Bill 142
Amendments to the Construction Lien Act
This week I had the pleasure of attending the Toronto Construction Association’s seminar on Bill 142 – Amendments to the Construction Lien Act (Legislative…
The Hummingbird Brand Story
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Help I’ve been fired!
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Buying a House with Mr. Maybe
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First Time Homebuyer? New Changes Coming Your Way
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What You Need to Know About the New Changes to Land Transfer Tax in Ontario
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Mindwire – An Executive Directors Soapbox
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Bill 142
Fraudulent Letter Alert!
August 20th, 2017 We have now received several notices that people have been receiving fraudulent letters from someone purporting to be Roy M. Bernhard….
Weed at Work – How the Cannabis Act will impact the Canadian workplace
This time next year, Canada will see all parts of the legislation for the Cannabis Act in full swing. This act put forth by…
Is travelling down the long road of litigation worth it?
Litigation is often over-dramatized in movies, television and pop-culture. We as the viewer get to watch the ‘good guy’ trump the ‘bad guy’ after…
So you’re an executor, now what?
Unexpected tragedies happen to every family. Any individual can succumb to serious illness or death. Yet as difficult as these situations can be, there…
Can real estate ‘speed-dating’ solve Toronto’s puzzling housing costs?
There is a unique approach to homeowning that is being highlighted in the city of Toronto with the idea of ‘speed-dating’ to find a…
The sale of the matrimonial home in Toronto’s steep housing market
The shock factor of Toronto’s real estate market is dying down as the average price of a home has skyrocketed over the past several…
How mix-use development can be the solution for the dying neighbourhood mall
Neighbourhood malls are quickly becoming a memory, and companies like Amazon are to blame. Consumers are embracing the simplicity and convenience of online shopping….
Changes to Ontario’s labour laws and what it means for the average ‘worker’
Ontario’s Liberal government has received recommendations on how to make the largest reform to Ontario’s Labour Laws and the Employment Standards Act (ESA) since…
The Hummingbird Brand Story
Children are amazing because they are so authentic and yet so determined to grow and change. They listen to their hearts and minds and…
Court 2 Court Beach Volleyball Tournament 2016
Court 2 Court 2016 was a big success! Hummingbird Lawyers had a blast and cannot wait until 2017’s event taking place on July 13, 2017….
Help I’ve been fired!
Getting fired can happen to any of us. Some of the most recognizable and successful business men and women have been fired from their…
New Laws Affecting Dissolved Corporations in Ontario
On December 10, 2016, the Forfeited Corporate Property Act (the “FCPA”) introduced new changes to existing laws regarding the forfeiture of corporate property to…
New Record Keeping Requirements Mandatory for Ontario Corporations Owning an Interest in Land
On December 10, 2016, new requirements for Corporations governed by Ontario’s Business Corporations Act (“OBCA”) and Corporations Act (“OCA”) came into force. The following…
The Benefits of Title Insurance – A Video by LawPro
As part of LAWPRO’s public awareness efforts to promote the role of the lawyer, they produced a video: Why every homeowner needs title insurance….
Understanding the Power of Attorney – Video Interview of Amy MacAlpine with Randy Holt from Investors Group
Understanding the Power of Attorney Video Interview of Amy MacAlpine with Randy Holt from Investors Group Amy MacAlpine, head of Wills and Estates at…
Where There’s a Will There’s a Way – Video Interview of Amy MacAlpine with Randy Holt from Investors Group
Where There’s a Will There’s a Way Video Interview of Amy MacAlpine with Randy Holt from Investors Group Amy MacAlpine, head of Wills and…
The Validity of Power of Attorney after Death – Video Interview of Amy MacAlpine with Randy Holt from Investors Group
The Validity of Power of Attorney after Death Video Interview of Amy MacAlpine with Randy Holt from Investors Group Amy MacAlpine, head of Wills…
Understanding Probate – Video Interview of Amy MacAlpine with Randy Holt from Investors Group
Understanding Probate Video Interview of Amy MacAlpine with Randy Holt from Investors Group Amy MacAlpine, head of Wills and Estates at Hummingbird Lawyers LLP…
Buying a House with Mr. Maybe
Living together (cohabitation) is not always an antecedent to marriage. But buying a house with Mr. Maybe differs from sharing a basement apartment with…
The Impact of Wills on Marriage – Video Interview of Amy MacAlpine with Randy Holt from Investors Group
The Impact of Wills on Marriage Video Interview of Amy MacAlpine with Randy Holt from Investors Group Amy MacAlpine, head of Wills and Estates…
First Time Homebuyer? New Changes Coming Your Way
LTT Refund for First-time Homebuyers If you are a First-time Homebuyer, you may qualify for a refund of all or part of the Land…
What You Need to Know About the New Changes to Land Transfer Tax in Ontario
Buying a new home, for many people, will be the biggest if not one of the biggest investments any purchaser will make in their…
Mindwire – An Executive Directors Soapbox
So I finally mustered up the courage to put keystroke to blog and start an ongoing talk-blog on our site to speak about the…
Residential Tenancies Act 2006
From its purpose, applications, exemptions, and more. The Residential Tenancies Act is the most important Act for landlords and tenants to understand to know…
New Development Condominiums: Beware the Two Closings
If you have purchased a new development condominium in Ontario and are awaiting “closing”, you should be aware that new development condos have two…
Travelling with Children After Separation or Divorce
Travelling with children of separation or divorce is more complicated than simply booking a flight and confirming a hotel. Parents who are going through a…
Mortgage Lenders Beware – Understanding the limitations on penalties
Lenders beware! In the current economic climate, lenders are required to enforce their security to recover loans following default by lenders. However, the recent…
New Home Owners: Understanding your Supplementary Tax Bill
By: Michael Taing Purchasing a newly constructed residential home or condominium can be exciting. However, when it comes to property taxes, new homeowners may…
A little now or a lot later: An Employer’s duty to keep lone workers safe
By: Darren Smith Over the past decade, several provinces have installed legislation requiring private employers to address issues of employee safety in circumstances in…
The Acquisition of the Residential Condominium For The Purposes of Renting
In recent years, one of the more popular transactions that I have seen has been the acquisition of a residential condominium with the intent…
Are You Protected in the Workplace?
