Ontario continues to thrive as one of Canada’s innovation hubs, yet access to intellectual property (IP) legal resources remains a significant challenge for many. Financial barriers and a lack of accessible information limits the ability of creators and entrepreneurs to effectively protect and commercialize their ideas. At the end of 2023, Ontario was home to over 400,000 small businesses, evidence of the province’s entrepreneurial energy, but also a reminder that demand for IP support well exceeds current resources.
While pro bono legal clinics are a long-standing feature of Ontario law schools, their services have traditionally focused on areas such as criminal, family, and general business law matters. IP, despite its critical importance in supporting innovation and economic growth, has remained underrepresented in these programs. Early-stage entrepreneurs and startups frequently face steep costs when trying to protect their intangible assets, trademarks, copyright, patents, and data governance. Supporting innovators with limited means has become not only a matter of investment in Canada’s innovation ecosystem but also a matter of economic inclusion.
University-based IP clinics have emerged as one of the most promising responses to this challenge. Under the guidance of Dr. Bassem Awad, Assistant Professor and Director of the Area of Concentration in Intellectual Property, Information, and Technology Law at Western University’s Faculty of Law, the Western Intellectual Property and Innovation Legal Clinic (WIPILC) was established in 2021 to address this gap. The Clinic aims to expand access to IP legal information across Southwestern Ontario and beyond, while providing law students with hands-on exposure to IP practice. It operates in close collaboration with local innovation hubs and entrepreneurship centres, helping clients identify, protect, and leverage their IP assets responsibly.