsel before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Federal Court of Canada, Federal Court of Appeal and proceedings before Canada's Trademark Opposition Board. Natalie has also had great success in representing her clients in mediation. She can be depended on to negotiate and craft strategic settlement agreements that maintain protection of her clients' intellectual property.
Natalie is also a registered trademark agent in Canada, and her practice involves advising clients on the acquisition, protection and enforcement of their trademark rights in Canada.
Natalie actively participates in writing on new developments in intellectual property law. She is a member of the Editorial Board of the Canadian Intellectual Property Review, author of the "Patent Enforcement" chapter in Life Sciences Law in Canada and regularly contributes to a monthly newsletter entitled Legal Alert. She is also a member and serves on committees of several professional associations, including the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, the Canadian Bar Association (Intellectual Property Section) and the International Trademark Association. She also sits on the CLE Board of the American Bar Association (Intellectual Property Section).
In 2017, Natalie was named a Lexpert "Rising Star - Leading Lawyer under 40" for being at the top of the legal profession in Canada - in recognition of her professional achievements as well as contributions to the community.
Prior to joining Gowling WLG, Natalie received her M.Sc. in civil engineering from Queen's University under a National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) scholarship, and worked as a structural engineer. She is licensed as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in Ontario.