B4i Legal Clinics: Training the Next Generation of Startup Lawyers
An in-depth conversation with Aura Bertoni, Carlo Rossi Chauvenet and Federica Monteleone about the Legal Clinics revolutionising legal education and startup support
In Italy’s startup ecosystem, a quiet yet revolutionary initiative is transforming how young companies address legal challenges and how future lawyers learn their craft. We sat down with the protagonists of B4i Legal Clinics for an in-depth conversation about how this project is bridging a critical dual gap in Italy’s innovation landscape.
Aura Bertoni is Head of Legal Clinics and Head of Legal Affairs at B4i. Carlo Rossi Chauvenet, a barrister with international experience and co-founder of legal tech company Iubenda, co-coordinates the Legal Clinics and helped design the programme. Federica Monteleone, who assists in coordinating the clinics, represents the new generation of legal professionals trained through this innovative approach.
The Protagonists: Stories of Unexpected Journeys
Federica, let’s start with you. How did you come to assist in coordinating the Legal Clinics?
Federica: “I arrived here completely by chance. After finishing high school, I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to become an ambassador, and I saw that all ambassadors were either economics or law graduates. I didn’t like math, so I decided to enrol at the University of Milan’s law school.”
“Then, equally by chance, when I graduated, I said: ‘That’s it, I’m not studying anymore.’. But my thesis supervisor, Prof. Vicari, encouraged me to apply to PhD programs, and I ended up doing a PhD.”
“A few years ago, I was told: ‘There’s this opportunity to help Aura with the clinics,’ and I said: ‘Why not?’ And then, eventually, I found myself doing this job, which, I must say, I enjoy very much. It was different from what I planned, but I approached it somewhat as an opportunity. I was working in a corporate law firm, but the legal clinics made me discover this new world of startups organically, and I liked it.”
Carlo, your story is different – did you follow a more traditional path initially?
Carlo: “I’m a barrister who followed an initially traditional path, in the sense that I did my articles in some large international firms, and worked on corporate law and M&A in particular. In parallel, however, I’ve always had the curiosity to open myself to new themes and worlds, and I’ve done this both through an international path, with a PhD, and then a master’s at New York University and the National University of Singapore, so with periods abroad.”
“And by having the opportunity within my PhD to work on frontier themes, such as aspects related to social enterprise, the financing of hybrid activities between profit and non-profit, and takeovers of non-profit entities. So the first 10 years of my life were traditional, linked to learning a profession – that of the corporate lawyer – both professionally and academically.”
“But then I started teaching private law in the biennial courses in English – it was one of the first English private law courses taught at Bocconi. In parallel, I had the opportunity to be one of the co-founders of a Legal Tech startup in 2011 called Iubenda, objectively the first in Italy.”
And how did Iubenda change your perspective?
Carlo: “It allowed me to see the technological side of the legal profession and through this, to approach it with a focus on efficiency, effectiveness, measurability and above all internationality. For the first time, we realised that models that could be designed in Italy, for legal documents like privacy policies, were attracting interest in an international market.”
“So, at a certain point, we found ourselves with a privacy policy drafted in Italy, taken as a model by the Australian government, as a solution for Australian startups. And so for an Italian jurist, it was a great challenge, on one hand, and satisfaction to see that Italy could once again become central in promoting legal models. Perhaps this hadn’t happened since the Justinian Code and therefore the Romans.”
Aura, how does your journey interweave with this world?
Aura: “I graduated in law with an international focus, writing my thesis on pharmaceutical patents in developing countries. My thesis supervisor proposed that I do a PhD. And I said no. So I went and started doing my articles to become a barrister.”
“After I became a barrister, I said: ‘Maybe I’ll do something else with my life.’ I wrote to this professor of mine after 3 or 4 years and said: ‘But I would do the PhD, and can I have a shot at it, because if the positions are already allocated, I’m working in a firm, I’d have to take time to prepare for the exam, so I’d rather avoid it.’ And he says: ‘Well, I’ve always appreciated your frankness. All right. Yes, you can have a shot.”
“I had my shot, and I got into the PhD Team International Law & Economics at Bocconi. I wrote a thesis on the application of open-source principles from the software field to the biomedical field. And subsequently, I did an LL.M., which is a Master’s in Intellectual Property Law, in London, at Queen Mary University.”
“I then did some work between the Max Planck Institute in Munich and Bocconi. And then I started a different way of doing academic activities, in the sense that I began working with interdisciplinary research projects. And so I became a person who had a background in law, but who also worked a lot on the management and entrepreneurship side.”
