Our Take On Things

Failing to follow through on things you promised to do is an easy way to get sued. This happens in business more than it should and that leads to lawyers being busier than they should be with preventable issues. For example, if you enter into an agreement of purchase...

When the Women's March on Washington took place earlier this year, the best placard I saw was one that said "I can't believe I still have to protest for these rights." I feel similarly about the Ontario Civil Justice System. I've been a lawyer for 24 years in this...

Recently we have had some questions from clients about the value and enforceability of documents prepared in anticipation of doing a deal. In one case, the binding nature of a letter of intent was in question, and in another, some clients wanted to know what effect a...

It's March Break week in Ontario - the highways are quieter and it's tougher to get work done because so many people are away. The Courts are full of people with non-school aged kids, litigating disputes blissfully unaware that many people have overpaid to travel at...

Sometimes the stress of cash flow, business planning and the general day to day grind of people's jobs can lead to some really bad decisions. Generally the really bad decisions are ones that are made quickly or out of an emotional response, rather than a business...

In Ontario, in most cases, the loser in a step in a civil law suit pays the legal fees of the winner. It is for this reason, we always advise our clients of this and warn that no outcome before a Judge can be guaranteed. There is good reason for awarding costs against...

Yesterday in Ontario we celebrated Family Day. Family is such an interesting thing to celebrate as there are those who feel they do not have much to celebrate in that department. Some of those who have that sentiment have no doubt experienced being dragged into...

Roses are red, Violets are blue, If you're in a law suit, Don't represent you. Ah, Valentine's Day. A day to celebrate love and the emotion that comes with it. While being in touch with your emotions is good for your personal relationships, being emotional is not a...

Starting a new business is an exciting time for a business owner. Many times the idea to start a business comes up quickly and spontaneously. While the desire to move quickly is understandable, moving without a plan in place is likely to see that business fail just as...

We've just celebrated the Lunar New Year, which maybe means it's a good time to reflect on an old curse: "may you live in interesting times." Oh boy. We're certainly doing that right now, aren't we? The political upheaval in the USA that has been felt world wide. What...

I recently reviewed a Statement of Claim that was served on one of our clients. The document had many typos and included this gem: "no fair hearing prior to overkill termination undeserved." That was a stand alone sentence, in case you thought that I only used part of...

One of the best reasons to incorporate is so that your business becomes an asset that you can transfer to the next generation.  A well-organized corporation can be the primary source of wealth for families.  Yet many small business owners don’t take the necessary step...

Many people think they know a lot about employment law. Many people do. Many people know a little about employment law and get confused about its' application to certain issues. One of the most common issues that arises in is the "probationary period". Part of the...

Remember a few years ago there was a lot of noise in the media about the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation, a.k.a. CASL. If you're a small to medium business owner, you may be thinking, well that was a lot of noise about nothing. You would be wrong and you may be about...

I'm feeling in a "Festivus" mood - if you didn't watch Seinfeld, Google it, then come back. The specific part of Festivus I'm in the mood for is the airing of grievances, so let's all gather around the Festivus pole, tired after the feats of strength and begin: "I...

Occasionally this Blog draws on recent cases in the firm and this Blog is one of them. A fraudster provided a fake cheque as form of payment for a piece of equipment and the company selling the piece of equipment (XYZ Co.) gave title to the fraudster. The fraudster...

Effective December 10, 2016, Ontario corporations that hold legal or beneficial interests in land that is located in Ontario, must prepare and maintain a register of these ownership interests pursuant to new record-keeping requirements under the Ontario Business...

Oh wait, isn't the title of this week's post the way that song goes? I suppose it's not, but it could be. Ah, the holidays. Yes, all of them, not just Christmas, Channukah & Kwanza - all of them. Nothing brings out good will towards all in some and the worst behaviour...

In July of this year, the Supreme Court of Canada made a ruling in a case called R. v. Jordan. This case has impacted our Civil Justice system in the Province of Ontario, in addition to the Criminal Justice system to which it was targeted. In the Jordan decision, the...

Dear future client: We look forward to helping you collect the money you're owed from that customer you are about to do business with. We understand that the customer doesn't want to put your deal in writing, preferring to work on a handshake. We also understand that...

Most Ontario High Schools are now sending out codes for students to use to apply to University. This is an exciting time and one full of a lot of decisions for students. Many of those students want to be lawyers. Many are being lied to by the Universities they're...