Laura MacFarlane is a Calgary-based Partner with Field Law and is part of the firm’s insurance and general litigation group, as well as practice group leader for the firm’s Intellectual Property and Technology Group. In her broad role, Laura provides a range of legal services to clients across many industries, both in Alberta, nationally and internationally.

Laura’s work in intellectual property and insurance law has allowed her to build strong, complimentary skill sets in litigation, negotiation and strategy development. Because each practice group typically sees Laura’s client work having a focus both in and out of the court room. Laura has honed her negotiation techniques for a variety of legal settings. Laura also practices general litigation outside of her two practice groups. 

When assisting intellectual property clients as a lawyer and trademark agent, Laura’s client work spans a wide range of industries, which often includes technology, consumer goods, heavy industrial machinery, lifestyle brands, food, beverage and restaurants, among others. While Laura is based in Calgary, her intellectual property practice has seen her providing legal services to clients across Canada. In her insurance practice, Laura acts primarily on behalf of insurers in the course of claims defense on a variety of matters including casualty, motor vehicle, accident benefits, property loss, personal injury, professional liability, errors and omissions and bad faith claims.

Clients come to Laura for a range of legal services, including:

• Insurance defence in a broad range of matters;
• Assistance in both the prosecution and litigation of trademark matters from filing to registration, renewal and beyond
• Intellectual Property specific litigation with a particular focus on matters of trade secret protection, trademark infringement, copyright infringement as well as contractual and fiduciary issues
• Internet-based disputes including defamation cases and obtaining novel Court remedies including Norwich Orders to identify otherwise anonymous wrongdoers

Laura also works with clients to resolve employment issues which if left unsolved can create an undesirable work environment, reduce retention and negatively impact productivity. Her advice in the areas of compensation, hiring and termination, human rights complaints, privacy matters, non-competition and confidentiality agreements, contract negotiation and policy creation and implementation helps clients find solutions that maintain an effective workforce.

Value to Clients

Laura’s extensive work with clients who tend to have a large, well-known online presence, has given her invaluable knowledge when it comes to navigating this increasingly important space and the legal issues that accompany it. 

“I learn about my clients’ business at the outset of a file. I do this because I recognize that the client’s experience and industry-specific knowledge is a tremendous asset to have and helps me in finding them the right legal solution to meet their needs. The client is the keeper of much of the relevant knowledge I need to do my job. Tapping into this resource and working with the client allows them to share some ownership over the file. In my experience, this collaboration ultimately yields better outcomes.” 

Outside the Office

Laura’s keen eye for design and love for interior decorating has allowed her to transform her home and work spaces into carefully curated, well-designed productivity retreats. When she isn’t redecorating her own – or her friend’s – home or office, she’s planning her next food-inspired getaway.