In-House Counsel
-
August 22, 2025
Estate planning: Ongoing income streams after death
For individuals benefitting from the payment of royalties, it is not uncommon for those payments to continue after death, which gives rise to considerations in the estate planning and estate administration contexts. The most prominent example in recent years may be that of Michael Jackson, recognized by Forbes as the highest-paid dead celebrity in 2024 and in several years prior — royalties earned from MJ: The Musical alone certainly bolstered the bottom line.
-
August 21, 2025
‘Let’s eat Grandma’: How commas can ruin or make your case
Remember the online meme comparing “Let’s eat grandma!” with “Let’s eat, grandma!”? Well, here we have the legal version of it.
-
August 21, 2025
‘Inadequate’ pay deters outstanding jurists from federal bench; $28,000 boost needed: commission
Canada’s 1,198 federally appointed judges should get a substantial lump sum salary increase — $28,000 — as their pay package is no longer enough to attract “outstanding” private bar lawyers to the bench, says the federal Judicial Compensation and Benefits Commission, echoing warnings made by federal judicial leaders over the past few years.
-
August 21, 2025
Legal trends and changes for HR professionals in 2025
The employment law landscape in Ontario is always evolving, whether through changes to existing laws or the creation of new ones. Legal changes can place new burdens on human resource (HR) professionals, such as developing new policies, carrying out mandatory trainings, new reporting obligations and so on. And non-compliance may lead to costly fines and potential litigation.
-
August 20, 2025
Saskatchewan court: ‘Notwithstanding’ clause doesn’t oust judicial review jurisdiction
Next year, the Supreme Court of Canada will finally determine the proper interpretation of s. 33, also known as the “notwithstanding” clause, of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter). More recently, the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan (SKCA) released a significant decision also interpreting s. 33.
-
August 20, 2025
Immigration fraud and the need for reform
Canada is known as a welcoming country for immigrants, but there is a serious problem with some unscrupulous immigration consultants who take advantage of people’s trust, hopes and money by committing fraud and engaging in dishonest practices.
-
August 20, 2025
A directive from the Federal Court of Appeal
The Federal Court of Appeal has firmly stated the law concerning the standard of review on appeals to it, the liability of directors and shareholders for corporate liability and awarding damages where the extent of infringement and the harm it caused is difficult to establish (Patel v. DermaSpark Products Inc., 2025 FCA 145).
-
August 19, 2025
Determining value for corporate beneficial ownership registers
Recently enacted legislation requires additional reporting of beneficial ownership for private company shares, including as regards shareholders that are trusts. In order to comply, one criterion to determine is whether an ownership interest has sufficient value to be reported, an area where the legal rules combine with business valuation principles to arrive at the correct reporting position.
-
August 18, 2025
Ottawa proposes tax measures to enable capital gains rollover, business sales to employees
The federal government has released draft legislative proposals to implement a slew of tax measures including a relaxation of conditions for capital gains rollover on small business investments and a capital gains exemption on the sale of businesses to employee ownership trusts (EOTs).
-
August 18, 2025
Tax and cryptocurrency: Four key elements to prepare for a tax audit
The world of cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) is booming. Conceptually, they are similar in that both are traded on the blockchain. What distinguishes non-fungible tokens is their uniqueness — their own distinct identity — whereas one bitcoin is identical to another, much like one euro or one dollar.