Six Teams Move Forward in Access to Justice Challenge
Legal Innovation Startup Teams Competing for $50,000 in Seed Funding
Toronto, ON – July 21, 2016 - The Legal Innovation Zone (LIZ) at Toronto Metropolitan University and Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General announced the six stage one winners in the Ontario Access to Justice Challenge. The Ontario Access to Justice Challenge will help fuel the success of these six innovative Ontario startups that are building products and solutions that challenge the status quo of legal services and enhance access to justice.
Congratulations to the following startups: Codify Legal Publishing (external link) , JusticeTrans (external link) , Law Scout Inc. (external link) , Legally Inc. (external link) , Lex Cortex Ltd (external link) , and ParDONE.
These six teams gain entry into the LIZ including working space, access to mentors, advisors and other resources and unique opportunities. The chosen startups will spend the next four months working from the space to grow their company with the potential to have a significant impact on access to justice in Ontario.
“Improving access to justice is a key priority for our government. With our government’s support, the Ontario Access to Justice Challenge will create innovative new products and technologies that will help make accessing and understanding Ontario’s justice system faster and easier,” said Attorney General Yasir Naqvi. “I am very eager to see the result of the energy and creativity devoted to this cause as these ideas come to life through the Legal Innovation Zone.”
“Finding innovative solutions to tackle access to justice issues is essential in today’s ever changing world,” said Chris Bentley, Executive Director of the LIZ. “I can’t wait to see what these six teams accomplish over the next four months”
After four months of incubation these six startups will compete for $50,000 in seed money with the top prize being $25,000. Each of the three winning startups will also be invited to stay in the Legal Innovation Zone for an additional four months.
Judges for stage one of the competition were: Meredith Brown, Executive Director, Innovation for Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General; Lynn Burns, Executive Director of Pro Bono Ontario; Peter Carayiannis, Partner at Deloitte Conduit Law; and Hersh Perlis, Director of the Legal Innovation Zone.
The Ontario A2J Challenge was a call to startups with innovative solutions that aim to improve access to justice for Canadians. For more information, visit our website.
About Legal Innovation Zone at TMU
The Legal Innovation Zone is a co-working space and incubator for the people whose ideas will change the status quo of Canada’s legal system. The Legal Innovation Zone helps support, foster and develop solutions and technologies that aim to improve the justice system and legal services.
For further information, contact:
Hersh Perlis, Director, Legal Innovation Zone, hperlis@torontomu.ca or 416-562-9911
Clare Graham, Office of the Hon. Yasir Naqvi, Ministry of the Attorney General, 416-326-7071
Brendan Crawley, Communications Branch, Ministry of the Attorney General, 416-326-2210