Omar A. Nassif

Omar Nassif is a registered Canadian and United States patent agent and a partner in Gowling WLG's Intellectual Property Group.

Based in Toronto, Omar has been a partner at the firm since joining in 1997 (notwithstanding a hiatus from 2018-2019), and has more than 30 years of experience in patent matters, making him one of the most experienced practitioners in Canada.

Omar has extensive experience in drafting and prosecuting patent applications, both domestically and in foreign jurisdictions. Clients regularly call on Omar to draft, manage and coordinate their international patent portfolios, and provide strategy advice on high-value assets within their patent estates. Omar has patent prosecution experience across all technology platforms, including: biomedical devices/treatments, water treatment, agriculture, biomedical devices, pharmaceuticals (small molecules and biologics), urethane chemistry, fertilizers and industrial tailings treatment processes. He is particularly adept a drafting understandable patent specifications aimed at the key target audience: a judge or a jury.

Omar also has significant experience in: freedom-to-operate opinions, validity opinions, intellectual property aspects of major business transactions (such as underwriting of technology-based companies), providing support in negotiation and drafting of intellectual property licences, and providing technical support in a variety of patent litigation matters (including working with expert witnesses and inventors to draft evidence in patent litigation proceedings).

Omar regularly receives recognition from clients and peers, including the following:

• IAM Patent 1000, 2012: Omar was described as having "a brilliant life sciences mind" and is "regularly called upon to provide technical support on disputes."
• IAM Patent 1000, 2013: The "phenomenal" Omar Nassif adds "great strategic value," offering crucial support to clients in the life sciences sector.
• IAM Patent 1000, 2014: "In the prosecution arena, Omar Nassif routinely secures cast-iron protection all over the world."
• IAM Patent 1000, 2015: "Omar Nassif procures international patents for Canadian life sciences entities - work which takes him all over the world. The cosmopolitan operator also prosecutes on Canadian soil and provides invaluable support to the firm's litigators."
• WWL 2019: "Omar Nassif ... is lauded by respondents as 'a big-picture thinker' when it comes to patent law. He is well acquainted in drafting and prosecuting patent applications and managing international patent portfolios."
• WWL 2020: "Omar Nassif excels at handling large-scale portfolio management and protection, acting internationally for high-profile clients in developing, prosecuting and licensing patents."
• IAM Strategy 300: The World's Leading IP Strategists 2021 and 2022
• IAM Strategy 300: Global Leader's Guide 2022 

In 2015, Omar was recognized by Legal Media Group (LMG) as the LMG Life Sciences Canadian Patent Non-Contentious Attorney of the Year. LMG also recognized Gowling WLG for the Canadian IP Non-Contentious Impact Case of the Year, in connection with management of Purdue Pharma's Canadian patent estate, for which Omar holds primary responsibility.