In this ongoing series, we will profile each of the members of the OBA IT/ IP Law Section Executives to learn about them in five minutes or less. It’s five minutes or less because we know that a lot of you docket in six minute increments!
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Name: Jennifer Davidson
Position: Vice-Chair
Who is Jennifer Davidson? Hi everyone! I’m your Vice Chair on the OBA IT/ IP Law Section. I’m also a technology and intellectual property lawyer with Deeth Williams Wall in Toronto. When that hat comes off (and even when it’s on), I’m a mom to three terrific kids and one fat and happy dog. I’m also active on the executive and board at the Canadian Technology Law Association.
Why did you choose IP/IT and what would you tell a young lawyer entering the IT/IP field? I didn’t take the traditional path to becoming a lawyer. I worked in the tech sector first. I loved engaging with technology lawyers on issues facing emerging technologies. Simply put, we were trying to build things that had never been on the market before and there was no clear line on where no one knew exactly where the law sat on the applications we were developing. I knew that I wanted to grapple with those issues on a permanent basis, and so I left my career in tech, and enrolled in law school (with three small kids in tow), to become a technology lawyer. While at law school, I began to engage with intellectual property issues and found that I really enjoyed the intricacies of IP law. Now I get to spend my days dealing with emerging technologies and intellectual property.
My advice to students and young lawyers is to get as much practical experience as you can when you are in school and junior in the practice. The best way to find out what resonates with you is to go out and do it! I encourage everyone to try to find opportunities to get out of the classroom and interact with practitioners. There are plenty of opportunities to do this in law school – and the associations are another great resource for mentorship and support.
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