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Sana Halwani listen

About

Sana* is a force to be reckoned with in the IP world, and it’s easy to see why. Sana takes on matters that would intimidate others without a molecule of hesitation. She earns the trust of her clients for her thorough grasp of their situations and her compelling courtroom presence. When faced with challenging problems, she doesn’t just provide answers, she creates§ value for clients, no matter their business. She is as comfortable delving into the details of a chemical synthesis as she is analyzing source code. It’s no surprise that she has been recognized as a Global Female IP Star. In even the most complicated cross-border disputes, Sana works constructively with experts and international counsel to identify novel solutions‡ for any problem. But if a solution can’t be precipitated, her clients are glad she’s on their side. Her scientific acumen and passion for advocacy are a winning combination in any context. .

Expertise

  • Practice Areas:
  • Bar Admissions:
    • Ontario (2005)
  • Education:
    • University of Toronto Faculty of Law (2004) JD (Dean's Honours List and Awarded Dean's Key)
    • University of Sheffield, School of Law (2001) Master of Arts in Biotechnological Law and Ethics with Distinction; Special Commendation for Outstanding Performance
    • Queen's University (2000) Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry (First Class Degree; Arts and Science Honour Roll)

Details

  • Bio
  • Cases
  • Associations
  • Blog Posts
  • News & Media
  • Publications & Presentations
  • Recognition

Sana Halwani (she/her)

is a partner at Lenczner Slaght.

"A tenacious litigator. Highly respected by the judiciary, she lets her legal, technical and advocacy skills speak for themselves." — IAM Patent 1000

Sana co-leads the firm’s Intellectual Property group. An IP litigator, registered Canadian and US patent agent, and registered trademark agent, she handles patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret disputes. Sana is ranked Band 1 for Intellectual Property: Litigation (Nationwide – Canada) by Chambers Canada 2027. She was also the inaugural recipient of the Ontario Bar Association IT & IP Law Section’s Luminary Award in 2026.

A biochemist by background, Sana is as comfortable cross-examining an expert on a chemical synthesis as she is analyzing source code, and she advises clients from the earliest pre-litigation strategy through trial and appeal.

Sana is at the forefront of AI and copyright litigation in Canada, acting for media organizations in several AI copyright actions. With Monique Jilesen, she leads the team representing Canada’s major news publishers in Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd v OpenAI Inc, the first lawsuit of its kind in Canada. In 2025, the team defeated OpenAI’s jurisdictional challenge.

Her patent practice spans pharmaceuticals and biologics, including PM(NOC) proceedings, as well as information technology, fintech, telecommunications, and oil and gas. She takes these cases to trial and was lead counsel in Rovi v Videotron, the Federal Court’s first virtual trial.

In trademark matters, Sana acts for both brand owners and defendants involving confusion and distinctiveness from infringement, passing-off actions, and domain name disputes to Trademarks Opposition Board appeals, Federal Court of Appeal proceedings, and leave applications to the Supreme Court of Canada. She also partners with trademark prosecution firms, acting as litigation counsel when their clients’ matters go to court.

Sana appears at all levels of the Ontario and Federal courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. She has acted pro hac vice in patent actions in the United States, and has extensive experience on international teams litigating large cross-border disputes.

The Minister of Justice designated Sana as the IP Law representative on the Federal Courts Rules Committee. She is a Fellow and former Director of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) and has taught trial advocacy as an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. She is also recognized by IAM Patent 1000 and Managing IP’s IP STARS, including its Top 250 Women in IP. Beyond her practice, she is Director and Secretary of the Writers’ Trust of Canada and Senior Chair of the University of Toronto Academic Tribunal.

Sana chairs the firm’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee and is co-founder of ReferToHer®, a program that helps keep women top of mind for referrals.

Sana clerked for Justice Rosalie Abella of the Supreme Court of Canada.

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  • Federal Courts Rules Committee - Designated by the Minister of Justice as the IP Law representative (2022-present)

  • Intellectual Property Institute of Canada - Fellow; Member of the Litigation Committee; Former Member of Intervention Committee; Former Co-Chair of the Women in IP Networking Group (WING); Former Member of Conference Committee; Member of the IPIC Council (2019-2021); Chair of the Litigation Committee (2018-2021)

  • Writers' Trust of Canada - Board of Directors, Secretary, EDI Committee and Governance Committee (2020-present)

  • The Mabin School - Board of Directors, Governance, and Strategy & Equity Committees (2022-present)

  • University of Toronto - Academic Tribunal, Senior Chair (2013-present)

  • University of Toronto Alumni Association - Board of Directors – President (2016-2025)

  • Governing Council, University of Toronto - College of Electors (2015-2019)

  • University of Toronto Faculty of Law - Adjunct Professor, Trial Advocacy (2010-2019)

  • Advisory Committee on Prothonotary Appointments - Bar Representative (September 2017-2020)

  • Federal Court IP Users Committee - Member (2018-2024)

  • Harold G. Fox Moot in Intellectual Property - Judge (2011-present)

  • Chiefs in Intellectual Property - Toronto Chapter

  • University of Toronto - Law Alumni Association (2010-2018)

  • Rouge Valley Health System - Research Ethics Board (2014-2017)

  • The Advocates' Society

  • Canadian Bar Association - Ontario

  • Ontario Bar Association

  • International Bar Association

  • American Bar Association - Intellectual Property Law Section

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  • Chambers Global (2019-2026)

    Intellectual Property: Litigation (Canada)

  • Chambers Canada (2019-2027)

    Intellectual Property: Litigation (Nationwide – Canada)

  • IAM Patent 1000 (2016-2026)

    Patent Litigation: Recommended Individual (Gold)

  • Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (2018-2026)

    Intellectual Property (Most Frequently Recommended), Litigation - Intellectual Property (Most Frequently Recommended), Life Sciences & Health (Consistently Recommended), Litigation - Corporate Commercial (Repeatedly Recommended)

  • Lexpert Guide to the Leading 500 Cross-Border Lawyers in Canada (2020-2026)

    Intellectual Property; Intellectual Property Litigation

  • Lexpert Special Edition: Canada's Leading Litigation Lawyers (2018-2025)

  • Lexpert Special Edition: Canada's Leading Health Sciences Lawyers (2021-2026)

  • Lexpert Special Edition: Canada's Leading Technology Lawyers (2020-2026)

  • Lexpert Rising Stars (2018)

    Leading Lawyers Under 40

  • Managing Intellectual Property: IP STARS (2017-2026)

    Patent Star – Canada, Trademark Star – Canada, Top 250 Women in IP

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