Unlawyer
Reliable, On-Demand, Business-Minded
Legal Services for your Scaling Company
Erika J. Murray, BASc, PhD, JD, PEng
Fractional Embedded Counsel | Contracts & IP Lawyer | Toronto Technology Lawyer
Erika J. Murray is a seasoned commercial technology and intellectual property lawyer with over a decade of experience advising Fortune 500 companies, technology startups, and engineering services firms. With a PhD in engineering and a legal background from top-ranked IP firms, Erika brings a rare combination of deep technical insight and legal acumen to help clients navigate complex decisions involving contracts, intellectual property, and technology commercialization.
As fractional embedded counsel, Erika works seamlessly with in-house legal teams or advises directly to executive leadership. She supports well-funded startups, scaling ventures, and multinational enterprises, offering responsive, business-aligned legal services — without the cost or delay of a full-time hire. Her core expertise includes technology contracts, SaaS licensing, intellectual property agreements, and high-stakes commercial negotiations, always delivered with clarity, speed, and a friendly approach.
Based in Toronto, Erika has supported clients across a wide range of industries including technology, energy, retail, cleantech, and advanced engineering. Her legal practice is grounded in real-world industry experience and focused on turning contracts quickly and effectively, enabling clients to keep business moving and innovation advancing.
Education & Credentials
JD, Osgoode Hall Law School (2014)
PhD, University of Waterloo (2011)
BASc, Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo (2007)
Beyond the Office
A lifelong athlete and team player, Erika plays competitive soccer, hockey, and tennis — and once sank a hole-in-one on the golf course. She's also a proud mom to a 15-year-old athlete, a loving partner, and dog-mom to two French bulldogs.
Experience:
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Virtual In-House Legal Counsel to one of Canada’s fastest-growing cleantech companies specializing in direct lithium extraction (DLE), with global operations spanning North and South America.
Advise on intellectual property strategy, research collaborations, and engineering/testing agreements in support of cutting-edge DLE technologies.
Provide legal oversight on procurement contracts, commercial terms, and strategic partnerships across the supply chain.
Negotiate and draft NDAs, MSAs, SOWs, Terms of Service, and data/privacy documentation to support cross-border operations and compliance.
Collaborate with senior leadership across IP, R&D, engineering, and sales to align legal frameworks with business objectives.
Coordinate with international counsel on multi-jurisdictional matters involving IP, data protection, and regulatory risk.
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Virtual embedded Privacy Legal Counsel supporting Canadian operations of global automotive brands
Led privacy impact assessments (PIAs) for digital tools, marketing initiatives, and connected vehicle technologies.
Advised technology units and the Chief Privacy Officer on risks and compliance strategies under Quebec’s Law 25 and federal privacy legislation.
Partnered with legal, IT, marketing, and business teams to align data practices with evolving regulatory requirements.
Coordinated with international and Canadian privacy counsel on jurisdiction-specific risks and obligations.
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Virtual In-House Commercial Counsel supporting legal operations of a leading energy services company specializing in nuclear and electrical power solutions.
Reviewed and negotiated a high volume of commercial agreements, including MSAs, SOWs, customer terms, procurement contracts, subcontracts, and licensing agreements.
Advised on prime and subcontracted arrangements across complex, multi-party projects.
Provided legal oversight on licensing and intellectual property matters, including trademark portfolio management.
Collaborated with internal stakeholders across legal, procurement, sales, and technical teams to enable business objectives while managing legal risk.
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Virtual In-House Legal Counsel supporting the Associate General Counsel during a 9-month engagement with one of Canada’s largest retailers.
Advised on corporate and commercial matters across technology, privacy, eCommerce, marketing, and clean energy initiatives.
Drafted and negotiated Terms of Use, agency agreements, SaaS and cloud services contracts, trademark licenses, and anti-corruption compliance documents.
Supported legal needs of cross-functional teams, including digital media, transportation, and financial services, with a focus on enabling innovation and mitigating risk.
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Fractional Legal Counsel to a global B2B SaaS provider specializing in risk intelligence and security operations.
Provided day-to-day legal support to the executive team and international sales organization.
Negotiated MSAs, SOWs, data processing agreements (DPAs), cybersecurity terms, and SaaS Terms of Service.
