Byron Thom

Today, Richards Buell Sutton LLP and Marco Lee of Vinker had the privilege of welcoming Dr. Sungoh Hwang, head of Samsung R&D Centre in Canada, for a thought-provoking fireside chat. In a time when artificial intelligence is evolving at unprecedented speed, Dr. Hwang encouraged us to move beyond simply “keeping up.” He shared thoughtful and practical perspectives on how individuals and organizations can better prepare, remain adaptable, and respond strategically to the rapid evolution of AI technologies. With a carefully curated group of leaders in attendance, the discussion was candid, forward-looking, and highly interactive. This session marks the first of four conversations planned for this year, launching an ongoing series dedicated to exploring the intersection of technology, business, and leadership.

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Is your legal strategy as "tech-forward" as your product? Most founders treat Intellectual Property like a milestone to reach once they’ve gained traction. But according to Abdi Aidid — U of T Law Professor and Canada Research Chair in AI — if you aren't protecting your IP before it has clear economic value, you've might be too late. We sat down with Abdi during our latest Horizon Sprint Week to discuss why the biggest risks for scaling founders are often regulatory and relational rather than technical. As the former VP of a legal AI startup, Abdi’s advice to our cohort was focused on staying ahead of the "dust settling" in a data-rich landscape. Building a global company requires a 360-degree view of the legal challenges ahead. Abdi helps our founders move past "back home" assumptions to build a resilient framework for North American success. #FounderStrategy #IntellectualProperty #LegalTech #AIInnovation #HorizonSprintWeek #TBDC #ScaleUp

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There's now a place you can go to read about launching tokens legally in Canada, with in-depth analysis & discussion. Over the last two weeks I've written ~24000 words on launching tokens in Canada. This series comes to an end with part 11, which summarizes the other parts: https://lnkd.in/eTmAKqQW. This is the most comprehensive single resource about creating new digital assets in Canada in 2026, and summarizes what I've learned from a decade of listening to some of the best lawyers in the space. Read on to see why I believe the next phase of tokens is already here but hasn't yet been noticed.

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A great read about the erosion of trust in (various corners of) the justice system that results from the misuse/overuse/incorrect use or just plain misunderstanding of #AI, and some possible solutions to address it. #LegalTech #TheFutureofLaw #AiRisk #AiGovernance #Courts #Law #Justice #GenAi #LawJobs #Lawyer #Paralegal #LawClerk #AiPolicy #AiRegulation #AgenticAi

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Here are some basics of Canada vs. US IP laws that are essential for Canadian innovators to know. #patents #trademarks #copyrights #designs #CIPO #USPTO

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🎙️ New Episode of Modern Law – Out Now! In this episode, host Alison Crawford explores three compelling stories that sit at the intersection of law, ethics, and public interest: 🔹 A disturbing trend in legal impersonation — Learn how scammers are posing as trademark lawyers to deceive clients. Guests Gavin Manning (Oyen Wiggs) and Brent J. Arnold (Gowling WLG) share their expertise on the legal and cybersecurity implications. 🔹 AI hallucinations and legal ethics — What happens when fabricated content from generative AI makes its way into court documents? Professor Amy Salyzyn, legal ethicist and associate professor at the University of Ottawa, unpacks a recent Ontario case with wide-reaching implications. 🔹 A defining moment in Canadian constitutional law — We revisit the 1998 Secession Reference, one of the most consequential decisions in Supreme Court history, with insights from Warren Newman, who served as co-counsel on the case. 🎧 Tune in now! Check out the link in the post below. #ModernLawPodcast #LegalEthics #AIandLaw #Cybersecurity #IPLaw #TrademarkFraud #SecessionReference #CdnLegal #FutureOfLaw #AccessToJustice #CBAPodcast 📌 Brought to you by the Canadian Bar Association

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The Neurorights Foundation, along with the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and Connected Minds CFREF, is proud to have engaged with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada to raise awareness of neurotechnology governance gaps and privacy concerns with how neural data is gathered and used resulting in an update that added neural data to the OPC’s Interpretation Bulletin on Sensitive Information. This is a historic moment as Canada has become the first country in the world to protect neural data as sensitive information.

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Proud to see DOC247 part of Platform Calgary inaugural Pre-Accelerator cohort with co founder Sham Pathak . Our work at DOC247 is centered on making healthcare more accessible—helping patients find timely care options more efficiently, while enabling clinics to better manage visibility and patient flow. A big thank you to Platform Calgary, the mentors, coaches, and fellow founders for fostering such a supportive and high-impact environment. Grateful for the learning so far and excited for what we continue to build ahead.

