LAITH SARHAN, SARHAN DATA LAW, WEB SUMMIT, PORTFOLIOYVR, HELEN SIWAK, VANCOUVER, BC, BC BUSINESS

Laith Sarhan on Founding Sarhan Data Law to Embed Trust in Technology

August 17, 2025

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Laith Sarhan is a data and AI lawyer and the founder of Sarhan Data Law, a boutique firm built for the digital age. His career reflects a journey from the foundations of small business to the front lines of technological innovation, equipping him with a rare perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing today’s tech...

Laith Sarhan is a data and AI lawyer and the founder of Sarhan Data Law, a boutique firm built for the digital age. His career reflects a journey from the foundations of small business to the front lines of technological innovation, equipping him with a rare perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing today’s tech leaders.

LAITH SARHAN, SARHAN DATA LAW, WEB SUMMIT, PORTFOLIOYVR, HELEN SIWAK, VANCOUVER, BC, BC BUSINESS

Laith’s story began in his family’s neighbourhood garden centre, where dinner-table conversations about inventory, customers, and cash flow instilled in him a firsthand understanding of what it takes to run a business. That grounding in entrepreneurial realities later shaped his approach to advising fast-moving companies.

After building a rigorous legal foundation at Cassels Brock & Blackwell, Laith transitioned into the tech sector as the first business hire and Director of Business & Legal Operations at Semantic Health, an AI healthcare startup. There, he architected the company’s legal, operational, and commercial frameworks, navigated complex health data regulations such as HIPAA and PIPEDA, negotiated high-impact contracts with leading hospitals like SickKids, and helped position the company for its successful acquisition.

Seeking to apply these principles at enterprise scale, Laith joined TELUS and TELUS Health, where he spearheaded the “Consent by Design” program, creating robust data governance playbooks to institutionalize customer trust across products and strategic initiatives.

This path—rooted in family business values, sharpened by big law training, startup resilience, and enterprise strategy—now defines Sarhan Data Law. Laith founded the firm with a clear mission: to help innovators embed trust into their technologies from the ground up. Guided by a deep belief in building fair, accountable systems, he acts as a strategic partner to clients, transforming complex legal challenges into opportunities for responsible growth.

LAITH SARHAN, SARHAN DATA LAW, WEB SUMMIT, PORTFOLIOYVR, HELEN SIWAK, VANCOUVER, BC, BC BUSINESS

SARHAN DATA LAW

Sarhan Data Law is a boutique Vancouver-based law firm built for the digital age. Specializing in data law, AI governance, and privacy compliance, the firm partners with fast-moving technology companies that understand trust as a powerful competitive advantage.

In an era where innovation evolves at unprecedented speed, Sarhan Data Law adopts a forward-thinking model that extends beyond conventional legal counsel. Acting as an embedded strategic partner, the firm translates complex global regulations into practical, actionable strategies integrated directly into the product development lifecycle. This proactive approach helps clients build safer, more scalable, and more trustworthy technologies.

At its core, Sarhan Data Law’s mission is to enable responsible growth. It views legal and regulatory frameworks not as obstacles, but as essential tools for fostering innovation and strengthening market positioning. From comprehensive data governance programs to proactive product counsel and specialized transactional support, the firm delivers tailored solutions that transform compliance challenges into business opportunities.

By combining legal expertise with a deep understanding of emerging technologies, Sarhan Data Law equips its clients to navigate the intricacies of AI and data with confidence—positioning them to lead responsibly in a rapidly evolving digital world.

LAITH SARHAN, SARHAN DATA LAW, WEB SUMMIT, PORTFOLIOYVR, HELEN SIWAK, VANCOUVER, BC, BC BUSINESS

IN HIS WORDS.

“My entrepreneurial spirit was not sparked by a single moment, but was absorbed over years at the family dinner table. I grew up in a family business; a local garden centre in our neighbourhood. Conversations in my family were about managing inventory for the spring rush, the importance of a loyal customer base, and how to weather a rainy season that kept people away. I saw firsthand that a business is a living thing that requires constant care, foresight, and a deep connection to your community. That was the seed. The desire to build my own venture came much later, but the roots were planted there.

My “venture” as a kid was helping out at the garden centre. I watered plants, helped unload stock, and built a solid understanding of the impact of compounding effort. It was not about making money for myself, but about contributing to the family enterprise. The key lesson was about foundations: you cannot have a healthy plant without good soil and strong roots.

That lesson directly inspired Sarhan Data Law. After my time in traditional law, I jumped into the tech world as the first business hire at Semantic Health, an AI healthcare startup. I saw brilliant minds building incredible technology, but the legal and operational “soil” was not there yet. I realized my passion was not just in practicing law; it was in building the foundational structures like the compliance frameworks, the data governance policies, the commercial agreements that allow innovative ideas to grow strong and thrive, especially in a high-stakes field like health AI.

