The
information technology and related computing industries in Canada constitute
almost six percent of our nation's total GDP, and it is difficult to think of a
business that does not depend on data processing, automated business
systems, advanced communications, electronic records, the Internet and some
form of e-commerce, and the developing integration of content, communications
and computing in convergent transactions. Bennett Jones represents some of the
world's largest multinational IT and computing enterprises as well as small
businesses that depend upon IT infrastructures.
Our IT lawyers are regularly retained by large
and sophisticated clients, including general counsel, CIOs, audit committees,
business development executives and procurement directors to provide legal,
consulting and transactional assistance related to: technology development;
R&D transactions: strategic alliances; business intelligence software
procurement; ERP, CRM and all related enterprise systems procurement and
implementation; IT consulting retainers; VAR, marketing representative and
other distribution channel transactions; offshore manufacturing; convergence
transactions among communications, entertainment and computing enterprises; new
media transactions, including sensory technologies and all gaming products and
services; all aspects of regulation, such as export control, CICA audit
guidelines for data processing, technology standards, regulatory compliance and
privacy matters; IT governance issues; procurement best practices, including
RFPs, contracting processes and related risk management; e-commerce and website
legal issues; B2B exchanges and B2B procurement; Internet and IT use policies;
and large and complex outsourcing and related shared service transactions.
Our IT vendor clients include emerging IT businesses and some of the world's
most sophisticated multinational IT and computing corporations. We assist
foreign IT businesses to penetrate the Canadian market, develop their
distribution strategies, execute transactions and ensure that they are carrying
on business in full legal compliance in Canada. Industries who purchase and
depend upon IT that we are best known for representing include: manufacturing;
telecommunications; mining sector; both established energy and emerging energy
sectors, such as atomic, oil and gas, wind power, agra-fuels, and hydrogen fuel
cell; health care sectors; the finance sectors, such as banking, insurance and
investment applications of IT; all highly regulated industries, such as the
media, transportation and pharmaceutical sectors; and many municipalities,
provincial governments, quasi-governmental agencies and Crown corporations.