Led privacy compliance initiatives to align with global regulatory frameworks, including GDPR.
Applied a pragmatic, business-oriented approach to accelerate deal cycles and support revenue growth.
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Held a leadership role working directly with the CEO to deliver high-efficiency IP legal services through automation and innovation.
Advised on IP strategy, commercialization, portfolio management, and valuation.
Provided patent drafting, prosecution, trademark opposition, and dispute resolution.
Served tech clients seeking cost-effective, scalable IP counsel.
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Served high-growth technology companies — including software, cleantech, medical devices, and energy firms — as an IP-focused commercial counsel.
Drafted patent applications and licensing agreements.
Strengthened clients' IP portfolios through strategic filings and trademark protections.
Focused on commercialization and monetization strategies for emerging technologies.
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Gained foundational experience at one of Canada’s leading IP law firms.
Drafted patent and trademark applications, licensing agreements, and IP policies.
Advised on Canadian and international filing strategies, employee IP provisions, and litigation support.
Supported clients in high-tech, biotech, pharma, and chemical industries.
Is Athena Legal the right fit for you?
Experienced. Efficient. Effortless.
Our Story
Athena Legal & Innovation was founded to meet the growing demand for fast, accessible legal services that align with the pace of modern business. The legal industry is changing — clients expect transparency, agility, and strategic advice, not red tape.
Erika J. Murray, PhD, JD, PEng, founded Athena after years of working in top Bay Street firms and as in-house counsel to a Fortune 500 company. With a PhD in engineering and decades of legal and business experience, Erika brings a unique mix of technical depth and legal precision.
She built Athena to deliver what scaling companies truly need: responsive, business-minded legal support that helps close deals, reduce bottlenecks, and drive growth.
We specialize in commercial technology law, contract negotiation, SaaS and IP strategy, employment agreements, privacy compliance, and branding. Our clients span industries like cleantech, medtech, e-commerce, manufacturing, food & beverage, construction, energy, and wellness.
Whether you’re building out a procurement strategy or navigating a tricky negotiation, we bring deep experience and practical solutions — without the inflated costs or overhead of Big Law.
Our Vision
To redefine legal services for today’s business leaders.
We combine the precision of a PhD engineer, the commercial instincts of a Fortune 500 counsel, and the accessibility of embedded legal support. Our goal is to set a new standard for how legal services are delivered — responsive, transparent, and designed around your business.
Our Values
Commitment
We build long-term partnerships and act as a trusted extension of your team. Your business goals shape our legal strategy.
Transparency
No inflated hourly billing. No vague timelines. Just upfront pricing, clear scope, and straight answers — every time.
Innovation
We embrace flexible, tech-enabled delivery models, so you get high-quality legal advice — fast, practical, and right-sized to your needs.
At Athena, we don’t just give legal advice. We give your business a competitive edge.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We support startups, scale-ups, and large enterprises across a wide range of industries—tech, cleantech, manufacturing, MedTech, SaaS, and more.
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Yes. Our flexible service model includes fractional GC arrangements tailored to your business needs and growth stage.
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Yes. We are Canadian lawyers, supported by experienced staff and enhanced by cutting-edge AI tools that help us deliver efficient, high-quality legal services.
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Yes. We provide flat-fee legal packages and monthly retainers to ensure transparency and predictability in your legal spend.
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Yes. We support both Canadian and international companies operating or expanding into North America.
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We focus on commercial contracts, SaaS agreements, IP strategy, licensing, privacy compliance, procurement, and regulatory matters.
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Yes. We regularly draft, negotiate, and review SaaS agreements, MSAs, DPAs, SLAs, and other core commercial documents.
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No, we are not trademark agents. We are lawyers. While we do not file trademarks directly, we work closely with trusted trademark and patent agents to manage filings and strategy as part of our broader legal support.
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Absolutely. We frequently handle these types of agreements as part of day-to-day legal operations for our clients.
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You can book directly through our online scheduling page to discuss how we can support your legal needs.
Questions? We’re Here to Help
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Click the chat icon in the corner of your screen to connect. We aim to respond promptly during business hours and are always glad to help clarify the process.