Law firms in recent years have experimented with a number of ways to hook tech startup clients early. Some firms, like Baker Donelson or Ballard Spahr, have tried the accelerator approach, offering space, mentorship and sometimes investments to startups as they try to scale out their products. Others, like Dentons’ NextLaw Labs, have looked at investing heavily in startups they can utilize in their own legal ecosystems.
Canadian law firm Blake, Cassels & Graydon is trying a variation on this offering, setting aside CA$1 million in subsidized legal services for startups emerging from the country’s Toronto-Waterloo corridor. The program, called Nitro, is a way for the firm to reach out to startups that may have the potential to become much bigger clients.
