As Joni Mitchell sang, ‘you don’t know what you got till it’s gone’. In Christian Weisenburger’s case, it wasn’t until he was on the brink of changing career and moving to Europe that he realized that, after all, he wanted to stay in Halifax and practice law.

Many would be surprised to learn that Weisenburger, who is well-known for his love of Halifax and for his legal work in Nova Scotia’s startup community, almost quit law and the province.

He initially gained his law degree from the University of Alberta, but became jaded working at a national business law firm in Calgary where he grew up.

So, he moved to Halifax, where his mother was raised, and gained his MBA from Dalhousie University in 2006.  

“I’d gained my MBA and my Level Two exam for the Chartered Financial Analyst Designation. I’d decided I didn’t want to be a lawyer and was looking into working in finance in Europe,” he said.

“Then it hit me how much I loved Halifax and that I did like law…I’d only been supposed to be in Halifax for a few years but it had become a lifelong thing.

“I love the openness of Halifax, the different communities, the fact people know your name. Like Goldilocks, Halifax is just right.”

So, Weisenburger put down roots and started his eponymously named business in 2009. Initially called Beyond the Box Law, the company focuses on startups, commercial law, financing, taxation and intellectual property.

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These days, most of Weisenburger’s time is spent working as in-house counsel for three local companies that focus on green technology and healthcare.

CarbonCure Technologies retrofits concrete plants with a technology that recycles waste carbon dioxide to make greener concrete products. TruLeaf Sustainable Agriculture uses multi-level vertical farming to create indoor farms, and Densitas Inc develops digital mammography products.

“I feel good to be contributing to companies of value,” Weisenburger said. “These are visionaries, good people. They inspire me.

“Halifax tends to attract that type of person. The universities are full of bright-eyed people looking to make change, and Halifax has something of the internationalism of a port city. These things pull people from other regions.

“In a small place like Halifax, those that succeed are the ones that are driven and self-reliant, the ones that move quickly to get things done before their funds expire.”

Weisenburger operates on a fixed fee basis rather than by charging hourly fees, which he says allows him to play a larger role with his clients.

“One client calls me their corporate psychologist,” he said. “I can play Devil’s advocate. I enjoy acting as a sounding board.”

Although he runs a one-man business, Weisenburgerr avoids loneliness by working in public spaces and biking around the city.

As well as his clients, he has a network of contacts that he can consult and refer work to when something arises that is not one of his specialties.

“I’m not a patent lawyer,” he said. “I do licensing. I have relationships with others that create a virtual firm. If I don’t have an expertise, I can find it.”

He said it’s inspiring to see how much the regional startup community has grown over the last few years.

“I’m excited about how much is going on,” he said.

“I’m drawn to startups. I love the urgency and the team work. Entrepreneurs take risks. They calculate and understand risk. They know how to get things done. I like that. I like the thrill of it.”