My most memorable business experience came from a time my legal background was truly tested—not in a courtroom, but during a high-stakes sales negotiation. At the AI startup Semantic Health, I was the first business hire, which meant I was responsible for both leading the sales effort and building the legal foundation. It was a role that required a very business-minded approach to building relationships, while also demanding meticulous, legally-driven work on compliance.

We were in the early stages, and everything depended on landing our first marquee hospital system as a client. While the “salesperson” in me was focused on driving the commercial conversation, the “lawyer” in me knew we were facing an incredibly rigorous security and privacy due diligence process. For a large, cautious institution, adopting a new AI platform from a small startup is a massive risk, and I knew the deal would be won or lost on their trust in our integrity.

I remember the profound realization during that process: my legal work was not separate from the sales effort; it was the sales effort. Our proactive approach to building a robust compliance framework was not a roadblock; it was the very key that unlocked the deal. By transparently demonstrating our integrity, we built the trust needed to get the contract signed.

That experience cemented my belief in the value of an approach that navigates that intersection. I learned that for an AI company, the strongest commercial relationships are built when the person driving the conversation can also speak with deep credibility about the legal and ethical foundations. This is the heart of why I founded Sarhan Data Law: to be a legal partner who understands that the most effective business strategy is built on a foundation of unshakeable trust.

My journey has been a deliberate progression from theory to practice, and from large institutions to the startup trenches. After building my legal foundations at a national firm, Cassels Brock & Blackwell, I knew I needed to get closer to the innovation itself.

The pivotal move was joining Semantic Health. As Director of Business & Legal Operations, I was not just an advisor; I was a builder. I architected the company’s legal and operational foundation from the ground up, navigating complex health regulations like HIPAA and PIPEDA, and negotiating the pivotal first contracts with major hospitals like SickKids. Being in that environment, where you have to be nimble, practical, and balance aggressive growth with absolute trust, was a masterclass. We successfully scaled the company toward its acquisition.

From there, I went to TELUS to see the other side of the coin: how do you implement these principles at an enterprise scale? I spearheaded the “Consent by Design” program, creating playbooks and frameworks used by dozens of designers and product teams.

Sarhan Data Law is the culmination of this journey. It combines the legal rigour of a national firm, the agile, builder-mentality of a startup, and the strategic foresight of a tech giant.

While Sarhan Data Law is the first company I have founded, I see my career as a series of hands-on ventures that led me here.

My first true venture was an intrapreneurial one. I joined Semantic Health, an AI-driven healthcare startup, as the first business hire. I was inspired by the chance to build the legal and operational bedrock of a company that was tackling incredibly complex problems. It was not just a job; it was a mission to build the business from the inside. This involved architecting everything from the ground up: negotiating our first pivotal contracts with major hospitals, embedding HIPAA and PIPEDA compliance into our operations to accelerate deal cycles, and designing the frameworks for IP governance that would support our growth. I moved on after we successfully scaled the company toward its acquisition by the American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC). My work was done, and that experience became the blueprint for the services I now offer.

From there, my project at TELUS was a venture in scaling principles. The challenge was not building a company from scratch, but rather institutionalizing a new function—Consent by Design—inside a massive organization. This involved creating governance frameworks and playbooks to ensure customer trust was a core component of the product lifecycle at an enterprise scale. It taught me how these foundational principles hold up under the immense pressure of a large public company.

The confidence in my vision for Sarhan Data Law was forged years ago, but the first step in bringing it to life was to activate my network. I have been incredibly fortunate to have connected with fantastic, smart people throughout my career. They were the first people I went to when I was exploring this idea, and they have been my best and most crucial source of early referrals and support.

With that initial validation, I took two more foundational steps:

Hyper-Specialization: I made a conscious choice to not be a general “tech lawyer,” but to focus specifically on being the go-to legal advisor for AI SaaS companies. This clarity informs every decision I make, from marketing to service development.
Productizing My Services: Instead of relying solely on the traditional billable hour, I have designed offerings like “Product Counsel as a Service” and “AI Governance Audits.” This aligns my work with the concrete needs and budgets of my clients.

The next level of elevation is already in motion. It involves two parallel strategies: using thought leadership to educate the market and attract clients who are already looking for solutions, and formalizing a strategic referral network with VCs and technology consultants who serve the same client base and understand the value I bring.

The biggest sacrifice was trading the predictability of a corporate career path for the profound uncertainty of entrepreneurship. I walked away from the security and resources of a company like TELUS to build something entirely my own. In the early days of a solo venture, you are everything—from the CEO to the IT department—and that requires a significant mental shift.

