Our Practice Areas
Personal Injury
Motor Vehicle Accidents
If were involved in a motor vehicle accident, you could be entitled to compensation for the injuries that you have suffered. We have extensive experience representing victims of motor vehicle, ATV and motorcycle accidents.
Slip and Fall
If you have fallen and suffered an injury, it is possible that you can have a claim against the person or company that was responsible for creating the condition that caused your slip and fall accident.
Disability Insurance
Many individuals have disability insurance, short-term and long-term, available through their employers or purchased it privately and there is an expectation that in the unfortunate event that they suffer an injury or a medical condition that prevents them from working their insurance policy will provide them with an income replacement. However, it is common for insurance companies to deny or terminate legitimate insurance claims. We recommend that you contact one of our lawyers who have experience and knowledge in disability insurance to assist you in deal with your insurance company to have your benefits reinstated.
Medical Malpractice
All medical professionals who accept a patient have a duty to provide proper medical care to them. If a medical professional who was provided care to you was negligent in providing care to you which caused injuries, you may have a medical malpractice claim against them.
Canada Pension Plan
The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) disability benefit is available to people who have made enough contributions to the CPP and whose disability prevents them from working at any job on a regular basis. The disability must also be permanent. Our lawyers have extensive experience providing advice and assistance to individuals for CPP reconsiderations, appeals to CPP Review and Tribunal and Pensions Board.
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Family Law
Divorce
Under the Divorce Act, a married couple can obtain a divorce after being separated for more than one year. Although there are some circumstances that permit a couple to obtain a divorce prior to the expiration of one year, the majority of couples wait to at least the one year expires. In order to obtain a divorce even if it is uncontested, a individual must file an application with the court to obtain their divorce.
Separation
Following a separation between a married couple or common law spouses (who have resided together for three years or more or who have a child together), there will be a number of issues that will need to be resolved i.e. division of property and debts including the matrimonial home, support (child and spousal) and custody and access. In most cases, the couples, through their lawyers negotiate a Separation Agreement to resolve all issues arising out of their separation but in some instances couples are unable to come to a resolution and must proceed with a court application to have the court decide on those issues.
Domestic Contracts
There are three types of domestic contracts that spouses can negotiate in order to manage or resolve their affairs in the event of a martial breakdown - cohabitation agreement, marriage agreement or separation agreement. By entering into a domestic contract, the spouses can come to an agreement without court intervention on the issues that need to be resolved following a separation including the matrimonial home, division of family property and debts, support (child and spousal) and custody and access.
Although courts have recognized that spouses can negotiate their affairs in the event of a separation in domestic contracts, they have the right to intervene in a couple's affairs and set aside a domestic contract under certain limited circumstances such as lack of independent legal advice or failure to fully disclose your financial affairs.
Custody and Access Disputes
One of the most difficult aspects of any separation involving children is determining the custody and access arrangements for the children. "Custody" essentially means the responsibility to make decisions for the children and "access" is the right to have visitations with the child. There are many different forms of custody such as sole custody, shared custody and joint custody that can be agreed upon between the spouses or ordered by a court.
Ontario law states that custody is to be determined with reference to the "best interests of the child". There are a variety of factors that a court reviews to determine the "best interests of the child" including the bond and attachment between child and parent, wishes of child and the ability of parent to provide guidance and necessities to child.
Child Support
In Ontario, the Child Support Guidelines governs the law on child support. The Child Support Guidelines has created tables which has effectively made the determination of child support fairly easy. In most cases, a table based purely on the income of the support payer determines the appropriate amount of child support. There are some exceptions to the general rule such as when there is shared custody situation, but the majority of time, it is just a matter of reviewing the tables in the Child Support Guidelines after you have determined the payor's income in obtaining the required amount of child support.
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Real Estate
Residential and Commercial Real Estate
We have extensive experience advising buyers or sellers on all aspects of a new home, resale home or condominium purchase or sale. We will guide you through the entire process from reviewing the Agreement of Purchase and Sale to the closing of the agreement. We also hav extensive experience in re-financing your home if you are considering switching lenders, registering a line of credit mortgage or increasing the amount of your mortgage. Our lawyers serve clients throughout the City of Ottawa and Eastern Ontario.
Mortgage Enforcement
We advise banks, mortgage companies, private individuals and other lenders in all relevant matters, including powers of sale, foreclosure, possession and receiverships. We have many years of providing mortgage default services for a major mortgage company in Ottawa.
We have also developed significant expertise in representing mortgage companies and debtors all aspects of mortgage enforcement, including collections and recoveries and enforcement of security. We work with mortgage companies and the debtor to find creative solutions in lieu of foreclosure transactions.
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Will & Estate Planning
Wills
In order to ensure that your intentions or wishes are followed through in the event of death in a timely and tax-effective matter, it is important that you have a valid and current Will. If you happen to pass away without a proper Will (or one that is out of date), you run the risk of your estate being needlessly subjected to tax, legal challenges, delays which can create arguments amongst family members at a difficult time. In addition, your property may be distributed in a fashion that you did not intend. We have extensive experience advising individuals and families on all aspects of estate planning.
Power of Attorney
A power of attorney which is otherwise known as “living will” is a legal document that permits an individual to act on your behalf in the event that you are mentally incapable of managing your financial and personal affairs. We have experiencing advising clients on the drafting and preparation of their Power of Attorneys.
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Civil Litigation
Contractual Disputes
In the event that you entered into a contract which was subsequently breached, our lawyers can represent you to fight to recoup all the losses that you have suffered as a result of the breach in contract.
Misrepresentation
If you have been a victim of contractual misrepresentation in, for example, a purchase of a home which has led to unanticipated expenses for the unprepared buyer and you relied on a misrepresentation in entering the contract, you may be able to receive compensation for the damages that you have suffered.
Breach of Trust
There are certain relationships such as business partnerships, between an investor and an investment advisor, real estate agent and purchaser or seller that courts have held members to a fiduciary duty standard, meaning they owe a duty to act in good faith and with loyalty, toward the partner, associate or client. We have many years of experience representing victims who have suffered serious losses as a result of a breach of trust in a fiduciary relationship.
Business Law
Incorporation
We advise entrepreneurs who are starting out their businesses and can provide cost-effective, professional service to facilitate the expedited incorporation of Ontario or Federal business corporations incorporating their business.
Corporate/Commercial Law
We offer a range of services to entrepreneurs and business owners including preparing small business partnership agreements to corporate acquisitions, sale and purchase of an existing business and restructuring of a business.
