Department profile
Fasken

Startups & Emerging Companies

Canada Guide 2027 : Nationwide - Canada

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Fasken

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About

Provided by Fasken

Supporting trailblazing startups, venture capital funds and acquirers of high-growth tech companies for over 30 years - from startup to scale-up to exit.

Fasken is the only full-service Canadian law firm with a fully integrated national team of lawyers, dedicated to working with emerging and growth-stage companies with end-to-end strategic legal advice and representation at every stage.

As the first Canadian law firm to support startups, our team has been in market since the 1990s and has lived through many cycles in the technology landscape. We work closely with companies to understand their needs and provide bespoke solutions that fit each lifecycle stage, guiding clients forward as they scale. 

We take a holistic and strategic approach to helping our clients achieve their goals and provide a full suite of services including corporate, venture capital (VC) financings, M&A, commercial, intellectual (IP), data and compliance, employment, tax and beyond.

Our team is deeply involved in the national and international technology ecosystem working closely with accelerators and incubators, investors and other key players in the ecosystem. We work closely with best-in-class VC funds in Canada, the United States and globally. 

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Startups & Emerging Companies - Nationwide - Canada

Band 1

What the Team is Known For

Fasken is highly regarded for its ability to service early-stage companies throughout development, with noteworthy experience advising emerging technology companies and software developers. The firm's startup and emerging company services practice also offers expertise to early-stage entrepreneurs, venture capital funds and private equity firms looking to invest in this space. It regularly handles seed and pre-seed financings as well as later-stage rounds, acting for both emerging companies and investors, and holds additional experience in debt financing as well as M&A transactions. The firm also handles related IP and tax matters, and is particularly well known for its key strengths in Vancouver and Montréal.

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Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • Fasken assisted UniUni on all aspects of its financings, strategic transactions and commercial legal work.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • The team at Fasken is consistently creative and its combination of technical excellence, commercial judgement and accessibility is rare.

    Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

  • The team at Fasken is attentive, knowledgeable and strategic.

    Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

  • Fasken has significant experience in this space and as such is able to provide strong advice. The lawyers have excellent awareness of our context and it is a very experienced team.

    Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

  • Fasken demonstrates a strong understanding of current market practices, which allows it to approach transactions in a pragmatic and commercially reasonable manner.

    Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

  • The Fasken team understands the full context of our business and the advice is always calibrated to what actually matters.

    Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Ally Bharmal
    Ally Bharmal

    Ally Bharmal

    Ally Bharmal assists with transactions as well as financing involving high-growth companies from a variety of sectors, including technology. He is based in Vancouver.

    • Ally is a top-notch adviser.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada
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  • Marc Shewchun
    Marc Shewchun

    Marc Shewchun

    Marc Shewchun's practice is based in Toronto and his clients stem from a variety of sectors, including technology. He has considerable experience advising clients on early-stage financings.

    • Marc is an absolutely fantastic lawyer. He is extremely thoughtful and always goes above and beyond.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

    • Marc is awesome. He is intelligent and great at communicating.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

    • Marc is always in our corner. He is someone I rely on for sound, commercially-minded advice and he consistently goes beyond the legal question to help us think through the business implications.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

    • Marc is a pleasure to work with. He understands our industry and makes an effort to stay connected to our business objectives and vision.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada
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  • Will Shaw
    Will Shaw

    Will Shaw

    Will Shaw is the coleader of the emerging technology group in Toronto. He is renowned for his ability to provide counsel to venture capital firms and early-stage companies on a broad range of issues, such as acquisitions and financings.

    • Will is an incredible lawyer who is very knowledgeable about the industry and our business.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

    • Will combines genuine technical depth with real commercial judgement and the emotional intelligence to navigate hard situations.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada
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  • Adam Saskin
    Adam Saskin

    Adam Saskin

    Adam Saskin assists emerging technology companies with sales, financings and acquisitions.

    • Adam is a truly trusted adviser.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

    • Adam is terrific.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

    • Adam is an exceptional partner. He is responsive, commercially-minded and genuinely invested in understanding our business.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada
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  • Jon Conlin
    Jon Conlin

    Jon Conlin

    Based in Vancouver, Jon Conlin advises high-growth technology companies and venture capital funds on financings, sales and acquisitions.

    • Jon has both vision and execution. He is the full package.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

    • Jon is incredibly knowledgeable, committed and professional.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

    • Jon Conlin is very efficient and very practical.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada
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  • Shahrooz Nabavi
    Shahrooz Nabavi

    Shahrooz Nabavi

    Shahrooz Nabavi is a Vancouver-based lawyer with deep expertise on venture capital financings.

    • Shahrooz has a combination of pace, depth and commitment. He understands not just the legal dimensions of what we face, but the strategic ones.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada

    • Shahrooz is an excellent lawyer and adviser.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada
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  • Constantinos Ragas
    Constantinos Ragas

    Constantinos Ragas

    Constantinos Ragas is the national colead of Fasken's emerging technology and venture capital group. He advises on strategic transactions and financings to growth-stage companies.

    • Constantinos is outstanding to work with. He combines strong legal expertise with a highly practical, business-oriented mindset, consistently providing clear and actionable guidance.

      Startups & Emerging Companies respondentCanada
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Ranked Individuals at Fasken (7)

Nationwide - Canada

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