The Genesis of the Project: Solving Two Problems Simultaneously
How were the B4i Legal Clinics concretely born?
Aura: “The Legal Clinics fit within the framework of the B4i acceleration programme. And they aim, first and foremost, to provide free legal support to startups that access the acceleration programme for 6 months. Six months means continuous and dedicated working time for that startup. And this continuous and dedicated work is carried out by a stable team working for the startup, which consists of a coordinator who could be me directly, or one of the colleagues working in the legal clinics team, i.e. Carlo and Federica, and one or two law firms, and two fourth- or fifth-year law students from Bocconi’s Law School from Master the LLM in European Business and Social Law, LLM in Law of Technology and Automated Systems .”
The Problem in the Startup World
What exactly is the problem that startups face from a legal point of view?
Aura: “Many startups enter the market with legal structures that are far from investor-ready. Common mistakes include copying and pasting terms and conditions, poorly drafted contracts, and a lack of awareness of intellectual property rights. Such oversights can become critical barriers when startups seek funding or partnerships. A mismanaged cap table, an improperly filed trademark or a failure to comply with data protection laws can delay investment rounds or expose the company to litigation.”
Carlo, from your experience with Iubenda and in the startup world, how have you seen this problem evolve?
Carlo: “Then this startup activity progressed. And thanks to that, I got to know the entire startup ecosystem. And I found myself dealing with many novice entrepreneurs who suffered from legal issues as a limitation, a problem, or a complexity, often as the last thing to address before launching a product. And so I trained my creativity in being, on one hand, more effective and efficient in responding to their needs and, on the other, in specialising in business models.”
“Which essentially means being able to design a contract, because normally companies sell products and services, and so their engine is what defines revenues on one hand, and risks and limits risks on the other.”
The Solution: A Revolutionary Approach
How does the Legal Clinics program work concretely?
Aura: “What characterises B4i’s legal clinics is precisely creating a relationship that lasts over time and articulated legal assistance, so not just a response, but, for example, the completion of documents for these startups, research, even compliance for these startups. And the idea that a fabric is also created – I say system – thanks to the knowledge between those who take part in the clinics, because they’re not simply half an hour of chat. But they’re people who get to know each other and work together for many months, and so this means that the relationships we enable then have the possibility to continue over time.”
Federica, can you describe the practical workflow?
Federica: “The workflow follows an agile structure, ensuring regular follow-ups and tangible legal progress: we start with a kickoff meeting to allow everyone to introduce themselves and, in particular, to have the legal team and the startup identify and prioritise legal issues they might have. Then the work begins. We have fortnightly check-ins, approximately every 15 days, to review the progress made and set action points. We usually address issues in areas such as corporate governance, IP protection and compliance.”
“At the end of the six-month cycle, startups emerge with a more robust legal framework, which also helps their investment prospects.”
The Uniqueness of the B4i Model
What makes your Legal Clinics different from other similar initiatives?
Aura: “There are many types of legal clinics. And for the most part, the concept of legal clinic was born linked to the field of so-called Nickerian Law, and therefore very much linked to people’s rights, for example, concerning asylum rights, rights for individuals in situations of disadvantage.”
“For as I know, however, B4i’s legal clinics have a uniqueness. Most legal clinics operate on a one-shot basis. The startup has a question, and the student, together, possibly, not always with a law firm, because this is also a possible component, answer. And their relationship ends there.”
The ‘Paediatrician of Startups’ Analogy
Carlo, you use a very interesting analogy to describe the role of the startup lawyer…
Carlo: “I like to think that, as in the world of medicine, there are various specialists, and one of the specialists is the paediatrician. Well, the lawyer who is expert in startup-related themes is a paediatrician because they must know everything that guarantees survival in the startup and harmonious development in the first years of life, including, precisely, the theme of quota attributions and therefore the cap table, including the protection of intellectual property, the risk of competition, perhaps from disloyal employees – so many situations that are quite typical but fatal if not correctly managed in the first months or years of life of a new enterprise.”
What does this mean in practical terms for students?
Carlo: “In my opinion, the real usefulness of dealing with startup law, in inverted commas and therefore helping startups grow in this phase, is that for the jurist, the opportunity is to develop business acumen, that is to understand not only what can and cannot be done. So the mere application of legal norms, but how to do it efficiently.”
“When dealing with innovation, there are always many shades of grey that must be explored. Risk is inherent in any business activity, especially in a startup operating in very new and innovative fields, so risk is unavoidable, and the lawyer must be a partner who must take risks, in a sense with the entrepreneur.”
