AXL and Dentons Announce Strategic Partnership to Advance Legal Innovation with AI
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TORONTO — Today, AXL, a Canadian venture studio transforming AI research into high-growth companies, and Dentons, Canada's Global Law Firm, have announced a strategic partnership to shape the legal industry's next evolution with AI.
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Together, Dentons and AXL will co-develop ventures that will accelerate the pace of innovation across the legal field and bring outdated workflows, pricing, access, and indeed, the very definition of legal services, into the future. Dentons also becomes the exclusive legal partner to AXL and the preferred provider to its growing portfolio of ventures, bringing legal insight into the early stages of AI innovation and commercialization.
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'This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to staying at the forefront of legal innovation and AI,' said Tim Haney, CEO of Dentons Canada. 'By collaborating closely with AXL, we will unlock new models for how technology can enable us to provide exponential value to our clients through innovation.'
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AXL is led by one of Canada's top innovators, Dr. Daniel Wigdor, who is fuelling Canada's AI research-to-commercialization pipeline with a mission to launch 50 AI-powered companies over the next five years. Its proprietary model merges cutting-edge AI research from the University of Toronto with real-world industry insight through its AI Catalyst program, a corporate partnership initiative designed to validate and accelerate breakthrough ideas.
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'We're proud to partner with Dentons, a firm with global scale, legal sophistication, and a strategic AI roadmap that's moving legal innovation forward,' said Dr. Daniel Wigdor, Co-Founder and CEO of AXL. 'Together, we're launching companies that will define what practical and scalable AI applications will look like in practice.'
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Dentons joins a growing group of leading Canadian organizations collaborating with AXL in 'think tanks' to explore high-impact applications of AI that will drive efficiency in their industries. Beyond shaping the direction of new ventures, Dentons will be involved in bringing companies to market, ensuring each company is built on genuine market demand, atop deep customer insights, and is positioned for scale.
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'With AXL, we are not just offering legal services to startups – we are contributing to the formation of AI ventures from day one,' said Mike Hollinger, Partner and Toronto Leader of Dentons' Venture Technology and Emerging Growth Companies Group. 'Together, we are reimagining how legal services are delivered. This partnership puts Dentons and AXL at the center of that transformation.'
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Through collaboration and visionary thinking, Dentons and AXL will co-create and deliver cutting-edge AI tools to drive innovation – from Canada, for the world.
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'The last time legal services fundamentally changed, it was because of a research lab,' added Dr. Wigdor. 'Lawyers modelled the modern law firm after Thomas Edison's lab — teams of associates supporting partners to boost output and value. Dentons and AXL are now picking up where that transformation left off, building the next wave of practical, scalable AI applications for law.'
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To learn more about this strategic partnership, watch this video with Tim Haney and Daniel Wigdor at Dentons' North American AI Legal Summit. Daniel's keynote address can also be viewed here.
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About Dentons
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Dentons is Canada's Global Law Firm – capitalizing on expansive geographic reach and national strength to provide a tailored experience for clients, wherever they do business. We collaborate with our clients and incorporate our deep understanding of their priorities to achieve the best outcome, blending the creative with the practical. We are more than legal advisors, we are global problem-solvers.
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Globally ranked in the Top 10 for venture and M&A deals (Pitchbook), Dentons' Venture Technology and Emerging Growth Companies Group has acquired a reputation as one of Canada's top legal advisors to growth-oriented technology companies. Access our Startup Resource Hub for legal insights and templates.
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About AXL
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AXL is a Canadian venture studio transforming world-class research into high-growth companies that shape the future of applied AI. Led by seasoned tech entrepreneurs and applied AI experts, AXL's mission is to ensure Canada's top breakthroughs are built and scaled at home. By connecting academia with real market demand and full-stack venture creation, AXL helps Canada move from invention to impact, anchoring talent, intellectual property, and long-term economic value within the country.
