This course provides students with the opportunity to provide supervised legal services to start-up and small businesses, and not for profit and charitable organizations located in Kingston and the broader region of Eastern Ontario. It is meant to augment the common and statutory law principles students learn in such courses as Contracts, Business Associations and basic intellectual property courses in a practical way. The course also provides a valuable service to the area community. Under the supervision of the Clinic Director and Review Counsel, students will work on client files that involve business and intellectual property law matters such as:
- Incorporation and organization of business and not-for profit organizations
- Shareholder and partnership agreements
- Business name and trademark work (including applications for registration)
- Copyright advice and registration
- General government regulatory compliance issues relevant to start-ups, not-for-profits and charities
- Drafting and review of contracts covering a range of subject matter, from website or mobile app terms of use and privacy policies, through intellectual property licensing, various service agreements, employment contracts, to simple commercial leases, and subject to review counsel expertise and student interest, sports and entertainment law.
Students will also be actively involved in the operation of the Clinic, learning and developing skills in practice administration and management, client development, Law Society regulation, the use of retainer agreements and the use of time and case management software.
The course will run from September until April. Clinic members will meet as a class for 2-3 hours most weeks, and students will be required to attend office hours and meet with the Clinic Director on a weekly basis.
Grading will be based on an evaluation of the casework completed by the student throughout the year and the completion of course-related assignments.
A maximum of 24 students will be admitted to this course. Student caseworkers will be selected by the Clinic Director based on a written application process.
Queen¿s Law policy limits students to only one of the following clinical courses: QBLC LAW 438, QELC LAW 695, QFLC LAW 527, QPLC LAW418, QLA LAW 590. Students enrolled in one of those five clinical courses are not eligible for enrolment in another.