“The lawyer must also learn to be a communicator, in the sense that they must, in the absence of jurisprudence and doctrine, be able to promote their interpretation in a specific innovative context and support it through articles, through lobbying activities, to be sure that that type of interpretation is established and consolidated. Often these are greenfield situations.”
Network Growth: From 5 to 30 Partners
How has the network of partner law firms grown?
Aura: “Over the years, the B4i Legal Clinics have grown from a small initiative involving just five law firms to an extensive network of more than 30 partners, encompassing both full-service legal giants and boutique firms specialising in niche areas. This rapid expansion reflects the programme’s increasing impact and the growing recognition of its value within the legal and business ecosystems.”
“The impact of the programme is further extended through the Legal Voucher initiative, where selected law firms provide additional pro bono support to the most promising startups, ensuring continued access to high-quality legal expertise beyond the formal six-month engagement.”
Carlo, what has made this model attractive to law firms?
Carlo: “An aspect that’s important to underline is that the Legal Clinics have also been beneficial for law firms. Because they’ve allowed them to learn how to manage precisely a client like innovative startups, which isn’t an easy client, that is a client who might be poorly remunerative, but isn’t very complex and, above all, paradoxically, for the larger firms.”
“Because larger firms have a division into departments based on legal themes, and therefore, to assist a startup in its initial phase, if every department has to attend meetings, it means an enormous expenditure of energy and hours from professionals. And so the firms that wanted to take on then the challenge managed to do so effectively over time; they had to identify a person within them who was a startup champion, that is, a subject who knew how to exploit the firm’s resources efficiently, without using cannons to kill mice.”
Impact on Students: A New Generation of Professionals
Federica, what impact do you see on the students who participate?
Federica: ‘What we’ve seen from a more practical point of view is that even law firms ask us, ‘Who runs the Legal Clinics?’ Can you send us some CVs of those who are graduating?’ Therefore, participation in the B4i Legal Clinics is highly regarded, as it signifies taking on a law student who has had this kind of experience.
“But maybe the most important thing that I have seen is the enthusiasm to learn what a lawyer does and how they approach clients and legal problems. Also, pairing students from different years has created a positive peer learning experience, where “older” students help the younger ones not only in the context of the legal clinics but also with their life at Bocconi. “
“In my opinion, these months also help them a lot to acquire confidence both in who they are and in what they want to do. And then many have continued with the same firm with which they did the Legal Clinics. They’ve done an internship or traineeship afterwards.”
Carlo, tell us about the ‘most surprising lesson’ you’ve learned?
Carlo: “The most surprising lesson was seeing students again who passed through the Legal Clinics who have made a career not only in the legal field, but also in the world of companies, of venture capital, and therefore, in this sense, have opened the range of opportunities. The drop-down menu provided only options for barrister, notary, and magistrate. And instead, maybe they became general counsel of venture capital or innovative startup companies.”
“And so they achieved this, which, among other things, is one of the objectives I always promote. Because if a startup asks to become a partner and to work in the team at the end of this project in the immediately following year, it means they consider your contribution of great value. And so you’ve proven to be truly a partner.”
Challenges and Disadvantages
Are there also disadvantages or challenges in this approach?
Aura: “It requires a time investment. That is, startups must recognise that, in addition to product development, which encompasses design and marketing, they also need to address legal affairs. And it’s not always the sexiest part of the activity they imagine as entrepreneurs.”
“So, well, my role is also to try to make it a bit more exciting. From this point of view, I must say that, over time, I find entrepreneurs increasingly motivated, which suggests that they probably understand the value of the clinics very well. And so they’re less ‘But I don’t do, I don’t understand, I don’t say, etcetera, etcetera.’ But they say: ‘Aura, I don’t do, don’t understand. Help me.’ And this thing here is a powerful change of approach that, for me, also requires another type of support.”
Federica, from your perspective, what are the main challenges?
Federica: “In the context of the effort, it’s also a matter of mindset. Entrepreneurs sometimes seem to view dealing with lawyers as a hindrance or perceive them as ‘putting the brakes’ on their project, especially in the context of a startup. But I think there is a shift happening where there is more understanding on both sides, and lawyers are seen more and more as partners. Maybe more cautious, but always working towards helping the success of the business.”
International Vision and Future
Do similar models exist in other countries?
Federica: “As far as I know, there aren’t many legal clinics specialised in startups. There might be more legal clinics abroad, I’ve seen them in US and Canadian universities. I know the University of Winnipeg had a legal clinic dedicated to artists. Or when I was at Cornell on exchange during my university years, they offered courses called “clinics” in various sectors. I remember that one of my fellow exchange students joined a course on human rights and criminal law during which he went for a couple of weeks to Mali to support lawyers defending prisoners.”
