CIPPIC

What CIPPIC does

CIPPIC is the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic at the Centre for Law, Technology and Society, University of Ottawa. CIPPIC is Canada’s first and only public interest technology law clinic. CIPPIC is unique in Canada, bringing together a team of expert legal professionals and students to advocate for the public interest in policy debates arising from the intersection of law and technology. CIPPIC advocates for the public interest on cutting edge issues including copyright law, data governance, algorithmic decision-making, internet governance, net neutrality, state surveillance, privacy and free speech. CIPPIC’s work resides at the heart of Canada’s innovation policy agenda: CIPPIC ensures respect for Canadians’ rights as the law responds to our use of ever-changing technologies. CIPPIC’s mandate includes three related missions. First, CIPPIC fills voids in policy-making by voicing public interest perspectives to technology policy makers in Parliament, in courts, in regulatory agencies, and in international Internet governance forums. Second, CIPPIC advises clients on technology law matters with a public interest dimension - clients who might not otherwise enjoy legal support. Finally, CIPPIC prepares public education resources and law student training on technology law issues. Support CIPPIC and champion a voice for the public interest in Canada’s tech policy debates. Housed within the University of Ottawa, financial support for CIPPIC qualifies as a charitable donation. Larger donations will be considered for the University of Ottawa’s donor matching plan, multiplying their benefit.

Name

CIPPIC

Legal name

Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic

Website

https://cippic.ca/en

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CIPPIC is the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic at the Centre for Law, Technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Interest Technology Law Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Offices of Lawyers (54111)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAALAB

Legal & Compliance (CLE, Paralegal CE)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Professional Licensure & Continuing Professional Education (CE/CPE)

SECONDARYEDAAALAL

Information Security, Privacy & IT Governance (CISSP CPE, Privacy CE)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Professional Licensure & Continuing Professional Education (CE/CPE)

Keywords

• Technology law clinic
• Public interest law
• Internet policy advocacy
• Pro bono legal counsel
• Digital policy research

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tax-deductible donations: CIPPIC relies on generous contributions of donors to maintain and expand its operations. Donations are tax-deductible and can be made as one-time or monthly gifts, annual gifts, corporate gifts, or planned gifts.
2. Government / institutional funding: CIPPIC was established in 2003 with proceeds from a class action lawsuit against Amazon.com, which a judge ordered be given to the University of Ottawa to start a law clinic. These court-ordered funds were matched by an Ontario Government initiative. In 2007, CIPPIC received a transformative gift from Prof. Pam Samuelson and Dr. Robert Glushko.
3. Student internship program fees: Summer interns from Canadian law schools receive a stipend for their participation in the 12-week program (early May to late July). This represents a form of institutional support flowing to the clinic for hosting student placements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CIPPIC is a public interest technology law clinic that provides pro bono legal counsel to clients with technology law matters implicating the public interest. It conducts public interest advocacy before Parliament, courts, regulatory agencies, and international bodies on key technology law and policy decisions, and produces public education materials on technology law topics including AI, privacy, copyright, and digital policy.

Product overview

CIPPIC (Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic) is Canada's first and only public interest technology law clinic based at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law. It is not a technology product company but rather a legal services and advocacy organization. Its offerings consist of three interrelated components: (1) public interest advocacy when Parliament, courts, regulatory agencies, and international bodies make key decisions about technology law and policy; (2) pro bono legal counsel to clients on technology law matters; and (3) public education materials and resources on technology law and policy issues. CIPPIC's work encompasses privacy, intellectual property, AI regulation, consumer rights, free expression, data governance, and algorithmic accountability. The organization operates academic internship programs for law students and conducts research and policy analysis on emerging technology law issues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pro Bono Legal Counsel on Technology Law Matters
• Public Interest Advocacy before Parliament, Courts, Regulators, and International Bodies
• Public Education Materials on Technology Law and Policy
• Academic Internship Program in Technology Law

