Business Coaching with Neil Schwartz and Rob Dale
In this episode, business coach (and Dallas Cowboys fan) Rob Dale from Rhapsody Strategies joins business lawyer (and Green Bay Packers fan) Neil Schwartz from Mann Lawyers . What is business coaching all about? Well, it’s not just about helping set business plan strategies, as they discuss in this episode. They also talk about going into business with friends and family, your […]
Why A Title Search Is Important
Clients often have a lot of questions about the purchase process, such as ‘when do I get my keys’ and ‘will we meet in person or virtually to sign the closing documents’. One question that often comes up regularly is ‘what is a title search’. Most clients understand that doing the search is important, but […]
How to Register Yourself as a Parent When Welcoming a Baby Via Surrogate
Registering the birth of a new baby can be done online through the Service Ontario website. With the province’s ‘5-in-1 Newborn Bundle,’ you can register your child’s birth, apply for a birth certificate, a SIN number, Canada Child Benefits and request an Education Savings Referral. When you have a child via a surrogate, there are […]
Estate Litigation Costs and Discretion
As is now clear, the traditional approach in estate litigation that “the costs of all parties are ordered payable out of the estate has been displaced by the modern approach of fixing costs in accordance with civil costs rules, unless the court finds that there are public policy considerations” (McDougald Estate v. Gooderham (2005), 255 […]
Succession Planning for Family Businesses with Neil Schwartz and Danielle Walsh
A Manner Of Speaking is a podcast focusing on a variety of legal issues. The next few episodes have a focus on business law and are hosted by corporate and commercial lawyer Neil Schwartz from Mann Lawyers in Ottawa, Canada. Neil’s guest in this episode is Danielle Walsh, a partner and Family Business Practitioner at […]
The White Whale is Found: When Fixed-Term Goes Right
The recent Ontario decision, Steele v. The Corporation of the City of Barrie, 2022 ONSC 7245 (“Steele”), has expanded on the case law centering on fixed term employment contracts (“FTEC”), and outlined some principles which may help protect employers from liability. It is common knowledge amongst employment lawyers that FTECs often come with significant liability […]
Construction Law Issues with Brett Hodgins
This episode is an intersection between environmental law and construction law. Host Cheryl Gerhardt McLuckie speaks with colleague Brett Hodgins, a member of Commercial Litigation and Construction Law teams, about an interim adjudication system, a prompt payment system and construction lien remedies. For further information, you can read Brett’s blog posts on prompt payment provisions […]
Child-Inclusive Separation: Do Children Have a Voice?
The short answer is yes. The long answer is, it’s complicated. Children have a legal right to be heard and listened to according to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, specifically article 3 and 12. Whether their voice can lead to them having choices, that is where it can get complicated. […]
City of Ottawa Imposes Vacant Unit Tax
What is it? As of January 1st 2023, The City of Ottawa requires all eligible property owners to declare the vacancy status of their homes. A unit is considered vacant if it was not used as a principal residence and has been unoccupied for more than 184 days in the previous calendar year. The Annual […]