Carlo, how do you see the evolution of this model?
Carlo: “And this assistance, then, became a model. Throughout Italy, it was the first Legal Clinic laboratory at Bocconi University of this type. It was then the subject of imitation and valorisation by other universities, not only as a model for Legal Clinics, but also for other clinics in which the involvement of the professional happens, intending to exchange aimed at valorising students and teaching.”
“I believe this type of trend will be increasingly strong because, as Bocconi has always rightly sought to valorise, it’s from practice, which is only technological development, that much can be learned and new models can be defined that immediately become the subject of teaching for students.”
The Role of Legal Tech and Innovation
Carlo, how does your background in legal tech influence the clinics’ approach?
Carlo: “Thanks to the continuous exercise on themes dedicated to data protection on one hand, and the contractual part on the other, I added an important piece to my training because I managed to bring an element that perhaps in law is little valorised, which is creativity, the ability to give security and stability to new businesses that don’t have their typicality. And therefore don’t have a whole background of jurisprudence of doctrine that ensures that model of interaction.”
“Fortunately, it happened that the world of data protection privacy grew a lot thanks to a series of norms that imposed a series of attention to protect natural persons, therefore their data, their life, their dignity. And therefore, for example, GDPR made it so that great attention was created to these themes. This attention transformed this type of consultancy into an essential consultancy to be able to set up new activities.”
Personal Moments and Life Philosophy
Aura, you mentioned that places have changed you. Can you tell us more about that?
Aura: “I’d respond about something else – I’d tell you about a place that changed me. Or rather, about places that changed me. For me, it was a decisive choice to make during my university years, spending a year abroad. I did a year studying in Madrid. And from then on, I understood that for me, the experience of living, and not simply travelling in another context, was what enabled me so much to grow as a person.”
“So I’ve done it often – I’ve done it 5 times in a year, living in different houses, and then in the recent past, the other great city that for me was a turning point when I lived in London. There, I understood that I didn’t want a life based on social expectations or whatever. I understood that the thing that made me happiest was seeking a life that was tailor-made for me, like a suit made by a tailor.”
“This is quite challenging because it means you don’t follow the beaten paths of others, and sometimes you feel lost. But when I feel lost, I bring back to memory a bit like when you bring back to memory a song – I have songs that are linked to periods when I was living those moments of strong evolution, and I’d say: ‘OK, but I did it for that reason.’ And so I keep going.”
Federica, you’re now working in London on art law. How has that experience been?
Federica: “Yes, last year I did a master’s in art law at Queen Mary University of London. And now I’ve started working in an international law firm here. It has been an interesting experience since I essentially started over as I am working as a stagiaire while sorting out my qualification here in the UK.”
“It was maybe a bit of an adjustment at the beginning, after working hard to become a lawyer in Italy, but it was also a choice to say: ‘Well, let’s start again from zero.’. It’s not really zero, because I bring with me everything I learned while working in Italy and all the experience I built there. Still, I am learning how to work in a completely different legal system, new ways to approach legal issues, etc. “
The connection between founders and artists is interesting…
Federica: “The art world is interesting as well. In my opinion, founders and artists are very similar, even in their approach to the law and lawyers in general. Because they both have these volcanic ideas, and the law sometimes is an obstacle. Your role as a legal advisor is to help them achieve their goals, but protect them from breaking the law. That’s why I still love working in the clinics, even though I’m specialising in a different area of law.”
Personal Moments and Advice
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Federica: “The first thing that comes to mind isn’t really advice. Once I was feeling overwhelmed at work, I don’t remember exactly why, but I probably made a mistak,e and I was feeling terrible about it (and about myself). Someone told me: ‘Fede! You don’t save human lives, you’re not a doctor, so calm down, everything is solvable.’. It was maybe silly, but it helped me a lot to put everything in perspective. It did not mean to take things lightly, but to have a clearer-headed and more constructive approach. If I make a mistake or I feel overwhelmed, that is what I repeat to myself, ‘OK, no one died, take one step after the other and get to the end.’. “
Aura, what would you advise someone considering participating in Legal Clinics?
Aura: “On a particular day in my life, a person told me: ‘With time, you don’t forget things, but you get used to them.’ And this thing affected me. It’s something that accompanies me, especially in moments of greater challenge, in which, well, it seems that that obstacle in front is like saying something that then determines the destiny from here to eternity of your whole life.”
