Douglas S. Johnson, Q.C.

1922-2014

Doug Johnson passed away peacefully on January 1, 2014. Dennison Associates wishes to recognize his accomplishments and his professional excellence in all the years he was active in our firm and to recognize the impact he had on the lives of his family, colleagues and friends.

Doug Johnson was from a generation that grew up in the depression, went to war for their country, started families, and became educated professionals through hard work and persistence. Doug’s legacy is represented by his full life. He was loved, admired and respected by all those who knew him.

Doug received his Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics from the University of Toronto in 1944 and qualified as a Professional Engineer in Ontario in 1946. He received advanced education and training in radar from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1943. During the Second World War, he served on active duty with the Royal Canadian Navy in the Radar Branch achieving the rank of Lieutenant.

Doug studied law at Osgoode Hall and read law with Dr. Harold G. Fox, Q.C., then Canada's leading intellectual property lawyer. Doug was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1954 and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1967. Doug was registered as a patent attorney in Canada in 1948 and a patent agent in the United States in 1949.

Doug's experience was extensive and varied in all aspects of intellectual property. He was counsel in many landmark cases including, for example, McPhar v. Sharpe, Hoffman-La Roche v. Frank W. Horner, Varta v. Globe Union, Horn Abbot v. Coulter Sales, RCA v. Hazeltine and Sperry v. John Deere. An area of particular interest to Doug was the law under the Patent Act and other legislation relating to pharmaceuticals.

Doug’s dedication and accomplishments were many and varied. He was a consummate professional and a truly inspirational gentleman.