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Kristal Allen

Kristal Allen

Partner

Kristal Allen

Partner

Calgary

D+1 403 268 3065

Local time

Kristal Allen is a partner in the Venture Technology and Emerging Growth and Corporate groups. Her practice centers on corporate and commercial law with a focus on the intersection of technology, intellectual property and data protection, especially in innovative industries such as food, agriculture, healthcare, energy and financial services. Kristal’s specific areas of focus include the exploitation and commercialization of information and intellectual property assets and new technology (including in relation to research consortium arrangements), technology/product development and commercialization agreements, distribution, manufacturing and retailing agreements, intellectual property strategy and management and both in- and out-licensing.

Kristal advises innovation-focused enterprises on a wide range of commercial issues and is uniquely experienced in all areas of digital and information technology, including technology transactions, software development and licensing, commercialization arrangements, outsourcing, and service agreements. Kristal also brings knowledge of commercial strategy, risk management, policy and regulation related to technology development, data sharing, information assets and privacy.

With her extensive experience and deep industry knowledge, Kristal empowers her clients to leverage their technology effectively and find creative and practical solutions to complex questions. She is passionate about innovation, technology and data.

Kristal joined Dentons’ Calgary office as a partner in 2023, after practicing with another large Canadian law firm, and after several years as senior legal counsel and chief privacy officer to a large public company with global operations.

Experience

Confidential client: Lead external counsel to a Canadian innovation supercluster, providing advice regarding research corporate governance, consortium structure, research funding agreements, data management, member agreements and policy direction.
Confidential client: External legal counsel to a stakeholder funded research & development organization focused on collaborative energy research, providing advice regarding funding and grant arrangements, collaborative agreements, data sharing arrangements, and policy direction.
Large agricultural company: Counsel to a large agricultural company with respect to licensing of industrial technologies for application in a renewable diesel facility.
Large agricultural company: Counsel to a large agricultural company with respect to the licensing of industrial and information technologies for application in a large-scale processing facility.
Confidential clients: External legal counsel to multiple stakeholder funded research grant organizations, providing advice regarding funding and grant agreements, contribution and collaboration agreements, intellectual property strategy, and member agreements.
Confidential client: External legal counsel to a not-for-profit organization supporting intellectual property protection within the Canadian seed industry.
Confidential client: Counsel with respect to a joint venture focused on construction of facilities for carbon capture, utilization and storage.
Confidential clients: Counsel to numerous ag-tech and biotech businesses regarding a wide range of matters, including intellectual property protection of proprietary seed and chemical products, regulatory matters, licensing and technology commercialization, retailing/distribution issues, producer/grower contracts, seed production and manufacturing agreements, warehousing and transportation agreements, and asset purchases, sales and divestitures.
Confidential clients: Counsel to various financial service providers regarding acquisition, licensing and implementation of key third-party technology related to core product portfolios, including proprietary software, banking platforms, mobile, online and telephone banking services, personal financial management services, and business intelligence services.
E-commerce payment processor: Counsel to e-commerce payment processor regarding intellectual property management and protection, technology development, regulatory compliance, and service and software licensing arrangements with its global client base.
Confidential client: Counsel to a private company regarding engineering and construction contracting, and technology licensing, respecting a large-scale carbon capture and sequestration project.
Multinational grain company: Counsel to a multinational grain company regarding grain trading arrangements, offtake arrangements, and various commercial matters related to its grain import, export, purchase, sale and transportation arrangements.

Recognition

The Best Lawyers in Canada: Technology Law
Lexpert Special Edition: Technology and Health Sciences
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Computer & IT Law; Data Protection & Privacy; Technology Transactions
Chambers Canada: Agribusiness

In the Media

Quoted in “Businesses and institutions help lead Alberta,” Calgary Herald, July 2023

Insights

Co-author, “US intellectual property considerations for Canadian companies,” Dentons Insights, May 17, 2024

Activities and Affiliations

Executive Member, Tech & Intellectual Property Section, Canadian Bar Association, Alberta Branch

Presentations

“Medical Technology & Devices: Unlocking the Potential of Wearables,” Canada Healthtech Symposium, 2024
“The Beeps and Boops: Getting a Tech Deal Across the Finish Line,” Canadian Bar Association National Intellectual Property Section, 2024
“Intellectual Property Trends in Engineering Biology” – Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS), 2024
Speaker, “Foundations of Corporate Governance” and “Documents for Effective Governance and Raising Capital,” SFU VentureLabs, 2024
Speaker, “IP in an Innovation Era,” Seeds Canada Annual Conference, 2023
Speaker, “IP Focus for Competitive Engagement,” Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada Competitive Engagement Committee, 2023
Speaker, “Commercialization Spotlight: Building a Biologicals Business to Scale,” World Agritech Innovation Summit, 2023
Speaker, “Brave New World: Legal Issues in Automation,” Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada Expo, 2022
Speaker, “Plant Protein: Issues Encountered in New Product Development,” Canadian Securities Exchange, Plant Protein: The New Age of Food Series, 2021
Speaker, “Establishing and Scaling a Tech Startup,” EMILI Agriculture Enlightened Conference, 2020
Speaker, “Legal Concerns: Preparing for and Facing Your ‘Oh No!’ Cybersecurity Breach Moment,” BC Aware Day Conference, 2018
Speaker, “Privacy at the Border,” National Privacy and Access Congress Conference, 2017
Speaker, “Seed Licensing Agreement Primer: Single-Use Seed Agreements,” Canadian Seed Trade Association 92nd Annual Meeting, 2015
Speaker, “Organizational Membership Agreements,” Canadian Plant Technology Agency, Annual General Meeting, 2015
Intellectual property fundamentals and strategy presentations to various organizations in the technology, agriculture and food, healthcare, and energy sectors
Governance presentations to various industry organizations in the health care, not-for-profit, technology startup and resource sectors
Privacy and security training sessions to various organizations in the health care, technology and professional services sectors
Presentations regarding the use of privacy impact assessments, and management and mitigation of identified risk to various organizations in the health care, technology and professional services sectors