About initio
The Clinic is equipped to provide early-stage legal advice related to:
Business and not-for-profit structuring including incorporation and/or registration
Partnership / shareholder / founder agreements
Independent contractor and employment agreements
Stock option plans and other revenue sharing arrangements
IP licensing and acquisition
Website/app terms and conditions
Privacy assessment and policies
Sole proprietorships, partnerships and small companies in the creative and tech industries who have not raised capital beyond $200,000 (CAD) and who have not already retained Nova Scotia counsel are eligible to apply for clinical legal services. Not-for-profits working in the industry are also serviced by the Clinic.
initio is a new initiative at the Schulich School of Law. The Clinic will focus on expanding its partnerships with the community, sharing expertise to a critical sector of the Nova Scotia economy, and training students to become engaged members of the entrepreneurial ecosystem through “learning by doing.” initio is dedicated to providing services that are accessible, flexible, transparent, and dependable.
Our Objective
initio’s objective is two-fold:
Contribute to the Atlantic Canadian Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
A successful technology law clinic must be based on meeting the needs of the regional startup community. Our goal is to be one of many support catalysts working to grow the culture of innovation in Atlantic Canada.
Educate and Inspire Students
A successful clinic will, in turn, provide students with a legitimate, realistic and valuable experience. This experience will ultimately prepare law students for the professional world by providing the opportunity to acquire practical experience while learning about some of the common business issues of early-stage technology startups.
Our Team
Alayna R. Kolodziechuk
Director of initio Technology & Innovation Law Clinic
Photo credit Selena Phillips-Boyle
Alayna is a lawyer and Dalhousie alum with 10 years’ experience advising businesses and not-for-profits in the creative and tech industries. Most recently, she practiced at an entertainment and media law boutique in Toronto, ON where she oversaw the firm’s corporate practice and represented a range of clients including artists and creators, record labels and film production companies, software developers and industry advocacy groups. Alayna provides advice to organizations across different stages of growth and development on their structuring as well as intellectual property and privacy/technology matters.
Current Students
Justin Broomfield, Articled Clerk 2024
Alumni
Fall 2023
Léo Bourgeois
As a Senior Law Student at Dalhousie’s Technology and Innovation Law Clinic,Léo is passionate about supporting all forms of business that address social issues and promote community development. He assists on legal matters in two key areas: social impact law, and corporate and business law with a focus on start-ups and technology.
In the social impact space, Léo assists non-profit organizations, charities, social enterprises, and social purpose businesses on a variety of legal and strategic matters, such as legal structuring, corporate government, drafting and negotiating various agreements, and effective risk management.
In the corporate space, Léo takes the time to connect with his clients in order to truly understand their business. He thinks like an entrepreneur and provides practical legal advice to address their legal needs. Léo provides a broad range of business law services for initio clients, including incorporations, contract drafting and negotiation, privacy assessment and policies, website terms and conditions and IP licensing and acquisition.
Léo enjoys volunteering to support community development and access to legal information. He currently serves as the Chair for the Law Students Section of the CBA-NS Branch. [insert sentence about legal information society once created].
During his free time, Léo enjoys hiking in his family community of Cape Breton, spending time with his cat Maisy, and creating health and nutrition plans for friends and family.
Dominik Dabrowski
Dominik is a senior law student at the Schulich School of Law with a Political Science degree from the University of Ottawa. Passionate about the challenge of outer space and its role in human development, he has contributed to space law projects and organizations locally, nationally, and globally. With an entrepreneurial mindset, Dominik is building a corporate-commercial practice, helping Canadian companies realize value and mitigate risk. Outside of school, Dominik can be found hiking trails and supporting the rollercoaster that is Manchester United.
Eslam (Essie) Mehina
Essie is a senior law student in her final year of study at the Schulich School of Law. Prior to entering law school, she obtained her Master of Science in neuroscience from the University of Calgary, and her Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Victoria.
Keen to support science and technology innovators, Essie is passionate about intellectual property law. Skilled in leveraging her technical background to provide informed support for entrepreneurs, Essie provides insightful and comprehensive sector-specific legal analysis for clients in STEM and beyond. She is particularly interested in arbitration as a strategy to assist innovators in protecting their intellectual property rights during dispute resolution. Essie is thrilled for the opportunity to provide clients of the clinic with high-quality legal services.
