IP program comparison (Dalhousie vs Ottawa vs Western)

[Bread]

Hi everyone,

I'm interested in an IP program specifically, and I'm trying to compare the programs but it's difficult just reading about them online. I'm currently comparing Dalhousie vs Ottawa vs Western. I know Osgoode has a great IP program and clinic but unfortunately Osgoode and Toronto are too expensive for me.

 

If you have any experience with the IP/tech programs at any of these schools I would greatly appreciate any insight and advice you could offer. Additionally, if you're in IP I'd love your opinion on the usefulness of doing an IP specific program.

 

Thanks in advance and good luck to everyone applying!

[Animal Soup]

I would say Ottawa - I don't know if you know this, but there are many IP firms in Ottawa due to the fact that the Canadian IP Office is in Ottawa. Each year Ottawa hosts a special 1L IP recruit for its IP firms. Ottawa has a notably strong IP program.

Dalhousie is ofcourse a great school, but I think you may have to put in extra leg work to connect and apply for IP jobs in Ontario if that's your goal all the way from Nova Scotia (which is certainly doable, good Dal network in Ontario for sure). Dalhousie may be a good school in case you want to branch out of IP, as Dalhousie is a good branch beyond just IP. 

Western is a good school to, but I find that it doesn't place very well in Ottawa (it does better in Toronto). So it sort of closes the Ottawa market for you a bit, but leaves open the Toronto market. I should say part of the reason is that Ottawa firms are worried that they will hire students who will then run of to Toronto, so they look for a strong Ottawa connection - and unless you were born/raised in ottawa, many ppl who go to Western have difficulty establishing that connection. On the other hand, I should note UOttawa IP students do indeed place well in Toronto. As well, Western does do well in Toronto OCIs as well.

Edited October 7, 2021 by Animal Soup

[BlushAndTheBar]

^ I would also say Ottawa!

[Sparky]

I can't speak to the programs at Dalhousie and Ottawa as I haven't experienced them first hand, but in my opinion Western has a great IP program. In terms of jobs, I haven't looked into the Ottawa recruit numbers, but Western does pretty well placing students into IP firms in the Toronto market.

Of course if you're looking to work in the Ottawa market for IP, then going to the local school is the way to go. But if you want to work in Toronto in IP, my opinion is that Western is the better option. Also, aside from IP boutiques, most large full service firms have some kind of IP practice (of varying sizes, disciplines, and strengths). If you want to get into those departments in Toronto, Western is by far the best option out of the ones you've listed.

As for the usefulness of doing an IP program for the purposes of securing employment, my opinion is that it'll definitely be useful in demonstrating interest to the specialty firms (I personally don't think full service firms care that much). But at the end of the day, two significant deciding factors are going to be (1) your background (engineering or advanced degrees in hard sciences) and (2) your grades (as with any other job in the recruit). If you have, say, one and not the other, then I think showing interest would help greatly. If you have both the right background and strong grades, then doing an IP specific program is probably not even necessary at all. If you don't have either of those, then you're likely fighting an uphill battle no matter how much interest you demonstrate. But that's not to say it's impossible by any means.

Feel free to PM me for if you want any more of my opinions.

[Bread]

Thank you all for your insight! I'm now considering Osgoode and UofT as well (pending admission of course) so if anyone has advice on either of those schools regarding IP specializations, I would be very grateful. 

As a side note, I do have an undergrad degree in a hard science, if that helps at all.