Image: Elizabeth Dipchand (at left) and Lanita Layton (at right).
OCAD U welcomes Elizabeth Dipchand as new Board member
Elizabeth Dipchand has been elected as an external member of OCAD University’s Board of Governors for a three-year term, effective March 8, 2022.
The founder of Dipchand LLP, Dipchand specializes in intellectual property (IP) law and litigation with a particular emphasis on biotech and tech. At the firm, she leads a team of driven professionals who together have created a place purposeful about embodying the values of excellence, integrity, ingenuity and fun every day.
In June, the Board will say farewell to outgoing external Board member Lanita Layton who was first elected in June 2016. Layton is Nlaka’pamux (Thompson Peoples) from the Interior Salish First Nation and is President and CEO of Lanita Layton Consulting where she provides guidance to luxury and premium brands, strengthening their positioning for launches and expansion in North America. Previously, Layton served as the Managing Director of HUGO BOSS Canada from 2011 to 2018 and was Vice President, Chief OmniChannel Sales and Marketing Officer for Maison Birks and had a 10-year tenure with Holt Renfrew.
OCAD U’s 28-member Board of Governors is responsible for governing the affairs of the University, including approving the budget and establishing policies and institutional priorities. Its members include 18 external members, which include six appointees from the Government of Ontario, 10 elected by the Board and two elected by the OCAD U Alumni Association.
The remaining eight members are drawn from the OCAD U internal community, including three faculty members who are cross appointed by Senate, and one staff and manager who are elected from their respective constituencies, and three students (two undergraduate and one graduate). The President and Chancellor are ex-officio members of the Board.
Meet our newest Board member
Elizabeth Dipchand, LLP
At Dipchand LLP, Dispchand provides practical advice and strategic enforcement strategies to clients on all forms of IP rights, including patents, trademarks and copyrights. She has extensive experience in the management of complex intellectual property litigation matters in Canada and their coordination in different jurisdictions around the world involving patents, trademarks and copyright issues.
On the solicitor-side of her practice, she regularly advises clients on IP identification issues, acquisitions through R&D, ventures and partnerships, IP management through life cycle strategies, licensing and assignments. Dipchand is a Board member of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC) and Dalhousie Law Alumni Association.
Beyond her legal practice, Dipchand is actively involved with several organizations focused on making the world a better place. She currently serves on the Board of Directors as the Secretary and Chair of the Governance Committee of FORA (formerly G(irls)20), an organization dedicated to advancement through the leadership of girls and women globally. She is also a member of the Shaw Festival’s Board of Directors, serving as Secretary and as a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee.