ashlee@froeselaw.com

Ashlee Froese is a branding & fashion lawyer and trademark agent with over 14 years' experience. She is recognized by the Law Society of Ontario as a Certified Specialist in Trademarks Law; 1 of 6 female lawyers to carry that designation. Since 2017, Ashlee is consistently listed in the World Trademark Review as one of the top 1000 trademark lawyers in the world. In 2019, Ashlee was one of 39 lawyers across Canada to be granted the Lexpert Zenith Award, which recognizes her as a change maker in law. In 2021, Ashlee was granted the World Intellectual Property Review’s Diversity award as an Influential Woman in IP, one of only 69 lawyers worldwide. In 2022, Ashlee was an awardee with the Canadian Law Awards in the Female Trailblazer of the Year category. Prior to launching Froese Law, Ashlee was a partner on Bay Street. She fast tracked to partnership within 6 years.

Ashlee's scope of practice includes trademarks, copyright, contract, licensing, domain name, social media, marketing/advertising, packaging/labeling and start up corporate laws.

Ashlee holds numerous leadership and mentorship positions including, executive committee member (Ontario Bar Association), brand strategy council member (Canadian Marketing Association), advisor (Ryerson Fashion Zone), committee member (Intellectual Property Institute of Canada), committee member (International Trademarks Association), past co-chair (Fashion Group International), and past-chair (Toronto Intellectual Property Group), chair (City of Toronto's Fashion Industry Advisory Panel).

Ashlee is a frequent guest speaker and published author on branding and fashion law. She has lectured at law schools, universities, law societies and industry associations throughout North America. She has been published in magazines, academic publications and is a contributing author to a book. Ashlee frequently provides her commentary to the media on leading branding and fashion law matters.

Antonio Viera

CORPORATE LAW CLERK

Antonio has been a law clerk since 2005. In addition to his years of experience with incorporations, amalgamations, continuances, dissolutions, and ongoing corporate maintenance matters, he has extensive experience in various areas of corporate law, franchise law, tax reorganizations, estate freezes, including share and asset purchase and sale transactions, due diligence reviews and trust work. Antonio also has extensive experience in the area of not-for-profit and charities law. He has assisted with charitable registrations, continuances and maintenance of private and public foundations and charitable organizations. Antonio is a member of The Institute of Law Clerks of Ontario and is fluent in both English and Spanish.

Kara Allanch

GOVERNMENT GRANT CONSULTANT

Kara is a government grant consultant with 20 years of experience in research, research administration and project management, market assessments, strategic advising and proposal development coordination and support across a broad range of disciplines. Kara began her career in medical research, studying kidney transplant rejection. She then moved into university research administration where she first negotiated research funding and intellectual property agreements between the university and industry partners, and later became the Manager of Institutional Programs, where her team was responsible for the cradle-to-grave selection, development and administration of Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) funding. Kara was the main point of contact between the CFI and the university for a portfolio of over 150 ongoing projects.  Since 2020 Kara has been working directly with start-up companies and academic researchers to provide strategic advice and to develop proposals for non-dilutive funding opportunities.

Jurate Motiejunaite

GOVERNMENT GRANT CONSULTANT

Jurate is a writing professional with over 15 years of international experience in research, grant proposal writing, and project management. Her writing expertise involves grant application writing for Alberta Innovates, NRC IRAP, CanExport, and Business Plans. She has worked with a myriad of industries including software companies, Oil & Gas companies, small start-ups in Canada, and educational NGOs in Europe.