For her past two summers, Essie worked in the intellectual property department of Gowling WLG’s Ottawa office. After graduation, she will be clerking at the Federal Court of Appeal. In her free time, Essie enjoys hiking, foraging for wild mushrooms, and woodworking.
Meghan Recker
Meghan is a senior law student at the Dalhousie Schulich School of Law graduating May 2024 with a certificate in Law & Technology. They hold a Bachelor of Science in Music Composition from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri and have professional experience singing both in the United States and in Canada.
Meghan enjoys working with fellow artists on questions regarding contracts, negotiation, and Copyright concerns. They understand the issues artists face, particularly regarding the availability of accessible legal resources. Meghan has worked with the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia to support underserved Atlantic Canadian artists by compiling informational resource lists, recording a Copyright 101 podcast, and coordinating free webinars. When not in school, Meghan enjoys running, cuddling their cat Jiji, and drinking overpriced iced lattes.
Karina Scoggins
Karina Scoggins is a third-year law student at Dalhousie Schulich School of Law. Karina has over a decade of experience as a Registered Nurse, working both in Nova Scotia and remote regions of Nunavut. Her unique perspective and deep understanding of healthcare issues have driven her passion for intellectual property law and technological innovation within the healthcare sector.
While at the Clinic, Karina had the chance to delve into various health-related files, offering legal support to health care professionals with an entrepreneurial mindset.
In the summer of 2023, Karina had the privilege of joining McInnes Cooper as a summer student, where she honed her legal skills and gained valuable insights into the practice of law. Karina will also be articling at McInnes Cooper in 2024. Outside of work and school, Karina likes to read and climb mountains, with Mount Kilimanjaro being the tallest mountain she has climbed.
Winter 2023
Ronny Bao
Ronny is a third-year law student at Dalhousie’s Technology and Innovation Law Clinic. Ronny works to offer excellent services to the clients of the clinic and understands that trust, professionalism, and accountability are essential to building and maintaining relationships with clients. Having worked on policy projects in environmental and human rights law, he has experience in advising stakeholders on the creation of both top-down and bottom-up policies. Ronny also has experience working on a constitutional law project that sought to address the issue of the justiciability of certain human rights claims in the context of climate change litigation. Outside of school, Ronny enjoys video games, keeping up to date with the best skincare, and watching travel vlogs.
Justin Broomfield
Justin is a third-year law student at the Schulich School of Law. For his undergraduate degree he attended Nipissing University and Canadore College where he studied Criminal Justice and Policing. Justin is working towards completing the Law & Technology Specialization and has developed a keen interest in technology, privacy, and intellectual property. Outside of law school Justin is working to complete his private pilot’s licence.
Evelyn Hein
Evelyn is a third-year student at the Schulich School of Law who is working towards obtaining a law and technology specialization. She is excited about supporting local entrepreneurs and innovators with their emerging businesses. Prior to attending law school, Evelyn obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Acadia University. She will be articling in Ottawa after graduating in May 2023. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and planning her next travel adventure.
Tommy Panther
Tommy is currently a third-year law student at the Schulich School of Law. He attended Dalhousie University for his undergraduate degree and was also a member of the Dalhousie University Football Team. Tommy has a passionate interest in Corporate/Business, Intellectual Property, Real Estate, and Sports & Entertainment law. Tommy is also working to complete the Law & Technology Specialization certificate, which is designed to prepare law students for the technologies of today and tomorrow, with a variety of courses engaging with and thinking critically about issues and problems at the intersections of law, technology, and society. Tommy worked in the Clinic during the Summer of 2022 as a research assistant. After graduation, Tommy will be articling in Halifax with Burchell Wickwire Bryson LLP. During his free time, Tommy enjoys going for walks with his dog Theo, playing numerous sports, and baking.
Sierra Peterson
Sierra is a third-year law student at the Schulich School of Law. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with Honours from the University of British Columbia. Prior to attending law school, Sierra worked as a Registered Nurse in mental health and addictions.
Sierra is passionate about intellectual property law and technological innovation in healthcare and beyond, and is currently pursuing the Law and Technology Specialization certificate here at Schulich. Sierra spent last summer at Miller Thomson LLP in Vancouver with a focus on intellectual property law, and will be returning to article there in July 2023. In her spare time, Sierra enjoys playing softball, horse-back riding, and experiencing the local nature BC and Nova Scotia have to offer.
