Kazim Agha

Kazim Agha is a partner and patent agent at Ridout & Maybee LLP, in the firm’s Toronto office. He works with clients ranging from start-ups to multi-nationals, helping them protect their inventions, and develop and manage their intellectual property (IP) portfolio.

Kazim’s practice focuses on preparation and prosecution of patent and industrial design applications in Canada and internationally, focusing in the areas of life sciences, chemistry, mechanical devices, consumer goods and medical devices; with particular emphasis in, new chemical entities, chemical process, clean technology, biofuel, agrochemical, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, metallurgy, nuclear, water purification, biotechnology and fuel cells. In addition, he is involved in IP due diligence activities, including, title, patentability, patent validity, infringement and freedom-to-operate assessments. Further, he assists members of the Pharmaceutical Group with matters including notice of allegation (NOA) preparation and patented medicine notice of compliance (PMNOC) litigation support.

As a chemist, Kazim is involved with the Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) in their local sections, and was Chair of the CIC-Toronto Local Section, and currently is a Director of Local Sections, sitting on the Board of Directors for the Chemical Society of Canada (CSC). In addition, he’s been involved with helping organize the annual chemistry conference of the CSC, particularly the Industrial Program, and has also been its symposium Chair. He is also engaged with the American Chemical Society (ACS), presenting on IP and as Chair-elect of the Small Chemical Business Division (SCHB) of the ACS, providing support and guidance to small and medium sized chemical businesses. 

On the intellectual property side, Kazim regularly presents and teaches on IP, particularly patents, and is Chair of the Patent Agent Training Committee (PATC) of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC), and is an associate editor of the Canadian Patent Reporter (CPR). Further, he is a member of the Standing Advisory Committee of the European Patent Office (SACEPO).  

Prior to his legal career, Kazim was a senior research chemist at a major chemical company where he was responsible for oligonucleotide and other active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) projects from R&D to manufacturing, including process validation and pre-approval inspection (PAI) preparation for engagement with the regulatory agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). His studies involved solution and solid phase synthesis of nucleosides, nucleotides and oligonucleotides, and analyzing their physicochemical and biochemical properties, for antisense and antigene applications. 

When away from work, Kazim enjoys spending time with the family, community and playing tennis.