As 2021 came to close, we were faced with, as per usual, corporate rushes – amalgamations, reorganizations, incorporations, and dissolutions. This year did not disappoint even though we continue to be stuck in March 2020. We are entering the third calendar year with the Pandemic, and yet businesses continue to go on.
With multiple transactions happening at once, and with a very unreliable Ontario Government online filing system, it was a bit of whirlwind and, if I’m being honest, a bit nerve racking as well. But, we hit our deadline and now we clean up after the mess.
How do we make sure we don’t miss a step? This is something that is always on my mind, and when you are extremely busy, it’s really easy to miss something.
Our firm ensures that we stay on top of all steps required under certain transaction, as well as maintaining the natural flow of current work by communicating with each other, prepare and complete checklists and use a tickler system.
Constant communication between assistants, clerks and lawyers is key. Providing weekly updates and daily check ins on big assignments is extremely helpful
Checklists are handy and extremely useful, provided you use them. When we create a checklist, it is saved to a file where everyone in our firm can access it, and once a step is completed, we mark it as completed. Additionally, as with everything Covid, our files are digital so everything is found online (and that is the only good thing coming out of Covid).
Our offices utilize a two step tickler system – the task function within Outlook and an physical tickler box. While a physical tickler box is old school, having that physical reminder on your desk can be helpful.
While I’m sitting here at my desk coming out of the end of year rush fog, I’m reviewing my task list and having conversations with lawyers about our next steps. For me, its’ ordering and organizing new Minute Books, issuing shares and following up with year ends. What’s your aftermath?
Christine Allan, Law Clerk