May M. Cheng Partner
647.955.6180
Practice Area
- Intellectual Property
Education & Admissions
2005 – Certified as a Specialist in IP (Trademark and Copyright Law) by the Law Society of Ontario (“LSO”)
1997 – Call to the British Columbia Bar
1996 – Registered Trademark Agent
1993 – Called to the Ontario Bar
1991 – LLB (French program, cum laude), University of Ottawa
1987 – BA in Law and Political Science, Carleton University
Awards and Rankings
2025 – Chambers and Partners, Intellectual Property
2024- The Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada, Canadian Lawyer
2024- Practitioner of the Year for Trademark Disputes, Managing IP
2024- World Intellectual Property Review Leader
2024- Trade Mark Star, IP Stars
2024- American Lawyer 500, Lexpert
2024- Gold Band in Enforcement and Litigation, World Trademark Review (from 2012)
2024- Silver Band in Anti-Countereiting (from 2012)
2023- Top 10 IP Lawyers Defining the Legal Landscape, Business Today
2022 – Award of Excellence in the Promotion of Women’s Equality, Ontario Bar Association
2021- Top 250 Women in IP (from 2017)
2018- Zenith Award for Mid-Career Excellence, Lexpert
Ranked on IP Stars since 2013
Experience
May started her legal career as a litigator in intellectual property at a full-service firm, expanding her expertise to trademark prosecution and developing a practice focused on brand protection and enforcement. She has spent over 25 years working for clients across a wide variety of industries, but particularly in retail, travel, fashion and food – all sectors that she happens to especially enjoy.
May’s litigation experience includes patent, trademark and copyright infringement cases, as well as expungement and injunction cases in the federal and provincial courts. Over the course of her decades-long legal career, she worked at a succession of large Bay Street firms before finding a Bay Street firm that truly reflects her core values of diversity and inclusion, where she can focus on what she loves most: working with forward-thinking and brilliant legal professionals who prioritize having fun and living fulfilling lives while also practicing law and focusing on the best interests of clients.
While enjoying a reputation as a “fearless” advocate, May’s goal is to arrive at the best business solution for her clients, which is often not going to be achieved through protracted litigation. She prides herself on finding creative solutions to complex problems and having a deeper understanding of the underlying goals from nurturing long term relationships with her clients.
