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.
Since opening, the WIPILC has supported close to 100 clients, including inventors, researchers, artists, authors, entrepreneurs, and startups. Under the supervision of experienced lawyers, law students assist clients with a wide range of IP-related matters, including legal information on different types of IP rights, IP strategy development, commercialization, freedom-to-operate assessments, privacy law, contract and policy review, and due diligence preparation. Clients learn to think strategically about IP, not as an afterthought, but as an integral part of their business model.
Beyond offering legal support, the WIPILC plays a significant role in legal education. IP law is often not introduced until the upper years of law school, and many students do not have client-facing experiences before articling. Through the Clinic, students develop a practical understanding of IP and related technology law while also learning to communicate complex legal concepts clearly and effectively to clients. These experiences are invaluable in any legal career, and particularly within the rapidly evolving IP landscape.
As a current Western law student and WIPILC Case Manager, I have gained practical experience supporting clients through the Clinic. This experience exposed me to IP law early in my 1L year leading to opportunities that I would not have otherwise encountered. The Clinic has made a meaningful impact, not only within the London community, but across the province. It would be exciting to support similar initiatives adopted by other law schools.
As technology continues to reshape industries and legal systems, the need for accessible and trustworthy IP information will only grow. Pro bono IP clinics such as WIPILC are well positioned to foster collaboration among law firms, the Canadian IP office, innovation networks, and professional associations such as the OBA and IPIC. Pro bono IP clinics are not only bridging significant gaps in access to justice but are also nurturing the future of IP law in Canada. Through student-led legal services, they generate real benefits for both creators and future legal professionals.
By empowering innovators and mentoring the next generation of IP lawyers, these clinics are proving that innovation, inclusion and the legal profession can and must go hand in hand.
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