Running a successful enterprise requires business acumen as well as an understanding of the legal framework within which all businesses operate. Taking the time now to familiarize yourself with basic legal considerations in order to plan prospectively could save you time, money and difficulty in the future.

This seminar is aimed towards entrepreneurs and small business owners. The objective of this session is to provide an overview of the basic legal do’s and don’ts that business owners should be familiar with. Our discussion will be broken into four topics, which are most relevant to entrepreneurs and new businesses: (1) choosing a business type; (2) regulation and licences; (3) contracts; and (4) intellectual property. 

First, we will discuss different ways to constitute a business. We will highlight the distinctions between a sole-proprietorship, a partnership and a corporation; as well as compare the benefits and drawbacks of each. 

Second, we will discuss regulations and licences. In this section, we will address the pertinence of GST/HST accounts, the legality of running a home office and the logistics of hiring employees.

Third, we will examine common contractual documents, which entrepreneurs and small businesses will employ, such as letters of intent and non-disclosure agreements, and explain the purpose of each.

Finally, we will address three basic intellectual property considerations, which are copyright, trademarks and patents.

Speaker Bios: 

Sebastien Pepin: 

Sebastien is completing his JD/MBA at the University of Ottawa, where he was awarded the Jay S. Hennick Business and Community Leadership scholarship. Throughout his studies, Sebastien was a teaching assistant for numerous business and law courses as well as an editor of the Ottawa Law Review.  Sebastien Pepin was a summer student in Gowling WLG’s Toronto Office for the 2016 summer and will be returning to Gowling WLG for his articling. 

Prior to attending law school, Sebastien worked as a risk analyst and portfolio manager at an export credit agency. 

Sebastien holds a bachelor of commerce (magna cum laude), specializing in finance, from the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa. During his undergraduate studies, Sebastien worked as a financial analyst with various federal agencies.

Judy Tian:

Judy is a 3^rd year Common Law (J.D.) and Political Science (B.Soc.Sc) student at the University of Ottawa. 

Prior to law school, she worked as a legal assistant at a boutique immigration law firm in Toronto. During law school, Judy developed a keen interest in business law through her work with Celtic House Venture Partners, a venture capital firm in Ottawa, and as a summer law student at the Ontario Securities Commission in Toronto—which is Canada’s largest capital markets regulator.

Judy enjoys being involved in the academic community. She served as a Vice-President of the University of Ottawa Business Law Society and has worked with Professor Colleen Flood to develop the privacy framework for a mobile app. Recently, she led a workshop on privacy and mobile technologies during the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute’s Clinical Research Week.