Jim Holloway

Jim’s practice focuses on intellectual property, technology and supply chain issues, including trademark, copyright, patent and trade secret disputes, issues involving the development and use of artificial intelligence models, as well as anti-counterfeiting litigation, diversion and grey market matters, unfair competition claims, marketing and advertising complaints, licensing and distributorship disputes, breach of confidentiality matters, and product liability claims involving technology. Beyond disputes, Jim advises clients on the development, protection, and monetization of their intellectual property assets and how to avoid/manage supply chain risk. Jim also regularly helps Canadian clients in navigating their global legal issues. Jim has advised and represented many small, medium and large companies, and has acted as lead counsel on matters before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Federal Court, Trial Division, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Jim built and leads the Toronto Office’s Chambers-ranked IP litigation group, and is consistently recognized and ranked as a leading and “star” practitioner by legal publications and ranking organizations, and is regularly included in the list of Canada’s Best Lawyers. In 2024, Jim was recognized as Canada’s Trademark Lawyer of the Year by MIP, and in 2026 he was recognized as Canada’s Copyright Lawyer of the Year by MIP.

• Represented a Montreal-based software company in arbitral claims against a former exclusive distributor alleged to have developed a competitive ERP application via the misuse of our client’s confidential information.
• Represented one of the world’s leading videoconferencing companies during the COVID-19 pandemic in a lawsuit alleging the infringement of a Canadian media company’s trademarks. 
• Advised a global social media company on the legal implications of new AI tools designed to improve a user’s experience with music and podcasts.
• Assisted a US social media company in its submissions to the Government of Canada on the intersection between AI and copyright law, and the options for creating a new fair dealing exception to enable AI training.
• Represented a well-known food and beverage company in a lawsuit involving the unauthorized sale of cannabis products in packaging that mimicked the look of that company’s well known confectionery products, securing a substantial monetary award.
• Represented a European media company in two lawsuits involving the misuse of their copyrighted content on Canadian IPTV services, obtaining trial judgments for millions of dollars. 
• Represented a US-based multinational retail company in lawsuits involving the alleged appropriation and misuse of geographical denominations or indications, and the validity of related trademarks.
• Represented a well-known vaping company in a lawsuit involving the unauthorized sale of noncompliant cannabis products in association with confusingly similar trademarks and trade dress, and infringing designs, winning substantial monetary judgments.
• Represented a UK-based software company in a lawsuit arising from the development of a bespoke software solution for a Canadian financial institution.
• Represented one of the world’s leading fast-moving consumer goods companies in a dispute involving the alleged use of a confusingly similar trademark in association with non-compliant cannabis products.
• Advising a US-based social media company on issues relating to the development of artificial intelligence models and copyright issues arising from training these models.
• Advising a UK-based company on issues relating to the development of text-to-image artificial intelligence models and copyright issues arising from training these models.
• Represented a leading retail store chain in a lawsuit involving the sale of android set-top devices wrongly alleged to be designed and used for the purposes of copyright infringement.

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• Law Society of Ontario
• Metropolitan Toronto Lawyers' Association
• International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition
• Canadian Bar Association
• International Trademark Association (INTA)
• The Advocates' Society