The severe cost of filing mistakes, even for self-represented litigants
In some areas of law, there is an increase of self-represented litigants, mostly in civil and family matters. This has
March 1, 2022
In some areas of law, there is an increase of self-represented litigants, mostly in civil and family matters. This has
Why do we lawyers call what we do a “practice”? I suppose it is because we are always striving to do well for our clients and that the law is not an exact science. All we can do is know the law and apply it to our client’s circumstances.
Before I start to explain how comparable agreements can help to determine the proper level of compensation a landowner is
Once an agreement on location and compensation is reached with the operator, I advise my clients that a Right-of-Entry Order issued by the Surface Rights Board protects their rights better than signing a Surface Lease or Easement form prepared by the Company.
One of the biggest changes that occurred when Express Entry(EE) was released back on January 1, 2015 was the ruthless approach that Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) took with respect to the processing of permanent resident applications.
Here is one of the most common questions I get related to Express Entry: I am a foreign worker in
I’m beginning to think that my computer believes I’m getting divorced. Being a lawyer who practices a lot of family
Wanting to preserve and pass down your farm, but not sure how do it? Or, considering taking over the farm
Have you entered into a distribution agreement for your product and/or service with an individual that decides to assign that
Despite the many differences between Lethbridge, Alberta and Whitehorse, Yukon (my first home as a lawyer), a constant seems to
If you are being arrested or informed you are being detained for a breath test because of suspected drunk driving,
Defense lawyers are often asked about hypothetical situations. A common one we are asked is “What do I do if
1. ENTRY: No purchase necessary to enter or win. Contestants will enter by liking our fan page and submitting a
Thinking about selling your home? What if I said that the fence you built a couple years ago may need
Every now and then I am approached by someone wanting to know if they are in any sort of obligation
If you have, or are planning to create, a corporation with more than one shareholder then it is a good
Family owned businesses are often operated as closely held corporations in order to obtain various tax and liability advantages. Unfortunately,
A question I am often asked when meeting with client who is facing a custody or parenting dispute is “When
Recent cases in my practice have given rise to discussions on parental alienation. This is a challenging and complex issue,
Divorce or a common law separation often comes with continuing obligations of supporting either your significant other for a period
Many people assume that agreements between intimate partners are only done before, but not after marriage or cohabitation occurs. Not
Electronic communication has not only become an essential part of how we do business, but of how we get business.
Jack and Jill were able to resolve the legal issues arising from the breakdown of their marriage amicably, and by
By Lethbridge & Fort McMurray Family Law Lawyer, Mark R. Baril
Jack and Jill were married in a beautiful ceremony, paid for by Jill’s parents. Their generosity extended beyond the ceremony
I often consult with clients regarding creditor/debtor situations where money is owed by one party to another. In some circumstances,
“Although their marital union failed, the parties have been successfully united in litigation for the past seven years over the
Many small businesses are operated through a corporation. The smallest of these will be single-person corporations, where one person is
Buying a home can be very stressful. The expense in the purchase itself as well as the risk that the
My colleague Gayle Hiscocks recently wrote an article about the importance of obtaining proper legal advice. I could not agree
Being terminated from your employment can be one of the most stressful situations you will ever face. In many occurrences,
You’ve found a franchise that seems like a hot business. You’ve talked to the Franchisor, and they want to take
I often say, there are two ways to get things done. The first is by force; the other by agreement.
I generally blog about areas of law that I have some particular knowledge of, in hopes of educating clients and
March 31, 2013 marks the 8th anniversary of the death of Terri Shiavo. If you don’t recall her by her name,
Ending a common law relationship is much like ending a marriage. Many of the same decisions must be made. My
Going through a divorce or separation is one of the most difficult events that a person will ever go through.
There is a commercial on television that makes me smile. It’s the one where a surgeon is talking on the
There are two basic transaction structures for acquiring a business – (1) the Share Purchase and (2) the Asset Purchase.