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"This erosion of verifiability and expertise was already underway before the rise of the #chatbots. The anxieties we place on them now reflect a deep unease and unfamiliarity with how we navigate a world where words persuade without regard to reality. #LLMs mechanize that on an industrial, even planetary scale, and exploit and amplify this discontent..." #ethics #language #tech

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Headline: 🚀 Launching a New Podcast Series for US Patent Practitioners I am excited to announce the launch of a new podcast series dedicated to US patent practitioners, specifically those prosecuting software, AI, and wager-based gaming patents. In our inaugural episode, titled "The Squires Pivot Deep Dive: Ex parte Desjardins, SMEDs, and the New MPEP Rules on Subject Matter Eligibility," we analyze the massive 101 examination shifts occurring at the USPTO. We break down the "Squires Pivot"—the administrative move by Director John A. Squires designed to stop Section 101 from being used as a "lazy gatekeeper" to reject software patents. We deconstruct precedential decisions, decode MPEP updates, and provide a concrete, actionable playbook for overcoming Section 101 rejections. In this episode, we cover: 🔹 The Ex parte Desjardins Decision: We deconstruct this precedential Google DeepMind case, exploring how preventing "catastrophic forgetting" became the key to patent eligibility and how the "integration into a practical application" standard has evolved. 🔹 MPEP Updates (Dec 2025): A look at the new sections you need to cite in your office action responses immediately, specifically regarding the prohibition on analyzing claims at a "high level of generality". 🔹 Subject Matter Eligibility Declarations (SMEDs): The new "nuclear option" for prosecution. We discuss how to use the "tie goes to the runner" evidentiary standard while avoiding the massive trap of prosecution history estoppel. 🔹 The "Three Pillar Defense": A concrete strategy for responding to rejections, including how to use the "technical problem/technical solution" framework to protect AI, software, and wager-based gaming inventions. Whether you are drafting robust specifications or navigating complex appeals, we help you turn abstract ideas into protected IP. 🎧 Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gBc5YyMA #PatentLaw #IPStrategy #SoftwarePatents #USPTO #AI #LegalTech #Desjardins #MPEP #SubjectMatterEligibility #35USC101

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A pending U.S. executive order seeks to nationalize AI regulation by challenging state AI laws. This measure follows the EU's approach, but with innovation being the prime motivator over public protection. Given Canada's general inclination to align with liberal EU objectives, alongside our economic need to regulate in harmony with the U.S., I look forward to seeing how the executive order will affect Canada's next attempt to regulate AI nationally. https://lnkd.in/g2yGcVvy

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The Washington State Legislature recently passed HB 2225, the AI Companion Chatbot Act, which regulates AI systems designed to provide human-like responses and sustain relationships across multiple interactions. Notably, the law excludes specific technologies from this definition, such as bots used in video games that are limited to the scope of gameplay and stand-alone consumer electronic devices that function primarily as voice command interfaces (i.e., Siri or Alexa). Effective January 1, 2027, the law introduces several transparency and safety requirements: 🔷 Disclosures: For adult users, operators must disclose that the companion is artificially generated and not human at the start of the interaction and every three hours of continued use thereafter. 🔷 Human Personification: Operators must implement reasonable measures to prevent AI chatbots from claiming to be human, even when directly asked by a user. 🔷 Crisis Protocols: In addition to general transparency, the Act requires systems to detect and respond to indicators of self-harm, including suicidal ideation or eating disorders, by providing links to crisis resources. The Act provides heightened protections when a chatbot is used by or directed at minors. Disclosures must be provided at least every hour to remind the minor that the interaction is not with a human. Furthermore, the law prohibits "manipulative engagement techniques" designed to foster unhealthy emotional attachments. Examples of prohibited behavior include encouraging a minor to withhold information from their parents or providing excessive praise intended to prolong usage. Violations of this Act constitute an unfair or deceptive act under Washington’s Consumer Protection Act. This is particularly significant as it allows for a private right of action, enabling individuals to seek damages for violations of the law.

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The Ontario Privacy Commissioner and the Ontario Human Rights Commission have jointly released six Responsible AI principles. While directed at the public sector, the principles offer a clear framework for private-sector leadership on accountability, privacy, transparency, and human rights. In this article, David Canton, a technology and privacy lawyer at Harrison Pensa, explains why these principles matter for boards and senior management, and how they can help organizations build trust, manage risk, and govern AI responsibly. Read the article: https://lnkd.in/gFGfxtsn #ResponsibleAI #BoardGovernance #AIGovernance #RiskManagement

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Third parties assigned power by the State and serving as “gatekeepers” create major accountability challenges for Canadian immigration. We’ve seen it in the earlier FIIP, Entrepreneur PNPs; LMIA, SUV, and now RCIP.

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"We cannot afford another quarter century of good intentions and bad program design. Fix Connecting Families. Fund public AI. Make affordability and literacy a single policy file." Hear hear, Matt.

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