Our Services

Due to the nature of the Clinic being offered on a term basis as part of an academic year (September to December & January to April), the Clinic is not appropriate for matters that require a fast turnaround time or are otherwise time-sensitive. Clients must be comfortable that deliverables are produced over the course of an academic term and are subject to the rigours of an ongoing education.

The Business Law Clinic may assist clients with the following:

  • Answering general legal questions regarding small business or non-profit matters
  • Reviewing an existing contract and explaining what it means to the client
  • Explaining the difference between various business structures including a sole proprietorship, partnership and corporation
  • Providing information regarding copyright and trademarks
  • Providing information regarding consumer privacy law and Canada’s Anti-Spam Law
  • Other business oriented legal advice related to a client’s unique legal issue

The Clinic may draft or review legal documents, including: 

  • Constitution, by-laws and incorporation forms for a not-for-profit society
  • Articles, resolutions, registers and share certificates for a private company
  • Partnership Agreements
  • Shareholder Agreements
  • Confidentiality Agreements
  • Supplier Agreements
  • Employment Agreements
  • Terms and Conditions for websites and applications
  • Commercial agreements
  • Independent Contractor Agreements
  • Offers of employment
  • Privacy Policies
  • Other documents as determined by the supervising lawyer

The Clinic cannot assist clients with:

  • Litigation, court, commission, exchange, regulatory agency or tribunal work
  • Tax, real estate, franchising, financial services, restructuring, bankruptcy, or public company, securities commission or stock exchange matters;
  • Matters involving an industry specific regulatory regime (e.g. food labelling, alcohol, cannabis or other drugs, health products, or transportation)
  • Matters involving the registration or prosecution of copyright, trademarks, patents, or industrial designs.
  • Matters that cannot be completed by the end of the current academic term
  • Matters requiring a trust account (e.g. purchase or sale of business, conveyance)
  • Matters outside the legal jurisdiction of British Columbia
  • Matters involving a conflict of interest for the Clinic
  • Matters involving more than $75,000
  • Debt collection
  • Matters addressed by the Law Students’ Legal Advice Program or other clinical programs at the Allard School of Law
  • Any file in which the supervising lawyer makes a determination that a law student cannot properly assist the client under the circumstances

Other Resources

If your matter is not covered by the Clinic, you may find assistance through the following programs:

Access Pro Bono
Access Pro Bono consists of volunteer lawyers that provide pro bono legal services to people with limited means. Access Pro Bono also provides the lawyer referral service, which gives callers an opportunity to have a thirty minute consultation with a lawyer for free.

Law for Non Profits
Law For Non Profits provides legal education, resources, self assessment tools and summary legal advice to non profit organizations. Their partner program, Artists' Legal Outreach, hosts a by-donation legal clinic for artists and arts organizations and has many resources available for all artistic disciplines

Law Students' Legal Advice Program (LSLAP)
LSLAP is a non-profit run by law students. It operates out of the Peter A. Allard School of Law, and clinicians provide free legal advice and representation to those who cannot afford legal assistance.

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