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Our
Services
Dunlop & Associates is
committed to providing the highest level of legal services possible,
practising primarily Civil and Commercial Litigation, with particular
emphasis in the following areas:
MMCommercial
Litigation
MMCommercial
Transactions
MMCivil
Litigation - General Matters
MMCivil
Litigation - Personal Injury and Disability
MMBankruptcy
and Insolvency
MMEmployment
Law
MMWills,
Estates and Estate Litigation
Commercial
Litigation
Dunlop
& Associates offers a full range of commercial litigation
support, servicing multinational institutional lenders and small-cap
local businesses.
Bill
Dunlop, with over thirty years' experience in complex commercial
litigation, leads the Dunlop & Associates commercial litigation
team – Richard Campbell and Philip Tyborski
are also
active in commercial litigation.
From
pre-litigation counselling through interim preservation of property and
parties' rights, effective and aggressive discovery all the way to
high-profile litigation and enforcement of orders, Dunlop &
Associates can formulate an effective strategy suited to your needs,
and provide the dedicated and skilled support to minimize expense and
maximize recovery and preservation.
Dunlop
& Associates provides top-calibre service offering all of the
sophistication you would find in Toronto,
married to the benefits of a local presence, and a proven commitment to
our local communities. Contact us to find out how we can help you craft
a solution specific to your needs.
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Commercial
Transactions
The key to
successful business ventures often lies not in prevailing in
litigation, but in avoiding it altogether.
Business in
the twenty-first century must contend with a growing body of law, and
commercial practice, and an expanding sphere of rights which have the
potential to impact parties to contracts and affect other business
dealings in ways previously unheard of.
Secured
lending is one area of increasing pitfalls; do you know your rights in
default of a lease? A contract for the provision of goods or services?
What are the landlord's rights against you when your customer defaults
on its lease obligations?
Let Dunlop
& Associates' commercial experience guide you through these
issues before they become critical; with good planning, and proper
execution of a well thought out preventive plan your business can rest
easily, knowing that the commercial team at Dunlop & Associates
has applied over thirty years of experience to your situation.
Going into
business? Let Dunlop & Associates prepare a business plan for
you; with proper Articles, By-Laws and Shareholders' Agreements you can
take control of your business and enjoy optimum tax treatment and a
streamlined and efficient corporate decision-making process. At the
same time, plan properly for any eventuality and cover yourself in the
event of a corporate dissolution. Who gets the business? How do you fix
a buyout price? What are your options if your partner wants to go to
Court? We have the answers, and we can help you make your first step
one in the right direction.
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Civil
Litigation - General
What is
Civil Litigation? It is an expression which encompasses a range of
disputes which arise between parties, both individual and corporate,
either from contract, or from a breach of the responsibilities that
flow between the parties. Civil litigation can involve negligence,
occupiers' liability, nuisance, breach of contract, assault, or any of
a large number of specific torts, or causes of action. Personal injury
and malpractice actions, are common examples of civil litigation.
Our
experience allows us to offer broad-based expertise which has enabled
us to assist clients to satisfactory resolution of disputes, whether
through litigation or through avoiding it. Timely consultation and
appropriate strategizing often result in early and cost effective
resolution. Where litigation is unavoidable, early consultation allows
for a level of preparedness which benefits the client dramatically.
Act, don't react.
We would be
pleased to meet with you and discuss how involving Dunlop &
Associates in your dispute can be of benefit to you.
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Civil
Litigation - Personal Injury and Disability
Dunlop
& Associates staffs an experienced and savvy team of litigation
lawyers. Whether the injuries arise out of a motor vehicle collision, a
slip and fall or other circumstances, Dunlop & Associates can
help you answer the crucial questions which arise in your lawsuit.
Be aware not
only of your rights, but of the limitations and deadlines which
legislation in Ontario place
on injured parties. We make it our business to stay on top of the
changing legal environment so that you, the client, will always have
ready access to the most up to date analysis of your position and of
the many variables which might impact you.
Have you
been injured at work? Find out whether you have the right to sue your
employer, or anyone else, for that matter. Was the injury
"work-related"? Was a motor vehicle involved? Have you made your
election under the Workplace Safety Insurance Act within the designated
time limit? The compensation offered by the Workplace Safety Insurance
Board is completely different than what you might obtain through the
Courts. Which is best for you? Do you have the option to choose?