It has completely reshaped my view of “work-life balance.” Having seen my parents run our family’s garden centre, I learned early that when a business is yours, it is not a job you clock out of. The better model for me is “work-life integration.” Because my firm is a direct expression of my personal values, the work is deeply energizing. That said, I am disciplined about protecting non-negotiable time for my family and personal health, because burnout is the single greatest threat to a founder’s dream.

I knew I was onto something years ago at Semantic Health. I was working closely with our machine learning engineers on data governance, and they described the experience of working with me as “refreshing.” They were used to lawyers being roadblocks, but they saw me as a partner who understood their goals and helped them innovate safely. That was the seed—the realization that this different approach to law was desperately needed.

The pivotal moment for Sarhan Data Law itself is not a single event, but a powerful, continuing reality. In just the few short months since launching, I have seen incredibly strong demand from both large enterprises and ambitious startups. They are all facing the same complex challenges around AI and data that I have spent my career solving. Seeing my thesis validated so quickly and clearly by the market is the ultimate confirmation that I am in the right place at the right time.

My success is absolutely built on the shoulders of others. I have had three distinct circles of mentorship. At Cassels, lawyers like Jeff Durno, Sam Cole, and Deepak Gill modeled the rigour and discipline that defines legal excellence. They gave me an incredible foundation.

Then at Semantic Health, the co-founders taught me what it means to build a business. Nicola Sahar demonstrated what true technical excellence looks like and the importance of an incredibly considered and thoughtful approach to work. Hassan Bhatti embodied pure tenacity and taught me what it truly means to show up consistently, every single day, to will a vision into existence.

At TELUS, Pam Snively showed me what a world-class, enterprise-wide privacy management program actually looks like in practice, while Elena Novas was a mentor in what strong, compassionate leadership means.

As I have gone off on my own, I have found a new circle of support in the startup community here in Vancouver, a group of peers who are generous with their advice and honest about the journey.

These invaluable mentors and colleagues are part of my professional network, so the best place to find them and see their work is on LinkedIn.

My leadership has evolved with each role: at Semantic Health, it was about being an agile, player-coach; at TELUS, it was about being an influencer who builds consensus to drive change at scale. Now, at Sarhan Data Law, it is about being the visionary founder who is ultimately accountable for the mission.

The most profound realignment with my core values was not a moment during the journey, but the very reason I started it. My personal background gave me a firsthand understanding of how harmful narratives and unaccountable systems can marginalize entire communities. I saw the terrifying potential for AI to do that same harm, but at an automated, global scale. That was a moment of absolute clarity. I knew my purpose was not to be a reactive advisor, but to be a proactive partner in building fair, equitable, and accountable technology from its very inception. That purpose is the core of Sarhan Data Law.

I would offer three pieces of advice. First, niche down. Do not try to be everything to everyone. Be the absolute best at solving one specific, important problem for one specific audience. Second, solve a pain you have personally felt. My firm exists to solve the exact friction I experienced as in-house counsel, and that authenticity resonates. Third, and most importantly, be consistent. No matter what you are building, success comes from the unglamorous, relentless act of showing up every single day.

My definition of success has evolved completely. It used to be about external markers, like a title at a prestigious firm. Today, success is defined by autonomy—the freedom to build a business that reflects my deepest values—and impact—the privilege of helping innovators build a more responsible and trustworthy future.

The heart of my business is a simple, powerful belief: in the age of AI, trust is your most valuable asset.

My firm, Sarhan Data Law, acts as embedded product and privacy counsel for innovative AI SaaS companies. I do not just write memos; I become a strategic partner who helps you de-risk innovation and build trust directly into your technology. Having built these frameworks from scratch at an AI startup and scaled them at a tech giant, I translate complex global regulations into a practical competitive advantage, allowing you to move fast and responsibly.

To grow, I need to connect with two groups of people:

Founders and leaders of ambitious AI companies who believe that building trustworthy technology is the single best way to win their market.

Strategic partners—VCs, fractional executives, and technology consultants—who advise these companies and understand that getting data governance and AI ethics right from the start is critical to their clients’ long-term success.

By the end of 2026, my vision is for Sarhan Data Law to be the undisputed premier boutique law firm for AI governance and data law in Western Canada’s tech ecosystem.

But the legacy I hope to leave is bigger than my firm. I want to help shift the industry’s mindset from “move fast and break things” to “build trust and scale responsibly.” My impact will be measured by the success of my clients—the game-changing, responsible technologies they launch and the trust they earn from millions of users. I want to help build a generation of Canadian technology that leads the world not just in innovation, but in integrity.”

Author Profile

Helen Siwak: Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Marketing & Communications Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine and PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Post-pandemic, she has worked with many small to mid-sized plant-based/vegan brands to build their digital foundations and strategize content creation and business development. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at helen@ecoluxluv.com.