Get to Know Your Execs in Five Minutes (or less) – Part II

In this ongoing series, we will profile each of the members of the OBA IP/ IT 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: Yonida Koukio

Position: Public Affairs Liaison, IT/IP Law OBA Section

Who is Yonida Koukio? I am a business and intellectual property lawyer at Oziel Law, a boutique technology law firm in Toronto. I work closely with innovative startups at all stages of their business, from their inception up to an exit, with work that includes corporate structuring and transactions, IP protection and technology contracts, and corporate finance. My role is unique because, in addition to being a lawyer, I also lead the firm’s innovation projects, notably software implementation, contract automation, and development of innovative solutions, as well as knowledge management and marketing initiatives.

In addition to my role with the IP/IT Law OBA Section, I am also on the executive of the OBA's Privacy Law and Business Law  Sections.

Why did you choose IP/IT and what would you tell a young lawyer entering the IT/IP Field? Prior to restarting my legal career in Ontario, I practiced law in Athens, Greece, where I was also involved in a number of tech-related projects, including launching a legal tech startup. When I moved to Canada about seven years ago, I decided to further explore my interest in tech law by enrolling in the Business & IP Law LL.M. at Osgoode, where I had the opportunity to research and write about IP and privacy related legal issues for IPilogue, as well as attend the inaugural then Institute for the Future of Law Practice program, at Northwestern Law in Chicago, that Osgoode had partnered with. This experience opened the door for me to work with two national law firms in roles relating knowledge management and contract automation, and client service innovation.

I joined the IP/IT Law OBA Section Executive a few years ago to meet leading practitioners in intellectual property and information technology law, to stay on top of legal updates and comment on legislative amendments, and to participate in the selection of topics and the planning of CPD events. This section is a great platform for young practitioners to identify legal topics they want to learn more about and to meet with experts in those areas by chairing or planning CPD and other events.