Aliya Ramji (Chair)

Aliya Ramji is a partner of McCarthy Tetreault in Toronto focused exclusively on start-ups, scale-ups and other fast-growth businesses. In addition to delivering tailored legal advice and other strategic value to high-potential businesses in the start-up or scale-up phase, Aliya regularly advises venture capital, angel and strategic investors, as well as parties looking to create strategic alliances or partnerships with founders or start-ups.

Prior to joining the firm, Aliya was Senior Director, Legal and Corporate Affairs, at Figure 1, a highly successful med-tech start-up for healthcare professionals. Aliya delivered diverse legal and business advice, supporting Figure1 through global expansion to more than 100 countries, various strategic alliances, multiple rounds of venture capital financing, and a host of privacy, data governance and complex regulatory matters.

Aliya is immersed in Canada’s vibrant start-up sector, with particularly deep roots with founders, investors, incubators and academic programs in Toronto, Waterloo, Ottawa and Hamilton. Aliya brings a rare blend of technical legal expertise and business acumen, always underscored by a highly practical and results-oriented mindset. She “speaks the language” of start-ups and has a proven track-record of helping founders and investors seize opportunities, navigate challenges and grow successful businesses.

Aliya presents frequently on a broad range of issues facing founders and the start-up community, and authors a popular advice column “Ask Aliya”, for lawyers who are the first legal hire at their company. She also teaches Legal Aspects of International Business and Business Law at Ryerson University, and is a committed mentor to several founders and young lawyers, particularly women in start-ups. In 2016, Aliya was named one of the “Top 10 Thirty-Somethings” by the Association of Corporate Counsel and the “Young Alumni of Influence” by the University of Toronto, University College.

Aliya earned a J.D. from Queen’s University and a Masters in Law from NYU School of Law. She is called to the bar in Ontario and New York.