Over the past decade, several provinces have installed legislation requiring private employers to address issues of employee safety in circumstances in which they work…
Sellers – Be Aware of the Closed Mortgage
A Closed Mortgage is a mortgage where the term of the mortgage is for a fixed period of time and usually comes with a…
Can parents be criminally liable for refusing to vaccinate their child?
With all the recent controversy about vaccinations, I have been asked a very common question: Should vaccines be mandatory by law and if so, what…
What’s Next For Canada After the Assisted Suicide Ruling?
The Supreme Court of Canada has unanimously ruled that the Criminal Code provision against aiding and abetting someone to commit suicide, unjustifiably violates the…
Why You Should Never Die Without a Will
Are you in a common-law marriage? Look out! If you are married without any children, your spouse has a de facto right to everything….
How To Avoid a Stressful Closing Day For Your Residential Real Estate Transactions
Next to your wedding day, moving day is perhaps one of the most stressful days you can experience and if you are lucky, you…
Thinking of Self-Representing?
Thinking of self-representing? Better think again. Potential Pitfalls of the Self-Represented Litigant There are a number of potential pitfalls people face when bringing claims…
Do I Really Need A Will?
Q: I don’t really have that much, do I really need a will? A: Yes! Reasons why you need a Last Will and Testament…
LTCQ is Not Enough (Watch out for Adverse Possession)
Written By: Mariann Karageorgievski, J.D. candidate 2015 Following s. 32 of the Land Titles Act, a large majority of land in Ontario have been…
Live and Let’s Deduct (Save Money with Fuel Deductions)
Written By: Mariann Karageorgievski, J.D. candidate 2015 As we emerge from the long, bitter winter and welcome the long awaited summer sun, we are…
Your License to Day Care
If you are currently running, or plan to run, a day care out of your home, you must comply with a number of requirements…
The Hidden Condo Clause
The pursuit of finding a rental unit is a treacherous feat, driven by a desire to find a great location with adequate living space…
You only go to Court Twice: the Implications of Criminal Law in a Family Law Context
Written By: Anita Guyadin, J.D. Candidate 2015 Family law encompasses issues and disputes occurring within a family setting. Subjects subsumed under family law include…
Why Are You On My Land? Easements are Forever (Almost)
Looking for a Specialized Land Easement Consultation – CLICK HERE Written By Anita Guyadin, J.D. Candidate 2015 Have you ever stepped out your…
It is In Your Best Interest! – How to Express Interest Rates in a Contract
Whether you are drafting a contract or signing one, there are several areas in which you should be careful. One of these areas is…
Donald Sterling – The Man with the Silver Gun – Hummingbird Law LLP
Much is being said about Sterling and his recent racial comments secretly taped and made in private. Much of this discussion circulates around the…
Fraud Prevention: The Little Black Book of Scams
With the proliferation of the internet, we have all been blessed with wonderful productivity aids, entertainment options, communication mediums, and distractions of all kinds….
Government of Canada Introduces Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)
On July 1st, 2014, the Government of Canada is putting into effect a new Anti-Spam Legislation. This will affect everyone in a corporate business…
PART 1: What your business needs to know – Getting ready for Canada’s New Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)
Getting ready for Canada’s New Anti-Spam Legislation What your business needs to know – Part 1 of a multi-part series on CASL. By Adam…
PART 2: Questions, Answers, and Other Important CASL Facts
CASL PART 2: Questions, Answers, and Other Important CASL Facts By Adam Dwek This article is Part two of a six part series on…
PART 3: If It Doesn’t Look Like a Commercial Electronic Message, It’s Still Probably a Commercial Electronic Message!
