Apollon, the Section’s new Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, will support the new Startup Law Clinic and advance knowledge mobilization through filmmaking.
"I’m excited about promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in a law school that is looking at the bigger picture. What we're trying to do is really create the next generation of leaders for our country, " he says.
Apollon points out that the legal profession is undergoing a fundamental transformation with the rise of artificial intelligence. He emphasizes that lawyers today must develop an entrepreneurial mindset and not just possess technical legal expertise.
“Entrepreneurship is a mindset. It's a culture. We need to foster that culture in law schools so that students are ready for the next stage of their lives. Even if they don't start a business, they will need to apply entrepreneurial skills within their organizations. They’ll need to be problem solvers. Trailblazers. Innovators."
In addition to promoting entrepreneurship, Apollon will encourage the use of filmmaking as a tool for legal advocacy.
He is the founder of CPE Studios, an edutainment production company, which produces documentary films that serve as case studies for professional development.
His journey into filmmaking was driven by a desire to merge his legal expertise with his passion for storytelling. "To be an entrepreneur is to have a purpose. For those who are purpose-driven, who want to change things and not always accept the status quo."
CPE Studios allows Apollon to tackle pressing social issues through visual advocacy. His latest documentary series, Lost Generation: A Call to Action, which recently premiered at the Ottawa Art Gallery, exposes systemic challenges in education like anti-Black racism and governance issues.
"The purpose of the film is to drive meaningful change in policy. Training alone won’t change anything unless we change policies, behaviors, and how we do things in schools."
Apollon is committed to increasing equity and representation in the legal profession, supporting Black lawyers while showcasing leadership and excellence.
"We have a lot of trailblazers—trailblazing Black men and women, racialized men and women. Things are changing in the legal profession, but we need to foster the change and get people engaged in the Black community."
Prior to joining the Faculty, Apollon launched a Black entrepreneurship initiative, called at the Heart of Entrepreneurship, at uOttawa’s Professional Development Institute, where he trained 100 Black entrepreneurs in partnership with the Community Settlement, Support and Orientation Centre (CÉSOC), a local NGO supporting Francophone newcomers.
In the classroom, Apollon seeks to make legal education more experiential. He wants to develop a series of courses focused on entrepreneurship while expanding opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience through the Startup Law Clinic. The Startup Law Clinic gives law students practical insight into the legal challenges faced by early-stage startups and promotes the development of the Ottawa startup community. It offers accessible legal assistance to startups, with an emphasis on those looking to foster positive social change.
As the Director, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Apollon sees an opportunity to shape the future of legal education by inspiring students to think beyond traditional career paths.
"The work that we do at the law school is a privilege. You get the chance to shape minds and hearts. In law school, you cannot just work on the mind. We already have incredibly bright students. My approach as an educator is to work on their heart. What's your passion? What do you want to do? What kind of meaningful change do you want to make in your community?"
We look forward to seeing how his interdisciplinary approach will challenge students to embrace innovation, develop entrepreneurial skills, and use visual storytelling as a tool for advocacy.