LEXPERT MAGAZINE
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APRIL/MAY 2017 39
a patent that's been draed in the US that
they're asked to file in Canada, she says. But
she doesn't believe Bereskin & Parr would
be able to keep the top people with that
model. "We all love the science. We have
engineers and scientists here who want to
continue to use their first degrees."
at firm's natural competitors are other
IP boutiques and big firms with large IP
groups such as Gowling WLG and Borden
Ladner Gervais LLP, she says. ere is also
competition coming from south of the bor-
der, with US IP firms coming to Canada to
try to drum up business. "But we still hold
our own."
Gravelle says that, because Bereskin &
Parr's strategy revolves around "the smart-
est and best-educated people, associate re-
tention is very important to us." Associates
are expected to bill 1,450 to 1,550 hours a
year, less than many large firms. "A lot of
firms talk about work-life balance. We of-
fer it. It sounds odd, but maintaining our
culture is really, really important to us. It
just changes the work atmosphere. People
work better when they're happy."
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