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Contacts
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For Dentons media inquiries, contact:
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Magatte Diop
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Dentons Canada
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magatte.diop@dentons.com
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Rachael D'Amore
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Canada and the UAE will continue to deepen their bilateral relationship by exploring new opportunities for cooperation, with particular emphasis on economic ties. Both countries welcomed the launch of the Dubai Chambers office in Toronto-the organization's first in North America-which will serve as a strategic platform to foster deeper commercial ties. The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Canada's Minister of International Trade, attended the launch of the International Dubai Chambers alongside His Excellency Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, the UAE Foreign Minister's Envoy to Canada. The new office comes as part of the Dubai Global initiative and deepening economic ties with Canada. This opening reflects a shared ambition to unlock new opportunities for collaboration in priority sectors, including artificial intelligence, energy and infrastructure, and underscores Canada's important role in the UAE's global trade and investment strategy. Both countries also recognized the important role of the Canada-UAE Business Council in bringing together business leaders from both countries to develop actionable business opportunities and advance national economic objectives. Building on the strong foundation of institutional partnerships-exemplified by the global collaboration between Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec and DP World across 15 ports and logistics parks-both countries expressed their intent to pursue new avenues for strategic investment and long-term economic engagement. Canada and the UAE reiterated their commitment to the swift conclusion of the ongoing negotiations for a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA). The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Canada's Minister of International Trade, and Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, co-led a business round table on June 19, 2025, organized by the Canada-UAE Business Council. Artificial Intelligence, Emerging Technologies, and Digital Innovation: Recognizing the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI), both countries reaffirmed their interest in exploring collaboration in this critical domain. Canada, home to one of the world's most dynamic AI ecosystems, recently appointed its first Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, reflecting a renewed national commitment to responsible AI leadership. The UAE, a global leader in AI and the first to appoint a Minister of State for AI, has articulated a dedicated foreign policy position on AI, emphasizing principles of international cooperation, sustainable development and responsible governance. In this regard, the UAE continues to invest in talent development, infrastructure and technology-access frameworks. The Ministers welcomed ongoing dialogue between institutions and stakeholders to explore cooperation in AI and emerging technology research, commercialization, and responsible deployment. Both sides emphasized the importance of inclusive, secure, responsible, and sustainable AI development that supports innovation and economic growth. Water: Both countries recognized that water lies at the core of climate action, affirming their shared commitment to addressing global water challenges. Both sides underscored the need to strengthen international cooperation, highlighting the upcoming 2026 UN Water Conference, to be co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal, as a key opportunity to advance global water efforts. They also stressed the importance of investing in water technology and innovation to scale up water-scarcity solutions, as exemplified by the UAE's launch of the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative in early 2024. Energy and Natural Resources: Canada and the UAE reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing energy security and accelerating a just transition to a low-carbon economy. The UAE's growing investment footprint in Canada demonstrates the strong commercial foundation for future cooperation. Canada welcomed the UAE's interest in formalizing energy collaboration. Canada recognized the UAE's pioneering efforts in the energy sphere and welcomed the UAE's interest in promoting greater energy collaboration on an international level. Canada also expressed support for continued dialogue on joint initiatives in decarbonization, liquified natural gas, nuclear, hydrogen, and critical mineral value chains. In this context, Canada and the UAE highlighted their dedication to build on their current ties in the fields of energy and critical energy-transition minerals, while including a focus on promoting investment opportunities and enhancing mutual investment attraction. 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Through regular, high-level dialogue, the JC is advancing collaboration in priority areas such as trade and investment, defence and security, and climate and energy. Canada will host the next Ministerial meeting, reinforcing the shared commitment to sustained, results-driven engagement. International Development Cooperation: Canada and the UAE reaffirmed their mutual determination to address pressing global development and humanitarian challenges. Canada welcomed the UAE's role as a global development and humanitarian partner. Recognizing the unprecedented scale and severity of humanitarian crises around the world, Canada and the UAE reaffirmed their shared commitment to cooperate closely in delivering assistance and empowering communities. Both countries underscored the importance of this partnership, and committed to leveraging their complementary strengths, particularly during a time of intensifying conflicts around the world. 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People to People: Canada and the UAE celebrated their deepening people-to-people ties, which serve as a cornerstone of the growing bilateral partnership. Canada welcomed the increasing number of Emirati students in Canadian higher education institutions, reflecting mutual recognition of academic excellence. The UAE acknowledged the valuable contributions of the more than 60,000 Canadians living and working in the Emirates, who continue to enrich the diversity, innovation and vibrancy of UAE society. The two countries also stressed their shared commitment to cultural exchange and intercultural dialogue to foster mutual understanding and respect. Both sides recognize the landmark presentation of the "As the Sun Appears from Beyond" exhibition, which celebrates the richness and diversity of contemporary Islamic art, and recently showcased in Toronto through a partnership between the Aga Khan Museum and the UAE Ministry of Culture. Conclusion: The two sides reaffirmed their strong and growing relationship, rooted in mutual respect, shared objectives, and a common vision for sustainable prosperity and global stability. The visit marked a significant step forward in the Canada-UAE relationship. Both countries are committed to maintaining high-level engagement, concluding further mutually beneficial instruments, and building a durable, forward-looking partnership that delivers tangible benefits for their peoples and contributes to global peace and prosperity.
