Meet Our Students
Adam Aucoin
University of Toronto
Adam Aucoin is an articling student with Bereskin & Parr LLP. His practice focuses on trademark clearance and prosecution, copyright law, marketing and advertising law, and litigation.
Adam graduated from the Juris Doctor program at the University of Toronto and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of California, Berkeley. During his academic career, Adam was an Advertising and PR Manager for the Jazz Ensembles Department at Berkeley where he gained valuable experience in brand management, advertising campaigns, and social media marketing.
Prior to being an articling student, Adam was a summer student with the firm.
Brett Benham
Osgoode Hall Law School
Brett Benham is an articling student with Bereskin & Parr LLP. His practice focuses on patents and mechanical and industrial processes.
Brett graduated from the Juris Doctor program at Osgoode Hall Law School and holds a Bachelor of Engineering Science in Civil Engineering from Carleton University. During his studies, Brett spent 16 months working at an engineering and construction company where he was responsible for inspecting and monitoring the installation of building mechanical and electrical systems. He also gained experience in the drafting and preparation of documents in relation to various construction projects.
Brett has been the recipient of number of awards such as the Henry Marshall Tory Scholarship, Chalmers Jack MacKenzie Scholarship, and the Harry S. Southam Scholarship.
Prior to being an articling student, Brett was a summer student with the firm.
Chantalle Briggs
University of New Brunswick
Chantalle Briggs is an articling student with Bereskin & Parr LLP. Her practice focuses on life sciences, medical devices, and plant breeders’ rights.
Chantalle graduated from the Juris Doctor program at the University of New Brunswick. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Anatomy & Neurobiology and Neuroscience from Dalhousie University and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from McGill University. Prior to joining Bereskin & Parr, Chantalle worked as a research associate within the life sciences field in both Canada and Japan where she developed high-level technical skills in research, intellectual property, and regulatory issues.
Chantalle has authored and co-authored several publications on neuroscience and neuropharmacology. In 2019, Chantalle co-authored an article titled Sleep deprivation-induced pre- and postsynaptic modulation of orexin neurons.
Chantalle is fluent in English and French.
Mitchel Fleming
McGill University
Mitchel Fleming is an articling student with Bereskin & Parr LLP. His practice focuses on cannabis, copyright & digital media, dispute resolution, licensing & transactions, litigation, privacy, cybersecurity, and data protection, regulatory, advertising & marketing, and trademarks.
Mitchel graduated from the Bachelor of Civil Law and Juris Doctor program at McGill University and holds a Bachelor of Music from the Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Mitchel worked as a law student at an entertainment and media law firm where he assisted lawyers with commercial contract reviews of music and film financing agreements, copyright infringement matters, trademark prosecution and the drafting of various legal documents. Mitchel also has experience as an AI ethics fellow with a world-renowned AI ethics institute and was the co-founder of a life sciences company targeting the clinical application of psychedelic medicine. In 2020, he authored an article on the interplay between national gaming regulations and in-app purchases titled Fixing the Odds: Designing Intelligent Loot Box Policy in the Canadian Context.
Mitchel is a member of the Video Game Bar Association (VGBA) and the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC).
Prior to joining Bereskin & Parr, Mitchel was a summer student with the firm.
Nyrie Israelian
Western University
Nyrie Israelian is an articling student with Bereskin & Parr LLP. Her practice focuses on litigation in all areas of intellectual property, with extensive experience in patents and trademarks.
Nyrie graduated from the Faculty of Law at Western University with a concentration in Intellectual Property, Information and Technology Law. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Immunology from the University of Toronto. Nyrie conducted her doctoral research at SickKids Hospital, which was focused on the relationship between the microbiome and immunity, as well as immune checkpoint inhibitors. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences from McGill University.
While at law school, Nyrie was extensively involved in moots, winning the Cherniak Cup trial advocacy competition, and later competing in the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association Cup. She also won the Legate and Associates Medical Malpractice Moot and was runner-up in the Torys LLP Negotiation Competition and the BLG Client Consultation Competition. In her second year, she represented Western at the Harold G. Fox Intellectual Property Moot, where she was a semi-finalist and was awarded Best Respondent Factum. Nyrie is also the recipient of the 2021 Harte Law Award, awarded for academic merit and aptitude for health law.
Prior to articling, Nyrie summered with the firm in 2019 and 2020.
Andrea Ngo
University of Toronto
Andrea Ngo is an articling student with Bereskin & Parr LLP. Her practice focuses on electrical & computer technology and patents.
Andrea graduated from the Juris Doctor program at the University of Toronto and holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from McGill University. As part of her undergraduate research, Andrea worked with a low-cost eye tracker to develop a smart advertisement sign using behavioural marketing techniques. While in law school, Andrea completed an externship with the University’s The Entrepreneurship Hatchery, helping start-ups devise IP and business strategies. Andrea also volunteered with Artists’ Legal Advice Services and Law in Action Within Schools, was co-chair of the Technology and Intellectual Property Group, and worked as a student advisor for the Academic Success Program.
Prior to being an articling student, Andrea was a summer student with the firm. Andrea speaks English and French.
Parnian Soltanipanah
Queen's University
psoltanipanah@bereskinparr.com
Parnian Soltanipanah is an articling student with Bereskin & Parr LLP. Her practice focuses on chemical, patents, and life sciences.
Parnian graduated from the Juris Doctor program at Queen’s University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Guelph. During her studies, Parnian worked as a research student where she conducted experimentation on catalytic reactions through catalyst synthesis and reaction analysis. As a part of her bachelor’s research, Parnian studied ligand-ligand charge transfer in thiazyl-radical complexes.
Prior to being an articling student, Parnian was a summer student with the firm. She is fluent in English and Farsi.
Justin Wicks
Dalhousie University
Justin Wicks is an articling student with Bereskin & Parr LLP. His practice focuses on artificial intelligence, patents, and electrical & computer technology.
Justin graduated from the Juris Doctor program at the Schulich School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Engineering Science in Electrical Engineering from the Memorial University of Newfoundland. During his studies, Justin co-founded and acted as Vice-President of the Law & Technology Society at Schulich that is dedicated to studying the intersection of law and technology.
Prior to joining Bereskin & Parr, Justin founded and acted as the Director of an industrial robotics startup that focused on inspecting field infrastructure. Justin also worked with the Canadian Coast Guard to develop, test, and deploy a satellite-based helicopter tracking and mapping system that is used in emergency scenarios to coordinate rescue efforts, in addition to working in a number of other marine software and electrical positions.
Prior to being an articling student, Justin worked at the Newfoundland Provincial Crown Attorney’s Office where he supported the prosecution team. Justin was also a summer student with the firm.
