The Research Legal Services (RLS) is responsible for the primary coordination, negotiation, and drafting of research-related agreements for Queen's University. RLS also coordinates legal review with counsel for the affiliated teaching hospitals.
We also provide advice on issues related to intellectual property, conflicts of interest and other University policies. We work closely with Partnerships & Innovation to help researchers with commercialization of research.
We encourage researchers to involve us in their discussions with partners at the earliest opportunity to streamline the process of review and we can assist in the negotiation stage.
The types of research and innovation-related agreements that are drafted, reviewed and finalized through to signature by Research Legal Services include, but are not limited to:
- Non-Disclosure Agreements and Confidentiality Agreements
- Memorandums of Understanding
- Inter-Institutional Agreements
- Visiting Scientist Agreements
- Collaboration Agreements
- Sponsored Research and Contribution Agreements
- Project Leader Agreements and Project Participant Agreements
- Partnership Agreements
- Clinical Trial Agreements
- Clinical Study Site Agreements
- Material Transfer Agreements (for inbound or outbound transfers)
- Data Sharing Agreements and Data Transfer/Access Agreements
- Data Network Agreements
- Intellectual Property Agreements and Intellectual Property Assignment Agreements
- License Agreements
- Equipment Loan Agreements
- Facility Access Agreements
- Other supplier agreements, related to the expenditure of funds from research accounts, when appropriate
Prior to the review or drafting of any of these documents by Research Legal Services, researchers are required to have the appropriate Departmental approvals. To obtain these approvals, please submit a request/application through the Researcher Portal for TRAQ .
Faculty and staff are not authorized by the university to sign research or innovation-related agreements such as those listed above.
For more information about this policy, please visit the Research Contracts page on the University Secretariat and Legal Counsel website.