Selling a business in British Columbia involves much more than agreeing on a purchase price. Sellers must consider due diligence, confidentiality, employee obligations, contracts, representations and warranties, and the conditions that must be satisfied before closing. If you are selling a business in BC, getting advice from a business and corporate lawyer early can help [...]
As a family lawyer practising in British Columbia, I come across parents who understand the basic idea of child support but feel uncertain when extra costs show up. Who's paying for daycare? What about braces, counselling, hockey fees, tutoring, private school, or university tuition? These extra costs fall under what's called Section 7 expenses, and [...]
Losing a loved one is hard enough. Finding out there's no will makes it harder. As a lawyer practising in British Columbia, I see how quickly the questions pile up: who has the authority to deal with the estate, who actually inherits, and what happens when there's a spouse, a common-law partner, a minor child, [...]
The family home tends to be the first thing people ask about when a marriage falls apart. Not just because of what it's worth, though for most couples it's the biggest asset they have, but because of everything it represents. The kids' rooms. The neighbourhood they've grown up in. The mortgage you've spent years paying [...]
Adoption can take many forms. Some families have been fostering a child for years and are ready to make it official. Others want to adopt a stepchild, or have been navigating a lengthy wait for a domestic placement. The circumstances vary, but the question is usually the same: what does this process actually involve? In [...]
It often comes as a surprise to parents that child support in British Columbia does not simply end when a child reaches a certain age. While turning 19 is an important legal milestone, it is not always the point at which support obligations stop. The rules around when child support ends in BC depend on [...]
Joint tenancy is often presented as an elegant solution: add someone to the title, avoid probate, and spare your family a lengthy estate administration. In practice, however, the strategy rarely delivers on that promise without careful legal planning. Joint tenancy does have a legitimate role in estate planning when properly structured. The difficulty is that [...]
In British Columbia, it’s not unusual for parents to ask whether a parenting order can be changed after it’s been made. Circumstances change, children get older, schedules shift, and life moves on. The short answer is yes. Parenting orders can be changed, but only in certain situations and through the proper legal process. What Is [...]
In British Columbia, it is very common for people going through a separation to have concerns about whether their spouse is being fully open about their finances. In some cases, there is a real worry that assets may not have been disclosed. These situations can be stressful and confusing. It is important to understand that [...]
When couples separate, much of the conversation understandably focuses on dividing assets such as homes, savings, and investments. However, debts must also be addressed. In fact, many people are surprised to learn that debts accumulated during a relationship may be divided just like property. In British Columbia, the Family Law Act sets out how both [...]