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Jordan Zed (Assistant Secretary for Artificial Intelligence, Government of Canada)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 August 2025Jordan Zed, the federal government's Assistant Secretary for Artificial Intelligence, participated as a speaker in CIPPIC's Speaker Series, discussing Canada's path to AI adoption and providing a frank assessment of the pivotal moment Canada faces in AI strategy.
• Canadian government / AI SecretariatminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 August 2025CIPPIC engages with the Canadian government's AI Secretariat and officials (including Jordan Zed, Assistant Secretary for AI) to provide expertise and advocacy on AI policy and regulation.
• Sarah Scheffler (Assistant Professor, Carnegie Mellon University)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2024Sarah Scheffler, Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, collaborated with CIPPIC on its submission to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner on privacy and age assurance. She contributed expertise on privacy-preserving age assurance systems.
• Madelyne Xiao (PhD Candidate, Princeton University)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2024Madelyne Xiao, PhD Candidate at Princeton University, collaborated with CIPPIC on its submission on age assurance. She brought research expertise to the submission's analysis of privacy-preserving age verification technologies.
• Pierre-Luc Déziel (Full Professor, Université Laval)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2024Pierre-Luc Déziel, Full Professor at Université Laval's law faculty, collaborated with CIPPIC on its submission on age assurance. He contributed legal expertise on privacy and technology law matters.
• University of Ottawa Faculty of LawcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003CIPPIC is based at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law. The clinic is funded in part by proceeds from a class action lawsuit against Amazon.com ordered by a judge to be given to the University of Ottawa to start a technology law clinic. These funds were matched by an Ontario Government initiative.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Samuelson-Glushko Center for AI, Law, and Policy: Berkeley Law's technology law and policy research centre, also supported by Prof. Pam Samuelson and Dr. Robert Glushko. It is one of the five North American technology law clinics funded by the same benefactors as CIPPIC, making it the closest structural and programmatic peer.
• Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society: Harvard's flagship interdisciplinary research centre on internet law, policy, and technology governance. It operates at the same intersection of public interest technology law and academic research that defines CIPPIC, and is regularly cited in the same policy debates.
• Stanford Center for Internet and Society: Stanford Law's programme on internet and technology law, focused on civil liberties, privacy, and digital policy. Operates a similar model combining academic research, advocacy, and engagement with courts and regulators.
• Electronic Frontier Foundation: U.S. non-profit public interest organisation litigating, advocating, and educating on technology and civil liberties issues. EFF is a leading comparable in the same public interest technology law space, particularly on privacy and free expression matters that align with CIPPIC's mandate.
• Center for Democracy & Technology: Non-profit that advocates for strong civil liberties protections in the digital age. CDT's combination of policy advocacy, litigation, and public education on AI and privacy mirrors CIPPIC's mandate and intervention style.
• Future of Privacy Forum: Non-profit that serves as a catalyst for advancing principled data practices, providing thought leadership on AI governance, biometrics, and youth privacy — areas that overlap directly with CIPPIC's recent advocacy priorities.

Regional players

• Canadian Civil Liberties Association: Canadian non-profit that regularly intervenes in Supreme Court cases on Charter and privacy issues. CCLA is a recurring co-intervenor with CIPPIC and shares its Canadian public interest law focus.
• OpenMedia: Canadian non-profit that engages on digital policy, privacy, and surveillance through public campaigns. OpenMedia's grassroots engagement model complements CIPPIC's legal advocacy on overlapping issues like Bill C-34 and Bill C-36.

Emerging players

• Internet Law Lab: Research and advocacy organisation focused on internet platform regulation and AI accountability. Its emerging portfolio on platform governance and AI harms intersects with CIPPIC's current advocacy on age assurance and AI accountability gaps.
• Public Knowledge: U.S. public interest advocacy organisation working on technology, copyright, and consumer rights. Its copyright and IP reform portfolio mirrors CIPPIC's copyright registration work, including the CIPPIC v. Sahni AI authorship case.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cippic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cippic-ca
• Facebookfacebook.com/sameulson-glushko-canadian-internet-policy-and-public-interest-clinic-122617034425701

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CIPPIC