Originally published in 2018. Updated July 2025 for context.
You have a game-changing idea. Your business plan is strong, the market research is complete, and funding is secured. You’re ready to launch. But there’s one crucial step many entrepreneurs miss: legal advice. Especially when it comes to intellectual property, skipping this step can derail even the most promising startup.
Silvia de Sousa, a business lawyer at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP (TDS), has seen this scenario play out often. Specializing in IP, life sciences, and tech law, de Sousa works with entrepreneurs to ensure their companies are built on solid legal ground.
“When it comes to intellectual property, it’s absolutely critical to start on the right legal footing,” she says. “Even the best ideas can fail if they aren’t protected properly.”
A powerful partnership with North Forge
Recognizing the need to better equip Manitoba’s startup ecosystem, TDS formed a strategic partnership with North Forge. Together, they provide early-stage companies with legal guidance through workshops, presentations, and a startup legal clinic focused on foundational protection.
“Working with North Forge allows us to connect directly with founders who need legal advice,” says de Sousa. “Our goal is to help them avoid the legal pitfalls that can delay or destroy momentum.”
Through this partnership, North Forge founders gain access to legal resources that might otherwise be out of reach. It’s a proactive approach that helps startups navigate IP ownership, contracts, equity distribution, and more.
Community commitment and lasting impact
Keith LaBossiere, CEO and Managing Partner at TDS, says this community involvement reflects the firm’s values.
“Our lawyers have always been deeply committed to giving back to Manitoba’s business community,” says LaBossiere. “Being part of the startup journey is inspiring and it benefits our team just as much as it benefits the founders.”
That commitment was especially evident during TDS’s involvement with the Manitoba Open Innovation Challenge, where the firm offered legal expertise to help develop solutions to the province’s challenges in child literacy and numeracy.
Whether working on tech innovations or social impact ventures, LaBossiere emphasizes that legal guidance is vital.
“You always want to make sure your IP and structure are secure,” he says. “That’s how you protect your most valuable assets.”
The North Forge advantage
North Forge continues to build meaningful partnerships with experts like TDS to ensure every founder has the tools, mentorship, and protection they need. From incorporation and equity structuring to trademark strategy, these early legal supports help businesses avoid costly missteps.
Interested in starting or supporting a startup?
Explore the North Forge Founders Program to access expert mentorship, legal clinics, and everything you need to grow with confidence. Or partner with us to help empower the next wave of Canadian innovators.