Have you
been in a car accident? When? Whose car was it? What insurance is
available to you in your particular circumstances? The answers can
change dramatically depending on the number and nature of the vehicles
involved, the location of the accident, the involvement of
municipalities or cities, or even private corporations such as bars or
other entertainment facilities. Make sure that you know your rights
under your own insurance policy as well as against other parties.
Accident
Benefits can be a nightmare for the inexperienced, and with the
imposition of time limits, thresholds and deductibles, you might see
your entitlement to first-party benefits vanish or be drastically
reduced if you aren't vigilant. Let our lawyers assist you in this
process.
We also
provide superior representation in pursuing benefits due and owing
under non-motor vehicle policies of insurance, including short- and
long-term disability, mortgage insurance, life insurance and Canada
Pension Plan benefits. These types of insurance are purchased against a
time of great need, and often they are denied for what appears to be no
reason. We can guide you through the application process and fight for
entitlement to all of your benefits.
These are
only some of the areas in which Dunlop and Associates offer Civil
Litigation expertise.
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Bankruptcy
and Insolvency
What role do
lawyers play in the winding up of a company, or in the making of an
assignment in bankruptcy? You might be surprised. We have counselled
many clients, large and small, in bankruptcy situations.
The
Companies Creditors Arrangements Act, the Commercial Tenancies Act, the
Personal Property Security Act and a number of other statutes all have
specific requirements in bankruptcy or insolvency situations. Don't get
caught out when you consider who you can satisfy, and who you can't.
Of course,
Dunlop & Associates also represents creditors in insolvency
situations. Secured creditors have been using the services of Dunlop
& Associates for over twenty-five years, with excellent
results. We can give quick and effective advice on what to do in an
impending insolvency situation. Does your debtor's landlord have a
claim? A spouse? Business partners? Other lenders? Make sure that you
know the answers to these and other questions before signing off on
your rights.
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Employment
Law
With the
economy entering a period of significant instability, employment issues
are becoming more and more prevalent in the practice of law. Burlington
boasts a number of high tech and manufacturing facilities all feeling
economic pressure to varying degrees, and inevitably, downsizing
becomes a cost-cutting vehicle that employers have to consider.
The law of
employment provides clear guidelines on when an employee may be
terminated, and what the results of that termination will be. Employers
and employees alike have benefited from consultation with Dunlop
& Associates prior to making key staffing decisions. When the
decision has already been made, Dunlop & Associates can help
ensure that your rights are protected on the termination of the
employment relationship.
Some issues
that we can help you with include assessment of appropriate severance
and notice obligations, continuation of extended health, life and other
benefits, tax considerations, the provision of career counselling and
the proper reporting of the termination of the relationship. Every
situation is unique, and every party has different rights in an
employment context.
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Wills,
Estates and Estate Litigation
Planning for
the orderly distribution of your estate and the winding up of your
affairs is one thing that almost everybody considers at one time or
another. Whether you have a multi-million dollar estate that you wish
to distribute with a minimum of tax exposure to your beneficiaries,
sentimental or valuable heirlooms that you want to distribute in a
specific way, or whether you just want the security of having a will,
Dunlop & Associates can help you.
Beyond the
distribution of property, there are other issues we recommend that you
consider when planning for the future. Do you have minor children? Have
you thought about their custody and guardianship, and about who will
manage the gifts you leave them until they reach the appropriate age?
Have you thought about how to structure your bequests to protect people
you care about even when they may not be able to make sound decisions?
Trusts, contingent bequests and other testamentary vehicles exist to
accommodate all of your concerns, but the law of estates requires
clear, precise and specific instruments which will meet the Courts'
requirements and survive challenge by others.
Consider as
well the use of Powers of Attorney to delegate decision-making power to
others in an emergency. Decisions about your medical treatment and
health care must be made pursuant to one Power, and decisions regarding
financial matters and personal property are pursuant to another. Take
the time to meet with a knowledgeable lawyer and find out what is best
for you. Dunlop & Associates can give you advice designed to
provide you with the maximum security and the least tax exposure,
always in strict accordance with your wishes.
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