James E. Gastle, P. Eng.
jgastle@gastle.com

Registered Patent Agent

James Gastle graduated from Mechanical Engineering at Queen's University in 1984 and began a five-year internship in patent agency, including one year at the IP department of a Canadian forest products company and four years at a downtown Toronto patent firm.

In 1989, he continued his training on a freelance basis while developing and marketing two proprietary product lines. With a partner, Jim launched VETERINARY DESIGNED INSTRUMENTS INC. to design and market animal transport systems for veterinary clinics across North America. His products were featured in a major veterinary medical catalog in the United States. Jim was later involved in the design and manufacture of a compact rescue unit. Numerous patents now adorn the United States Patent Office from these efforts.

Jim was registered as a Patent Agent in the Canadian Patent Office and the United States Patent Office in 1997.

Jim has enjoyed working in a wide range of scientific fields, including academic research at several of Ontario's Universities. Jim's corporate clients span the mechanical, electrical and chemical fields.

Jim is an active participant in activities of the American Intellectual Property Law Association.  Jim is a member of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario, the American Bar Association, and is past president of the Chelsea Club International Association of Entrepreneurs.

In his spare time, Jim enjoys cross country running, alpine skiing, windsurfing and boating. Jim is an active volunteer and supporter of several community organizations in the Peterborough area.

Richard started his technical training while serving as a second lieutenant (later Captain TA) with the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers in England and Germany. He later attended the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (University of London) and graduated, in 1958, with an Honours B.Sc.(Engineering) and as an Associate of the Royal School of Mines, in Metallurgy. He served a Graduate apprenticeship with United Steel Companies, Sheffield UK, before appointment as senior metallurgist at their Distington Engineering Company (at the time the largest iron foundry in the UK). He was also Materials Engineer with Black and Decker (UK) before moving to Canada in 1962. He was with Union Carbide Canada, Metals and Carbon Division, as a Research Engineer until 1964 when he became an Examiner in the Canadian Patent Office and received extensive training in patent law. He joined a major Ottawa law firm in 1966 and qualified for Registration as a Canadian and US Patent Agent in 1967. He practised in Ottawa with several firms, including 10 years as a partner in the firm of Johnson & Hicks, until 1984, when he was invited to become the first Director of Patents and Licensing at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, a major research intensive University with an annual research budget well in excess of $100M. PARTEQ Innovations Inc, as the department is now known, is one of the most successful Technology Transfer offices of any university in North America. He took early retirement from Queen’s in 1996 to concentrate on his private patent practice in the Kingston area.

Richard has been an active member of many professional societies over the years, including the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario, the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Licensing Executives Society, and the Association of University Technology Managers, and has been an invited speaker on patent topics at many professional meetings and at several Canadian universities. In March 2005 he merged his practice with Gastle and Associates.

Jason E. Utter, B.Sc.
jutter@gastle.com

Technical Assistant

Jason E. Utter is a graduate of the University of Northern British Columbia, with a B.Sc. in Fish and Wildlife Management. He also completed a Diploma in Forestry Technology at Sir Sandford Fleming College.

While pursuing his B.Sc., Jason founded a successful resource management firm, Northern Biological Management Ltd. After graduation, Jason returned to Ontario and was introduced to the world of Intellectual Property and joined the team of Gastle and Associates in the Fall of 2000.

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