uOttawa Startup Law Clinic

fauteux — Faculty of Law

Common Law Student Centre

Courses

Clinics

uOttawa Startup Law Clinic

By offering accessible legal assistance to early-stage startups, with an emphasis on those looking to foster positive social change, the Startup Law Clinic aims to give law students practical insight into the legal challenges faced by startups and promote the development of the Ottawa startup community.

About

Working under the supervision of the Clinic’s Legal Co-Director, student caseworkers provide pro bono legal services to early-stage startups. Students also provide non-tailored legal information on basic corporate and securities, intellectual property and technology, and employment topics relevant to startups.

For the 2024–25 academic year, the Clinic is operating in a pilot phase. During this pilot phase, students will work exclusively with startups enrolled in the Startup Garage, an accelerator program offered by the uOttawa Entrepreneurship Hub.

Our Services

The Clinic offers legal services and information on basic corporate and securities, intellectual property, and employment topics relevant to startups.

Some of the questions our student caseworkers may be able to help with include:

The Clinic does not assist on litigation or other dispute resolution matters; patent, trademark, or copyright filings; tax matters; or matters that are adverse to the University of Ottawa or any component thereof.

Becoming a Student Caseworker

Caseworkers are upper year law students who have been admitted to the startup law clinical course offered in the fall semester. Over the course of the semester, caseworkers may be involved in interviewing clients, drafting and reviewing contracts, preparing legal memoranda, and making presentations on legal issues. They also attend weekly seminars on selected topics related to startup law as well as legal skills, ethics, and professionalism.

The Clinic offers student caseworkers the opportunity to:

learn how to interact with clients, manage a client file, and work with senior lawyers;
acquire substantive knowledge in various aspects of startup law, as well as an understanding of their professional responsibilities as students and eventually as lawyers; and
improve their presentation skills by carrying out a group public education session on a chosen topic related to the Clinic’s work.

Students interested in applying to join the Clinic in future years are encouraged to take Law for Start-Ups, a seminar course offered in the Winter semester, as well as Droit des sociétés/Business Organizations.

Team

The Clinic is led by an Academic Director responsible for the overall direction of the Clinic and a Legal Co-Director responsible for the supervision and management of client files. They are supported by upper-year law students who serve as caseworkers.