PART 3: If It Doesn’t Look Like a Commercial Electronic Message, It’s Still Probably a Commercial Electronic Message! By Adam Dwek Continuing a multi-part…
PART 4: Consider CASL When Buying a Business
Consider CASL When Buying a Business By Adam Dwek Part 4 of our multi-part series on CASL focuses on CASL concerns and issues when…
When A Common Law Spouse Dies Without a Will
Common law spouses are not treated the same as married spouses under the law and do not automatically have the same property rights. In…
Three Ways to Protect Your Common Law Spouse
In Ontario, common law spouses are not always treated the same as married spouses under the law. The definition of “spouse” is different in…
Specific Performance for Real Estate Investment Properties – Extremely Unlikely
Is Real Property unique? It was not so long ago that courts thought so. No two pieces of property were considered the same and…
Evergreen Building Ltd. v. IBI Leaseholds Ltd., 2008 BCSC 235
Case Commentary In Evergreen, a landlord of an office building in downtown Vancouver was experiencing financial difficulty and wished to redevelop the property in…
The Mortgagor’s Equity of Redemption
A mortgage security represents various things to various people, depending on their economic circumstances and their particular wants and needs. A mortgage may represent…
Just Cause Dismissal of Employees
Some Considerations Surrounding Just Cause Dismissal of Employees General Principles Regarding Just Cause Typically, there is a requirement for reasonable notice for termination…
In Terrorem Clauses in Wills
Some Considerations Concerning In Terrorem Clauses in Wills A condition surrounding a legacy in a will may be found to be void, and the…
To Gift or To Loan, that is the Question
As is customary among families, parents want the best for their kids. A big part of that may be helping them buy their first…
Network
Social networking has become the new standard for connecting with like-minded people, but the real magic and value of a network comes from what…
Alternative Billing
Contrary to the popular saying – one size does not fit all. Law firms that are fixed on hourly billing are not aligned with…
Cloud
As a progressive, and forward-thinking law firm, Hummingbird Lawyers lives in the cloud. We use cloud based services. Both inside and out, everyone who…
Jagjit S. Bhathal
Jag is a devoted Family Lawyer. He brings more than 15 years of courtroom experience to Hummingbird Lawyers, having appeared in the Supreme Court…
Andrew M. Fortis
Andrew leads Hummingbird Lawyers Real Estate and Corporate / Commercial practices. Andrew is Hummingbirds go-to guru for commercial and residential real estate transactions, offering over 15 years experience,…
Roy M. Bernhard
Roy serves as our Chief Executive Officer and is responsible for leading the development and execution of the Firm’s long term strategy with a…
Amy M. MacAlpine
Amy leads Hummingbird Lawyers Wills and Estates practice, bringing more than 13 years of experience in Wills and Estates to Hummingbird Lawyers. A Boston native,…
Vanessa Jass
After practicing law for over 14 years, Vanessa has transferred to Toronto from Nova Scotia this year and is eager to serve the GTA…
Darren Smith
Darren is a Senior Lawyer with Hummingbird Lawyers’ Civil Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution practices, offering over 12 years of litigation experience specializing in business/commercial…
Michael E.B. Taing
Michael is an Associate Lawyer in the Corporate/Commercial and Real Estate practices at Hummingbird Lawyers LLP. Michael’s practice focuses on advising health professionals including…
Ella Aiaseh
Ella works closely with the Family Law team at Hummingbird Lawyers on a variety of family law cases, with a special focus on cases…
Brian Greenspan
Brian is a Lawyer in the Employment and Corporate/Commercial practices at Hummingbird Lawyers LLP. Brian’s employment law practice focuses on wrongful dismissals, disability claims, accommodations, workplace…
Adina Schild
Adina began her work at Hummingbird Lawyers as a summer intern in 2013 and completed 10 months as a Student-at-Law with the firm. Adina…
Daniel Wulffhart
Daniel is an Associate Lawyer in the Corporate/Commercial division of Hummingbird Lawyers LLP. While completing his articles at Hummingbird, Daniel benefited from wide exposure…
Douglas J. Green
Douglas Green is an Honorary Partner with Hummingbird Lawyers LLP. Doug was called to the bar in Ontario in 1976, a graduate of the University…
Jaime Dym
Jaime Dym is a legal assistant with Hummingbird Lawyers. Jaime will shortly be sworn in as a Paralegal. Working primarily in the area of family…
Ariela Cohen
Ariela Cohen supports Hummingbirds business development initiatives. Ariela ensures that new clients coming in to Hummingbird know about the services and value that are…
Nadia Scobici
Nadia is a legal assistant with Hummingbird Lawyers. She works closely with Andrew Fortis and Michael Taing on corporate matters and with Amy MacAlpine…
Christine Fraschini
Christine Fraschini is a Law Clerk with Hummingbird Lawyers working primarily in the real estate area of law. She is actively involved in the…