Written by Emily Zheng JD Candidate 2024 | UCalgary Law Whether you are looking through a waiver, an agreement, or a policy, you will often find the same words and phrases used throughout the document, such as “material breach” and “reasonable standards.” This legal jargon – an ironic mix of vague but somewhat understandable sets of words – may be familiar to those studying and practicing law, but how are other members of the public supposed to read them? This blog post will explain a few common phrases often used in standard form agreements. “…in consideration of…” Every contract must have t ..read more

Written by Brody Gray JD Candidate 2024 | UCalgary Law Intro: The modern world of entrepreneurial spirit includes more and more individuals searching for their own “side hustle” in addition to their working commitments. The term side hustle can encapsulate anything from picking up a few extra shifts at a second job to starting your own company. Many entrepreneurs may even be tied up in multiple side hustles turned early-stage companies as they go about their business careers. The formation of these companies is a key component to a healthy and growing economy. Still, entrepreneurs taking on a ..read more

Written by Christian Rossi JD Candidate 2024 | UCalgary Law When incorporating a business, filing the requisite documentation with the appropriate government authority and paying the associated fees is necessary. One critical document is the Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles”). Detailed requirements for the contents of the Articles have been outlined in a previous BVC blog post.[1]   Share Classes   Among the crucial considerations within the Articles is the corporation’s share structure. The Articles allow for one or more classes of shares. The Articles must set out the righ ..read more

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Written by Ali Abdulla JD Candidate 2024 | UCalgary Law   Background - What are “Articles of Incorporation”? To incorporate a corporation under Alberta’s Business Corporations Act (the “ABCA”), the incorporator must send an application package to the Registrar of Corporations.[1] The most significant document in this application package is the “articles of incorporation”, which is a so-called “constating document” that establishes the corporation. Certain information must be set out in the articles of incorporation, including: the name of the corporation, the classes of shares the corpor ..read more

Written by Alec Colwell JD Candidate 2025 | UCalgary Law Termination is a common occurrence in start-up businesses. Employees don’t always work out as anticipated at the time of hire – this is even more true in a start-up where roles are typically less defined, highly dynamic, and lacking in established procedures.[1] The government and the courts have recognized that it would significantly disrupt employees' lives if they could be suddenly terminated with no time to seek replacement employment. To mitigate this problem, the mandatory minimums for reasonable notice were established. The Emplo ..read more

Written by Krystian Sekowski JD Candidate 2025 | UCalgary Law In the realm where risk intertwines with innovation, Tyler Cowen illuminates the American venture capital (VC) system in his book "Big Business: A Love Letter to an American Anti-Hero." In his chapter on VC, Cowen explains how the American VC system emerges as a global beacon, a lifeline for visionary minds whose ground-breaking ideas are not yet primed for the public market. Cowen emphasizes that VC, often synonymous with Silicon Valley's tech juggernauts, symbolizes America's exceptional ability to nurture fledgling firms with ex ..read more

Written by Justin Chia JD Candidate 2025 | UCalgary Law Non-compete provisions are key mechanisms that start-ups and companies use to safeguard trade secrets and other sensitive information that employees may obtain during employment.[1] The primary concern with non-compete clauses is their potential to unfairly restrict an individual’s ability to find employment in their preferred trade or occupation.[2] Clauses with narrow geographic and temporal terms are more likely to be upheld by the courts in Canada. Additionally, courts are more likely to uphold restrictions on activities in which the ..read more

Written by Brody Gray JD Candidate 2024 | UCalgary Law The OpenAI Story The recent news story of OpenAI brings the question of corporate governance and control into the spotlight. The story began on Friday, November 17th, when OpenAI announced they would be parting ways with CEO Sam Altman. The board ousted Altman after losing confidence in his ability due to an apparent lack of communication.[1] This news kicked off a weekend of high-tech corporate drama the likes of which Hollywood can only dream of.             By Monday morning, Altma ..read more

Written by Zachary Kennedy JD Candidate 2024 | UCalgary Law In the constantly changing world of software development, joint coding ventures have become the norm. As groups of independent developers converge to develop intricate programs and applications, the need to clarify and establish intellectual property rights for jointly authored programs has never been more critical. Innovation in this field thrives on the collaboration of distinct and diverse minds. Still, when done without a well-defined framework, the potential for authorship disputes, the preservation of moral rights, potential li ..read more