“It’s true that positive and negative episodes remain in our history. And we forget, but when they become part of our history, they remain. It’s therefore when we no longer live them as something external, but as something that’s part of our life, and therefore, as united to this person, you get used to them and they become part of you. And this thing still helps me today to face those situations.”
Quick Questions
Coffee or tea?
Federica: “Coffee.” Aura: “Now, coffee. In the past, tea.” Carlo: “Tea.”
Dogs or cats?
Federica: “Dogs.” Aura: “Cats.” Carlo: “Dogs.”
Summer or winter?
Federica: “Summer by the sea, winter in the mountains.” Aura: “Winter.” Carlo: “Summer.”
Sweet or savoury?
Federica: “Sweet.” Aura: “Sweet.” Carlo: “Savoury.”
Fiction or non-fiction?
Federica: “Fiction.” Aura: “Now fiction. In the past, non-fiction.” Carlo: “Non-fiction.”
City or countryside?
Federica: “City. In the countryside, I’d die.” Aura: “City.” Carlo: “City.”
Comedy or drama? Federica: “Drama.” Aura: “Drama” Carlo: “Comedy.”
Which app do you use most?
Federica: “Instagram, probably – not saying it’s good, but yes.” Aura: “WhatsApp.” Carlo: “Notion.”
What’s your favourite productivity trick?
Federica: “It works well to hide my phone. I usually hide it in another room.”
Aura: “Banally: checklists.”
Carlo: “The favourite trick for productivity is a systemic and cyclical approach. Throughout the day, I review all the themes that interest me the most and verify that they’re all progressing and there are no blocking elements, and I address them accordingly. It’s not hyperdeterministic, it’s not hyperprogrammed in advance, but follows a criterion of harmonious development of an ecosystem of activities.”
The B4i Legal Clinics represent an innovative model that is inspiring universities across Europe. With a network of 30 partner firms and hundreds of trained students, the project demonstrates how the convergence of academia, professional expertise and market needs can generate effective solutions for the contemporary challenges of innovation.
What to Wish Readers
What would you like to wish readers?
Aura: “To believe a bit in themselves.”
Federica: “To those thinking about whether to participate in a legal clinics (or anything else), I’d say go for it, take the opportunity. Even when it might seem a bit abstract from the outside, or not exactly what you envisioned for yourself, just go for it. You never know where it may bring you.”
What are you particularly proud of that you don’t talk about often?
Aura: “When I manage to dedicate time to people I know I can help, I’m proud of being able to carve out my time to do this. It may seem like a charitable spirit, but it’s not that. Enabling others to do things, and perhaps precisely untangling a small knot that prevents them from moving forward, is something I’m proud of. I say: ‘Then this person will take their path. I won’t see them anymore. Who knows.’ I’m not tied to the idea that it has to come back to me. But for me, it’s already a source of gratification, the idea of being able to lend a hand to someone to do that thing.”
Carlo, what about you – something you’re proud of but don’t often discuss?
Carlo: “What I’m proud of is that I’ve always tried to help others younger than me to be able to follow the same path of growth experience. This often means stopping to listen to what each person’s nature is. Every person is different and therefore, for example, the idea of standardising by categories, by pay scales and career paths in a way that depends on hours worked and career progression, I’ve always considered a very flattening element and not respectful of the dignity of each person’s characteristics.”
“What I’m proud of is having created a team of very different people, who have differentiated paths – for example, people who are law graduates doing a PhD in economics, people doing a PhD in computer science – trying to valorise the skills and propensity of each person, mixing and hybridising knowledge. And often this is possible thanks to the work of listening on one hand, and support in developing this career.”
Carlo, is there a book that changed your perspective?
Carlo: “A book that I liked in the past and that made me reflect is ‘Blink’ by Malcolm Gladwell. It reflected the power of imagination and, let’s say, intelligence, not only rational but also intuitive. And I believe this is an intelligence that, especially for a lawyer, is very much to be valorised.”
“Because intuitive intelligence, especially for a lawyer, is very much to be valued. Because intuition regarding the needs of your client and the company you’re supporting can help you provide direction and offer effective solutions, rather than following a pre-ordered, rational, and impeccable checklist. So the ability to grasp the essential elements and prioritise them according to each one’s specificity”
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The B4i Legal Clinics represent a rare convergence where academic rigour meets real-world application, where students gain practical experience whilst startups receive essential legal support, and where the legal profession itself evolves to meet the demands of our rapidly changing economy.
As this model continues to inspire similar initiatives across Europe, it stands as a testament to what’s possible when education, innovation, and professional expertise unite around a common purpose.
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