Services
What We do
Real estate law
Residential real estate is our firm’s largest area of practice. We have assisted thousands of clients in the purchase, sale or refinancing of their homes and we are committed to providing that assistance with a professional, non-intimidating approach. We encourage our clients to contact us throughout the process with any questions or concerns that they may have. We also provide prompt and measured responses to any problems that arise after the closing of the transaction. We value the relationship with our clients and it is important to us that the clients feel that they have received full value from our services.
We are able to transact business in Registry Offices throughout the Province of Ontario and to address our clients’ real estate concerns wherever they may be located. We are happy to discuss the particulars of your needs at any time.
We are also able to assist our clients in commercial real estate or income property transactions. We are here to help make your real estate experience a positive and rewarding one and go as smoothly as possible.
Wills and Powers of Attorney
Estate Planning is our firm’s second largest area of practice. The proper preparation of a Will and Powers of Attorney is an extremely important step in life planning.
Wills and Powers of Attorney are usually prepared over two appointments. The first appointment is to listen to, discuss and record your wishes and details for the terms of your Wills and Powers of Attorney. Before the second appointment, we draft the documents according to what was discussed. Then we have a second meeting to review with you the draft Will(s) and Powers of Attorney and for you to sign upon approval. Most of the information required to draft your documents is readily known without any special “homework” or other preparation needed. However, if there are any uncertainties, or areas requiring further consideration, these can be resolved in the period between appointments, or we can make another appointment to discuss the subject further.
Without a properly drafted Power of Attorney, you may not have anyone to make decisions on your behalf concerning your financial or health care matters if you become incapacitated. Not all Powers of Attorney are the same and yours can be customized to reflect your wishes.
Without a properly drafted Will, the government decides how to distribute your assets and property upon your death. As you may well imagine, your wishes may not be reflected in the plans the government has made for your estate.
Furthermore, a proper and well-considered Will can prevent conflict between your family members, all of whom likely have their own opinions on your wishes. Guardianship of your minor children can be established, a trustee for any funds held for infant children may be named and an Estate Trustee, the person responsible for ensuring that your wishes are followed, can be appointed.
Estates
Our office is experienced in handling legal matters upon the death of a friend or relative. If you have been named as the executor (now called the Estate Trustee) in a will of a recently deceased individual, we would be happy to meet with you at your first opportunity. We will discuss whether probate is necessary, the steps to be taken, the length of time it will likely take to obtain probate and the costs that may be incurred along the way.
We can also assist in situations where an individual has died without a will. There are rules set out by the government and we will guide you thorough the process and work to ensure that the wishes of the deceased are honoured.
Once we know the details of the situation, we will draft the paperwork to obtain probate, if required, and anything needed by the Estate Trustee to properly discharge his or her duties under the will. Our office is committed to providing a professional, caring experience throughout this difficult time. We can assist in any of your estate administration needs, even when our office did not prepare the will of the deceased.
Please note that we do not handle matters involving disputes concerning the terms of the will or disputes between a deceased’s family members. We also do not handle the enforcement of the terms of a deceased’s will if there are concerns about the validity of the terms of the will. If you require the assistance of a lawyer for these types of matters, we will be happy to provide you with a referral.
Corporate and commercial law
We work primarily with small business owners and can assist with a range of services to help your small business grow and run efficiently. We can also guide you through succession planning as you look to pass your business on to the next generation.
Notary public
**Please note that you must book an appointment for this service. Walk-ins are NOT permitted.**
A Notary Public performs services of verification. The Notary can verify the signature on a document, such as when an affidavit needs to be sworn. The Notary can also verify a copy of an original document, so that the original need not be supplied. Our office is pleased to offer this service and an appointment can be made by telephone or email. Please note that we are unable to accommodate walk-ins and kindly ask that you call ahead to book an appointment; we will try to accommodate a same-day appointment if our schedule permits. Please bring two pieces of identification with you; at least one must be government issued photo identification.
What We Do Not Do
We do not do family law, employment or labour law, complex or large-scale corporate or commercial matters or handle any matters that may result in litigation. We do not handle disputes of any kind whatsoever. If you require the assistance of a lawyer in any of these areas, we are happy to provide you with a referral.
We do not provide free consultations. Free consultations are not consultations – they are free auditions. You get what you pay for – if you pay nothing, then you get nothing. And ‘free auditions’ are not free – they are designed to get you into the office for distorted advice from a professional who encourages you to retain him or her so that they can make a living. We do not do that.
We do not charge large or hidden fees. We try to be as up-front as possible with all the fees and disbursements you can expect to pay for any transaction we assist you with based on the information that you provide us with.