Innovation Law Clinic for tech startups launches in partnership with Norton Rose Fulbright and MaRS

New clinic to provide strategic legal support free of charge to MaRS ICT venture clients

TORONTO, June 26, 2014 /CNW/ - MaRS Discovery District is excited to announce the launch of a new Innovation Law Clinic in partnership with Norton Rose Fulbright. Exclusive to MaRS, this legal program is customized to meet the specialized needs of high-growth technology ventures that operate in complex global markets.

As with established corporations, startup ventures need legal support to ensure they comply with regulatory requirements, protect their assets and prevent liabilities. However, many young companies struggle with traditional legal fee structures and put themselves at risk by not seeking legal counsel.

"Our ICT venture clients pursue opportunities worldwide in increasingly complex sectors, such as digital health, financial technology, energy IT and education technology," says Salim Teja, Managing Director of the MaRS Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Venture Services team.

"Not only does the integration of emerging technologies have significant legal implications for our clients, but as they scale globally, they need legal expertise on international laws and regulations, international incorporation and tax law, international patents and intellectual property standards, and immigration. Norton Rose Fulbright offers all of this, as well as a deep understanding of startup culture and operations," says Teja.

Based on their extensive expertise in working with startups, Norton Rose Fulbright has developed innovative approaches and packages for high-potential, early-stage companies, including the free Innovation Law Clinic being provided to high-impact technology ventures at MaRS.

"We've been very impressed with the scale of the startups at MaRS, and the calibre of the technology and the entrepreneurs," says Anthony de Fazekas, Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright. "Our office in the MaRS Centre will let us run the Innovation Law Clinics on-site and we look forward to working more closely with clients."

"We have designed packages that offer strategic legal support on key topics for high-growth technology startups in a number of areas. These include investment, M&A, privacy and access to information, IP strategy and international IP, business immigration & international mobility, and many more. These packages as delivered through MaRS are integrated with the student programs of our Toronto office. This leverages the training that our lawyers and patent agents are providing to summer law students and articling students, to provide a great service to MaRS venture clients," says de Fazekas.

To be eligible for the Innovation Law Clinic and startup legal packages, companies need to be MaRS ICT venture clients.

Norton Rose Fulbright has a global industry focus on technology and innovation. This practice helps accelerate early-stage tech startups and delivers strategic, seamless advice to scaling startups, wherever their issues arise. This includes key areas such as international IP, technology commercialization and corporate/finance, and is a great fit for the innovations emerging at MaRS. Norton Rose Fulbright's global practice also provides connections to potential technology partners and investors that are valuable to emerging MaRS businesses.

About MaRS Discovery District
MaRS Discovery District (@MaRSDD) in Toronto is one of the world's largest urban innovation hubs. MaRS cultivates high-impact ventures and equips innovators to drive economic and social prosperity. MaRS provides expert advice and market research, and makes connections to talent, customers and capital. MaRS startup clients have created 6,500 jobs and, in the last three years alone, they have raised $1 billion in capital and earned $500 million in revenue.

About Norton Rose Fulbright
Norton Rose Fulbright is a global legal practice. We provide the world's pre-eminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. We have more than 3800 lawyers based in over 50 cities across Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.

Recognized for our industry focus, we are strong across all the key industry sectors: financial institutions; energy; infrastructure, mining and commodities; transport; technology and innovation; and life sciences and healthcare.

Wherever we are, we operate in accordance with our global business principles of quality, unity and integrity. We aim to provide the highest possible standard of legal service in each of our offices and to maintain that level of quality at every point of contact.

Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright Australia, Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa (incorporated as Deneys Reitz Inc) and Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, each of which is a separate legal entity, are members ('the Norton Rose Fulbright members') of Norton Rose Fulbright Verein, a Swiss Verein. Norton Rose Fulbright Verein helps coordinate the activities of the Norton Rose Fulbright members but does not itself provide legal services to clients.

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SOURCE: MaRS Discovery District

Melissa Hughes: Manager, Media & Community Relations, MaRS Discovery District, 416.673.8152, [email protected]; Peter Zvanitajs, Public Relations Manager, Norton Rose Fulbright, 416.216.1871 / 416.553.5789 (mobile), [email protected]