Marriage can be challenging. Separation or divorce is often even more complicated. Deciding to end a marriage generally requires many
Of all the issues that must be addressed upon the breakdown of a marriage relationship, the payment of child support
Generally speaking, comments that tend to lower a person’s reputation in the opinion of ordinary, reasonable members of society in
The term “due diligence” usually applies in commercial purchase transactions, and is therefore something lawyers deal with on a regular
It is not uncommon for individuals finding themselves in the middle of divorce or family proceedings to find themselves in
So, you want to protect your property from your spouse in the event of a divorce? We are often asked
In today’s world of the internet and Google, you would be hard pressed to find someone not on Facebook, Twitter
Following up on my previous article regarding the issue of custody, the issue of access is also one that I
As a personal injury lawyer for the last 5 years, I see significant disparity in what ordinary people are first
One of the most important factors that I tell my clients to consider before pursuing any type of litigation is
Divorce or separation is difficult enough, but when a child of the marriage or relationship begins to reject and avoid
Death and Taxes; we are all certain to experience both, and no one generally looks forward to either. Despite the fact
Recently, one of our firm’s clients passed away. A former lawyer of our firm had prepared a will for this
Technology advances are impacting every facet of our lives. Residential real estate is no different. In today’s marketplace, Internet resources
Employees and in particular, those who are not members of a bargaining unit working in a unionized work place, are
In this ever changing world of employment and reshuffling of tasks in the workforce, many are faced with difficult decisions
You’re in the midst of a divorce and you’ve decided you want to move away with the children to another
Jim was a happy family man, with a wife and two small children. One day, while driving home from work,
Technology and legislation have made it easier for people to do certain things for themselves – such as incorporating a
One of the primary concerns many people have when contemplating a divorce or commencing one is what will happen with
You’re about to start a business – or you’ve been operating your small business for some time and it’s progressing
Henry just bought his first home, and, being a smart home owner, he had it inspected. After a city-approved inspector
Stephen and Amie were a young, happily married couple. They had just purchased a home on a large parcel of
Jack and Jill were married after dating for a number of years. They did not live together before the marriage,
Grant was an older gentleman whose health was failing him in his waning years. He knew that one day he
James owned his own business. It was a simple business that sold a number of good to consumers. James employed
Amy had just finished drafting her Will for her family, preparing for the day when she would pass on. Amy held
In my last blog article I focused on the ‘oppression’ remedies of section 242 of the Alberta Business Corporations Act(“ABCA”).
Many companies are small ones – family members who have incorporated to run the family business, or a pair or
Jen and Chris were about to get married but decided that before they were to wed, to appease their families,
Jenny and Mike were a happily married couple once, but that was in the past. Now the only thing they
Thomas and Trudy were a happy married elderly couple, with successful children and young grandchildren. Geographically the family, both immediate
Jim, a fourth generation farmer, recently bought himself about 90 acres of land outside of town. He wanted his own land
Jim was driving home from work. It was an average day, everything seemed perfectly normal. Work had been no more
The Supreme Court of Canada recently made its decision in Schreyer v. Schreyer, a divorce case where the wife lost
Jennifer had been working for her company for several years, and she was considered by many of her co-workers to
Jane and Bob had been together for a long time and were happily in love. They wanted to be together
David and Jane were a young couple and they were very much in love with one another. At the time
The past 18 months have seen two very opposite financial trends in Canada – the ubiquitous “World Financial Crisis” on
I am frequently asked to define the word “custody” because I find that parties to potential family law proceedings are
With the advent of the Federal Child Support Guidelines, understanding and calculating what your child support obligation was became much more
Non-Married Property The first instalment of this article focused on the principles that apply to the distribution of matrimonial property.
Common Law Separation: Partner Support Your “common-law” relationship is coming to an end: what happens now? An increasing number of
Common Law Separation: Dealing with Property In Alberta, separating property on the breakdown of a “common-law” relationship is not as
General Contracting and the Fair Trade Act If you are a general contractor, or if you are a homeowner thinking of
Collaborative Family Law – The ‘Pros’ I hinted at some of these in the first installment of this article. Since
Another form of Estate Planning is called “Succession Planning.” This is simply arranging one’s affairs so that when you pass away, your
Relationship Property I am often asked by my clients what they are entitled to when their relationships break down and
In 2004, Alberta engaged in some aggressive insurance reforms with an aim to, among other things, reduce insurance premiums by
The term “Estate Planning” is a very broad and all-encompassing term that can mean just about anything these days. At
Collaborative Family Law Divorce or separation – it’s never easy, not for you or your spouse, not for your kids.
Over the last 10 years or so, the face of real estate transactions in Alberta has changed somewhat with the
The current economic downturn has led to lost jobs, lower income, and decreased real estate prices. This results in financial