What does a Toronto Commercial Litigation Group Lawyer Do?

The process of commercial litigation is when legal action is taken involving business transactions. In Toronto, a commercial litigation group lawyer is often consulted for legal representation and to help settle a dispute between businesses or between a business and an individual.

Many aspects of business are governed by commercial law, including advertising, marketing, selling, banking, bankruptcy, contracts, collections, securities, trade, etc., hence business issues will vary differently from each other. Although each will be very different in nature, the commercial litigation process, in general, will follow the same steps involved in a civil lawsuit – hiring a lawyer, filing motions, engaging in settlement negotiations, pre-trial, trial, settlement and appeal.

When a business engaged in commerce, merchandising, trade, and sale causes harm or damage to the rights, relations, and conduct of an individual or another business the injured party or parties has the option of filing a lawsuit against the other. The individual or business who instigates the lawsuit is referred to as the plaintiff, or claimant, and the business or individual that the lawsuit is filed against is referred to as the defendant.

As soon as a complaint is filed this starts the dispute process and the defendant will need to file a response to counter the complaint. To file a response, the plaintiff will need to employ a commercial litigation lawyer to ensure appropriate legal representation.

Commercial litigation lawyers provide professional advice to a wide range of clientele, including individuals, private businesses, startups, franchisors/franchisees, national and international corporations and government agencies. They tailor their approach to the needs of the client they are representing, whether as a single representative to a small enterprise or as a team of lawyers with large corporations. They are knowledgeable in all areas of business law and routinely handle both complex and common commercial disputes, some of which include:

•                    Antitrust

•                    Banking transactions

•                    Breach of contract

•                    Business torts

•                    Commercial leasing

•                    Construction liens

•                    Contract and joint venture disputes

•                    Corporate governance

•                    Corporate/shareholder disputes

•                    Creditors’ remedies

•                    Defamation and privacy law

•                    Distribution and franchise disputes

•                    Fraud and unfair competition disputes

•                    Injunctions and specific performance

•                    Insolvency/bankruptcy

•                    Insurance coverage

•                    Intellectual property

•                    International commercial disputes

•                    Mergers and acquisitions

•                    Professional negligence claims

•                    Real property disputes

•                    Representations and warranties

•                    Securities

•                    Trade secret disputes

•                    Trust and pension issues

To resolve a commercial dispute, commercial litigation lawyers make use of strategies such as a negotiated settlement, alternative dispute resolution methods (ADR) such as Arbitration and Mediation, or as a last resort, the courtroom. They will often choose to engage in pre-litigation settlement discussions to resolve disputes before filing for a lawsuit.

In the event a resolution proves impossible and court proceedings become necessary, the litigation team will advance the dispute to where applicable, federal, provincial, in the Supreme Court of Canada or in all regulatory and administrative tribunals.

Whether commercial disputes are settled in or out of court, litigators are assigned to manage all phases of the litigation process from investigation, pleadings and discovery to pre-trial, trial, settlement and appeal and will spend much of the time taking depositions, interviewing witnesses, reviewing documents, writing briefs and visiting dispute sites. Their specialized knowledge, advocacy skills and experience in the courtroom can be counted upon to resolve issues and risks that can impact your business in times of trouble.

Commercial litigation involves federal laws related to commercial business transactions and is very specialized and very complex. An experienced commercial litigation group lawyer in Toronto can advise you of your legal rights and work with you on the most cost-effective strategy to resolve your dispute so that you can get back to business as usual right away.

How Toronto Corporate Lawyers Can Help your Business

Corporate lawyers in Toronto, and in other areas of Canada, build their careers working with a corporation managing the legal responsibilities and obligations that the business faces. Some may work at a law firm and be retained by a corporation, but they could work in-house either in a small corporation as the lone legal adviser, or with numerous other lawyers of different field specialties in the legal department of a large corporation. They can also be hired as a temporary contract lawyer, offering business advice to companies of all sizes on a few different projects, or on a single project for a longer period of time. Typically, the large corporations such as banks, insurance companies, hospitals, retail stores, oil firms, biotechnology and manufacturing companies, and energy and communications companies require corporate lawyers for full-time services. Small companies on a tight budget typically consult a lawyer on a need-to basis.

Corporate lawyers are highly specialized in various areas of corporate law, including contract negotiations, securities and tax law, code compliance, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, tax law, bankruptcy, financial reporting, employment, collections, patents and trademarks, real estate, incorporation, litigation, international commercial law and many other areas of specialization. Their tasks can be as routine as drafting standard contracts, or as rigorous as resolving conflicts or facilitating mergers and acquisitions.

Small businesses can benefit in many ways from a corporate lawyer:

1.            Obtaining advice on the best legal structure for the business. Choosing whether your business should be established as a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or a Limited Liability Corporation can be complex. A corporate lawyer will be able to discuss with you all the legal and administrative requirements, tax consequences and liabilities of each to help avoid errors or omissions that may result in financial and tax penalties.

2.            Drafting and executing employment agreements. Employer and employee relationships are subject to certain labor and tort laws, that a carefully drafted contract can make a difference in protecting the interests of the business. A corporate lawyer can word the contract accurately and include important elements, such as a non-disclosure clause or a non-compete clause that benefit both employer and employee.

3.            Provide legal counsel in the event of a reorganization, merger and liquidation. Major changes in the structure of a company involves very complex transactions and numerous actions. Corporate lawyers can help facilitate activities such as the adoption of resolutions, drafting contracts, negotiating agreements and the completion of administrative paperwork that are related to corporate and tax matters.

4.            Exit strategies. Selling the business, retirement, or if a business partner dies or leaves the company can involve substantial personal and financial consequences. A corporate attorney can help you develop your exit plan well in advance and provide advice for business entity organization, structuring business operations and intellectual property development strategy to help you make the right decisions and maximize the value of your business.

5.            Represent business owners in equity transactions. A corporate lawyer can represent companies from the earliest stages of formation and through multiple rounds of innumerable corporate financings and provide necessary documentation for all financial transactions. They can provide legal advice on critical corporate legal issues so you can minimize risks and make informed choices to maximize the reward.

Whether you are operating a small business or a company with shareholders, Toronto corporate lawyers can only add value to your business. The invaluable legal counsel they can provide will ensure that your business risks are minimized and corporate functions conform to all local, state and federal applicable laws on every level so as to prevent legal problems that can potentially affect bottom line.