Josie Bauman
Winter 2023 Research Assistant
Josie is a third-year law student with a specialization in Law and Technology. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science from Quest University Canada. After graduation, she will article at the Department of Justice in Edmonton, AB.
She is a photographer and is passionate about the ethical and legal questions surrounding photography, which inspired her interest in Intellectual Property.
Summer 2022
Taraneh Ashrafi
Taraneh is a third-year law student at the Schulich School of Law. Before law school, she obtained her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta. She will article at McCarthy Tétrault in Vancouver starting September 2022.
While living in Halifax, Taraneh enjoys discovering new beaches and hiking with her dog, Mochi.
Winter 2021
Mimi Gjelaj
Mimi is a third-year law student at the Schulich School of Law. She holds a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science (Analytical Chemistry). She will be representing Dalhousie in the 2022 Harold G. Fox Intellectual Property Moot. Mimi spent the past two summers at Smart & Bigger LLP in Ottawa, Ontario and will be returning to article there this summer. Outside of school, Mimi can be found at the beach with her dog, Stella, with a coffee in hand
Andrew Young
Andrew is a third-year student at the Schulich School of Law. He obtained a Bachelor of Commerce in Sports Administration from Laurentian University in 2017. He has developed a keen interest in emerging and disruptive technologies. Andrew summered and will be returning to article with Bennett Jones LLP, a full-service firm in Toronto. In his spare time, Andrew enjoys surfing and cooking.
Angelo Merani
Angelo Merani is a third-year law student at the Schulich School of Law. Angelo completed his BA in Economics at the University of Alberta and worked as a Project Manager for six years before setting out to complete his JD. Angelo has also served as Stakeholder Relations Coordinator and VP Finance with non-profits. Angelo has been working at Code Hunter LLP in Calgary, Alberta since his 1L summer and will be articling with them after graduation.
Shanna Stanley-Hasnain
Shanna is a third-year law student at the Schulich School of Law. She holds a Master of Science in Molecular Cardiology and a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology, Health and Disease, and Immunology, both from the University of Toronto. Prior to attending law school, she worked at the Toronto General Hospital as a Clinical Research Coordinator and Research Analyst for multiple large-scale research initiatives and clinical trials in the field of cardiovascular sciences. Shanna spent the last two summers at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in Toronto, and will be returning to article there in August 2022. In Shanna's spare time she enjoys long distance bike rides, hiking and surfing.
Fall 2021
Tiffany Leung
Tiffany is a third-year law student at the Schulich School of Law. She is excited to collaborate with local entrepreneurs, and she is especially interested in solving issues related to business law and technology law. Tiffany worked at a national full-service law firm this summer. In her spare time, she enjoys practicing karate, reading, and cooking.
Sonja Gashus
Sonja Gashus is a third-year law student at the Schulich School of Law. She graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Commerce from Dalhousie University, majoring in finance. Sonja spent her summer assisting with research in intellectual property law and is excited to apply that knowledge to help startups at the Technology & Innovation Law Clinic.
Haley MacIsaac
Haley is a third-year student at the Schulich School of Law and is passionate about supporting local entrepreneurs and championing women innovators. Haley's background in business and leadership informed her interest in the Initio Clinic, and she is particularly excited to support entrepreneurs in facing intellectual property issues. Haley summered with a full-service Atlantic law firm, McInnes Cooper, and will be returning there for her articles in spring 2022. Haley enjoys running, spinning, swimming, hiking, and baking in her free time.
Rob Law
Rob is a third-year law student at the Schulich School of Law. He completed his Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) with Distinction double majoring in Accounting and Finance at the University of Manitoba’s Asper School of Business. Rob serves as Treasurer on the AthleteCAN Board of Directors, advocating for Canadian National Team athletes to create a safe and inclusive Canadian sports environment. In this role, he has advised on risk and cashflow management processes, budgeting, RFPs, and a hiring process. Rob is also a member of the Canadian National Lawn Bowling team, winning two bronze medals at the 2019 Asia Pacific Championships and training for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Following law school, Rob will be completing his Articles at MLT Aikins LLP in Calgary, Alberta.
Hannah Mirksy
Hannah is a third-year student at the Schulich School of Law. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University. She will be representing Dalhousie in the 2022 Harold G. Fox Intellectual Property Moot. Following law school, Hannah will be articling at Smart & Biggar in Ottawa, Ontario.