Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic
About Us
The Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC) is Canada’s first and only public interest technology law clinic. Based at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law, our team of legal experts and law students works together to advance the public interest on critical law and technology issues.
Our mandate has three interrelated components:
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we speak up for the public interest when Parliament, courts, regulatory agencies, international bodies, and private companies make key decisions about technology law and policy;
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we provide pro bono legal counsel to clients with technology law matters that implicate the public interest; and
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we develop public education materials and resources on technology law and policy issues.
CIPPIC was established in 2003 and is one of five technology law clinics across North America to benefit from the generous financial support of Prof. Pam Samuelson and Dr. Robert Glushko. Learn more about how you can support CIPPIC’s public interest mission by making a tax-deductible donation.
CIPPIC acknowledges that its offices are located on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Nation.
CIPPIC Staff
Funding
CIPPIC was established in 2003 with proceeds from a class action lawsuit against Amazon.com, which a judge ordered to be given to the University of Ottawa to start a law clinic to advance the public interest on key technology law issues. These court-ordered funds were matched by an Ontario Government initiative to support technology-related research at several Ontario Universities. In 2007, CIPPIC received a transformative gift from Prof. Pam Samuelson and Dr. Robert Glushko of the Berkeley, California, that allowed it to become a leading voice in Canadian and international technology law and policy discussions.
CIPPIC relies on the generous contributions of donors to maintain and expand its operations. Please visit our Donations page to make a tax-deductible contribution to us today, or reach out to our Director to discuss funding opportunities.
Our Team
Dr. Bassem Awad
Director
Dr. Bassem Awad is CIPPIC's Director and holder of the Samuelson-Glushko Professorship of Law as an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law, Common Law Section. His work focuses on intellectual property, technology law, innovation policy, artificial intelligence, big data governance, access to medicines, and green technology innovation. He teaches, publishes, and supervises graduate students in both English and French.
Before joining CIPPIC, Professor Awad was a faculty member at Western University’s Faculty of Law, where he directed the Area of Concentration in Intellectual Property, Information, and Technology Law. He also founded and served as Faculty Director of the Western Intellectual Property and Innovation Legal Clinic. He previously served as Deputy Director for Intellectual Property Law and Innovation at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, leading research and policy work on intellectual property, technology governance, and innovation policy.
Professor Awad brings significant international experience to CIPPIC. He is a former judge of the Courts of Appeal in Egypt and Abu Dhabi, has served since 2021 as Chair and Coordinator of the Intellectual Property Taskforce at the African Scientific Research and Innovation Council of the African Union, and has been a Visiting Professor at the WIPO Academy since 2010. He has advised governments, international organizations, and regional institutions across Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Canada.
Professor Awad holds a Ph.D. and an LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law and Information Technology from the University of Montpellier, an LL.M. in International Business Law from Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, and completed postdoctoral research at Western University’s Faculty of Law.
David Fewer is an intellectual property and technology lawyer who brings over twenty-five years of experience to CIPPIC's advocacy. Prior to joining CIPPIC, David practised with national firms in British Columbia and Ontario and clerked with the Federal Court of Canada. His graduate legal studies focused on intellectual property policy and the Charter’s significance for copyright. He teaches, writes, and speaks on technology's influence on law and society.
David Fewer
General Counsel
Melissa is a recent graduate of the J.D. program at the University of Ottawa, and holds a B.A. in History from Queen’s University. Before studying law, Melissa spent nearly a decade working in digital advertising, most recently as Director of eCommerce at Publicis Media Canada. During law school, she interned at CIPPIC, led the University of Ottawa Tech Fellows, and served as Team Captain for the University of Ottawa’s Harold G. Fox Intellectual Property Moot team.
Melissa Dupuis-Crane
Staff Lawyer
Gareth Spanglett recently completed his J.D. part time at the University of Ottawa specializing in technology and intellectual property. He has completed his articles, also part time, at CIPPIC, and was called to the Ontario Bar in June, 2026. He has over two decades of industry experience in information technology and data-driven solutions. He is currently an AI solutions architect and continues to work part time at CIPPIC.