Our Take On Things
To sue in Canada or abroad ?
Business is global. Doing business globally means at times you're going to find yourself in a legal dispute with someone who is not in the same country as you. When that happens, where do you sue? The first step is to read the agreement, if there is one, that you have...
No slow down this summer: here's what your business needs to do.
We're into the first full week of July and normally things slow down in the summer. That appears to not be the case this summer, which is a very good thing in light of the "Canada is in a Recession" talk that started to come out of the USA last week. So, what does...
There are no tears in Business
Remember years ago when Martha Stewart had an "Apprentice" TV Show and she told one of the female contestants, there are no tears in Business? That was likely some of the best advice she gave during the show. Tears are borne from emotion and the emotion in a Business...
So you want to get paid
This week I am speaking at the Law Society of Upper Canada's Solo & Small Firm Conference on "Getting Paid". If you follow our firm on Twitter this week (@andriessenlaw) you'll find all tweets this week are related to the topic of getting paid. Some of the tweets are...
How to kill business in the GTA – host the Pan Am Games.
Hold onto your hats, it's rant time on the Blog today. I recently read the traffic forecasts from "Officials" for the Pan Am games - I suppose I wouldn't want anyone to know my exact title if I was forecasting traffic this either. As a selfish, business lawyer, I of...
Let's get your business paid
For over 23 years I've been a business lawyer and as a big part of that, I've sued debtors who owe my clients money. Collection litigation is only an effective tool if it is done well. If the law firm is the only one making money, then it is not done well. Our firm's...
So you want to change the Ontario Employment Standards Act?
The Toronto Star has recently been running a series about "precarious employment". In the series is highlighting what they believe are failings in the Ontario Employment Standards Act. Some lawyers and politicians have picked up this mantle and are now calling for...
#RelationshipGoals for you and your Business Lawyer
The hashtag included in the title of this Blog post is a term that keeps showing up more and more on the internet. Of course, some of the "relationship goals" seem a bit questionable, but to each their own. As a business lawyer who works with everyone from a sole...
Be aware when carrying on business in Quebec
It's interesting in the practice of Business Law how things go in waves. One week we have an influx of wrongful dismissal claims, like the week after the Ghomeshi allegations started, and another week, like one a few weeks back, clients are contracting with businesses...
Employees behaving badly
Ah, nothing like a few pints (well, maybe more than few) and a Soccer Match to bring out the hooligan in some people: you all know what I'm writing about. I'm writing about the FHRITP comment (Google if you must, but beware it's NSFW - Google that before the first...
The Consequences of Ridiculous Ideas (a.k.a. why the LSUC should not force firms to hire Students)
I recently read an article in the Globe & Mail that suggested cutting all men’s wages so they were equal with women’s wages. I won’t delve into the politics of equality in this Blog, but will tell you, as a woman, nothing gets me more annoyed than someone trying to...
70 years of thanks!
Many people when they first meet me ask me "what are you?" This didn't happen where I grew up in BC, but in Toronto, it appears necessary to many people to put people in a box. I always answer Canadian as I am born here, however, I generally ultimately relent and say,...
The Joys of Settlement
A file I was working on just settled on the eve of trial. As a trial lawyer, I enjoy arguing a case before a Judge. I revel in the questions, the objections, the arguments based on law. I appreciate, however, clients do not enjoy trials. Trials cost money, take...
Our firm is great because of our team !
This week is Administrative Professional's week. I'd like to think every week is that week in our firm, though to be fair, we don't all enjoy a lunch out together every week. When I was an Articling Student, I was initially terrible at working with Administrative...
Happy Law Day Week !
This week is the Canadian Bar Association's annual Law ay week. (Only lawyers could make a day last a week.) This week is intended to educate and inform the public about the role and importance of the law in their lives. One of the ways our firm is participating...
When parties consent
Last week I attended Court on an unusual motion. In 2012, a defendant to a law suit settled an action with my client by agreeing to make payments over time. As is common in settlements of a long duration, one of the terms was that the defendant sign a Consent to...
Law Students, please stop complaining
Lately there have been a lot of articles written by Law Students. They're complaining about the debt they've incurred to get their degrees. They're complaining that there are not enough Articling positions and they may have to pay the LPP fee in order to be licensed....
The Building Blocks of a Career in a Business
This morning I went to Starbucks and paid partly on my Starbucks card and partly with a $ 20.00 bill. After I paid on the Starbucks card the balance was $ 2.86. The Barrista could not figure out the change. Thankfully I was able to draw on my training as a bakery...
Why I'm seeking re-election to the Halton County Law Association Board of Directors
On Thursday, March 12 the Halton County Law Association (HCLA) will be holding it's AGM. I am currently on the Board of Directors, having been acclaimed for my first term, last year. I will be seeking re-election this Thursday. I joined the Board as I wanted to help...
Listen Up !
I was at a trade show recently, not a boring legal trade show, but the Outdoor Adventure show (hey, I have a life that extends beyond Court Rooms – honest!) and I was overwhelmed by the way many vendors were blurting out information as we walked past their booths....
Bzzz – Ow – Bzzz – Ow – Don't be a Bart Simpson
The Simpsons debuted on TV while I was in Law School. I have many memorable episodes, but the one that sticks out the most is where Bart touches the electrocuted science experience that the Lisa set up, gets buzzed, says ow, then repeats it over and over again. I...