OUR TEAM

Ashlee Froese is a branding & fashion lawyer and trademark agent. She has been practicing law since 2007. 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.

ASHLEE FROESE

OUR TEAM

Weiyi Chang

GOVERNMENT GRANT CONSULTANT

Weiyi Chang has more than 5 years of experience in government, corporate, and foundation grant management. With a background in non-profit development, Weiyi has successfully attained grant funding for both individuals and organizations in the visual arts, technology, and skills development sectors. She has raised more than $17M in non-dilutive funding from federal, provincial, and municipal funding agencies, as well as corporations and foundations. Weiyi also has extensive experience managing complex, multi-stage government-funded projects and helping organizations remain compliant with government regulations.

In addition to her grant consulting work, Weiyi is also a writer, editor, and curator who has curated exhibitions and public programs in Canada, the United States, and Germany. Her art criticism has been published in Canadian Art, C Magazine, and Luma Quarterly and she has contributed critical writing to books and catalogues published by the Whitney Museum of American Art, Documenta 14, Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, and others.

As an independent writer and curator, Weiyi has received project and professional development funding from the British Columbia Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts for her work focused on the intersection between contemporary art, climate change, and environmental ethics.

Weiyi is currently the 2023-24 Writer-in-Residence at Gallery 44, a photo-based artist-run centre located in downtown Toronto. Previously, Weiyi was a 2019-20 Helena Rubinstein Curatorial Fellow at the Whitney Museum of American Art's Independent Study Program and she holds degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of British Columbia and Western University.

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.

Salman Rana

Salman Rana is a Toronto based music, copyright and licensing lawyer working with musicians, artists and others in the creative industries who has been practicing law since 2006.

In addition to Salman's legal practice, he is also an Assistant Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University's Creative School (previously Ryerson University) where he teaches in the Creative Industries and Professional Music programs. He teaches and lectures on copyright law and policy, cultural studies of law, the sociology of law, celebrity, creativity and management principles in the creative industries.

Salman was a performing artist and a founding member of the Hip Hop artist collective, The Circle, along with celebrated artists Kardinal Offishall, Saukrates, Choclair and Jully Black.

Salman studied law at Osgoode Hall Law School and holds masters degrees in law from McGill University and the University of Oxford. He is currently a doctoral candidate at McGill University's Faculty of Law where his work explores the intersection of artistic subcultures, law and normativity.

Drawing on his legal practice and academic research and teaching, Salman provides valuable insight into artists and entrepreneurs in the cultural industries sector.

Hillary LeBlanc

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

As an Acadian-Senegalese woman, Hillary has spent her career working in Communications in the non-profit sector helping share stories of those in marginalised communities she herself has lived experience in. From this, Hillary founded BlackLantic, a podcast bringing East Coast voices to the world. As a journalist she has written for Narcity. CBC, ByBlacks, Addicted Magazine, AnnKM, produced her own radio series and hosted several red carpets. From sustainability, philanthropy or highlighting marginalized communities, her voice aims to be an extension for any who remain unheard.

She sits on Fashion Group International Toronto’s board and has recently co-curated Cry Baby Art Gallery and thrown a fashion show in the space!

She was nominated for Youth Entrepreneur of the Year by the Black Business Initiative, has won the inaugural Canadian Women’s Foundation Feminist Creator Prize, and received distinction from the House of Commons.

She holds a degree in English from l’Université de Moncton.