Our job is to take the stress and worry out of your biggest investment. We can meet with you at your convenience either in person or virtually. We are a technologically driven firm. Your entire transaction could be completed electronically from start to finish.

We can offer you assistance with:

• Purchase and sale of family homes;
• Purchase and sale of multi-unit residential buildings;
• Private mortgage services including registration, construction advances, construction lien defences, enforcement and discharge;
• Non-resident real estate services, including assistance with the Certificate of Compliance;
• Real estate litigation, including construction liens, certificates of pending litigation and failed transactions;

Embarking on litigation is no small challenge. It can be perilous, stressful, and expensive. At the start of litigation, you will be faced with many questions. At Geoff Pollock & Associates, it is our job to help relieve some of your stress by evaluating your litigation position candidly and dispassionately. Together, we will plot a course through the litigation process, which will help reduce the inherent uncertainties that come with any civil matter.

We will discuss the various remedies that may be available to you. The overwhelming majority of civil litigation cases settle outside of the courtroom rather then proceeding to trial. We have considerable experience in negotiating settlements. We will work with you to investigate the feasibility of various cost reduction strategies, such as mediation and arbitration.

Some examples of our work include:

Business Disputes

• breach of contract
• shareholder and partnership disputes;
• breach of trust.

Real Estate Disputes

• failure to close;
• certificate of pending litigation;
• preconstruction disputes;
• power of sale;
• construction lien;
• mortgage enforcement.

Our system of government requires businesses and individuals to navigate confusing and at times overlapping Federal and Provincial laws and regulations. Understanding and complying with these requirements can be a daunting task, especially for small and medium-size companies. Compliance obligations can get even more complicated for different industries, products, service offerings, or form of the legal entity under which a business operates. Not knowing relevant laws and regulations, however, increases the risk of non-compliance and can lead to higher costs

At Geoff Pollock and Associates, we assist small and mid-size companies navigating through the system of rules and regulations that apply to them. We will be your strategic business partner by focusing on your specific goals and objectives in the short and long term. Our team will work with you to create a solid foundation for your business.

We handle diverse transactions in many practice areas, including incorporations, preparing shareholder and joint venture agreements, providing corporate governance advice, and handling acquisition, sales and restructuring of private companies. 

If you are no longer able to meet your obligations and your finances are getting out of control, there are a number of options that may be available to you under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, such as making a consumer proposal or filing for bankruptcy.

We would be happy to meet in-person or virtually to explain your options. All information that you share with us will be protected by the solicitor-client privilege. It is always better to be informed about your options rather than worry about the unknown.

If you decide that either a consumer proposal or bankruptcy are the right options for you, we will introduce you to a Licensed Insolvency Trustee. Together we will help you navigate this process.

Many may fear bankruptcy for its negative connotations; however, it could be used as a second chance. Our clients often tell us how relieved they are to start the next chapter of their life with greater clarity and certainty.

If you have previously filed a consumer proposal, but failed to meet your obligations, it may be possible to revive it. We have experience gaining court approval for the revival of consumer proposals. 

Do you know:

• how your assets will be distributed upon death?
• what your estate is worth?
• how much tax your estate may have to pay?
• If your after-tax assets will be sufficient to support your dependents?

If you are unsure about answers to these questions, you need to review your estate plan.

We will work with you to facilitate achievement of your estate goals and objectives. We can help you understand how significant life events may affect your estate plan. If you own a business, we will ensure that any business contracts, such as a shareholder agreement, are properly reflected in your Will. A failure to incorporate business agreements in your estate plan may result in unnecessary litigation. This is because different documents may attempt to distribute the same property (e.g., corporate shares) to different parties in the event of death.

We can assist you with the following when creating or updating Wills:

• Charitable giving;
• Insurance strategies;
• Planning for disabled beneficiaries;
• Business succession planning;
• Preparing an Estate Net Worth Statement;
•  Estimating tax liability, including potential U.S. estate tax;
• Reviewing potential income tax or estate administration tax saving strategies;
• Reviewing if international or multiple wills may be beneficial.