DLA Piper Canada launches pro bono Black and Indigenous Business Law Clinic in Ontario

DLA Piper Canada is pleased to announce the expansion of its pro bono Black and Indigenous Business Law Clinic to Ontario. The Clinic, which launched in British Columbia in 2020, is dedicated to providing ‎Black and Indigenous businesses with corporate and commercial legal advice.‎

DLA Piper recognizes that by fostering strong values within its workplaces, in its business practices, and in its ‎pro bono initiatives, the firm can have a positive and lasting impact in the communities in which we live and work. ‎While working internally to identify and dismantle implicit biases is an important part of our diversity and ‎inclusion initiatives, actively engaging in our communities is equally critical. As we look outward, we recognize ‎the significant barriers that people of colour and Indigenous peoples may face when entering the corporate ‎world. The path to success is ‎never easy for small businesses, and systemic racism and lack of ‎representation can make it that much more ‎difficult for those businesses owned by people of colour and Indigenous peoples.

DLA Piper is now accepting applications from qualifying Black- or ‎Indigenous-owned businesses in British Columbia or Ontario to our pro bono Black and Indigenous Business ‎Law Clinic (the “Clinic”). ‎The Clinic’s focus is on common legal issues encountered by entrepreneurs and small ‎business owners, including incorporations, structuring, employment matters, e-commerce issues, and basic ‎commercial matters. The ‎Clinic also runs business law education seminars to help first-time business owners understand some of the ‎risks they should keep in mind as they grow their businesses.

Find out more about the Clinic, the services we offer, or how you can get involved here.‎

If you are a Black or Indigenous founder looking for legal assistance, a Client Intake Form can be found here.