With oil prices dropping significantly and Target closing its doors, thousands of Albertans have lost their jobs. Many thousands more are worried everyday that they could lose their job. The Centre for Public Legal Education (CPLEA) has created a new tip sheet for Alberta tenants who are having … [Read more...]
Helping Children and Teens Deal with Separation and Divorce
In 2008 Statistics Canada estimated that 41% of Canadian marriages would end in divorce before the 30th year of marriage. Most agree that the divorce of parents has a profound impact on the emotional well-being of children. The legal system has recognized this issue and family justice services … [Read more...]
Top 5 Legal Mistakes in Starting a Small Business (Part 5)
Mistake #5: Not Getting a Lawyer for your Business As the owner of a business, you would likely never try to do all of your own accounting, computer support, and cleaning – you would probably hire someone. After all, you are there to run the business part of your endeavour – that is what you … [Read more...]
Top 5 Legal Mistakes in Starting a Small Business (Part 2)
Mistake #2: Not Having an Operating Agreement (Partnerships and Corporations) An “Operating Agreement” is a contract between the founders of the business. This includes people involved in the management, people who provide capital, and people who do both. This agreement sets out operative issues … [Read more...]
Top 5 Legal Mistakes in Starting a Small Business (Part 4)
Mistake #4: Not Being Adequately Insured New businesses often have insufficient insurance. In deciding what kind and how much insurance to secure, a new business owner should carefully examine the needs of the business. Here is a summary of the most common forms of insurance coverage. Property … [Read more...]
Top 5 Legal Mistakes in Starting a Small Business (Part 3)
Mistake #3: The Contents of Leases When you start a small business, you will need to consider where that business will be located. If your business is not a home-based one, this may be the first time you have had to deal with a commercial lease. Although such leases generally favour the landlord, … [Read more...]
Top 5 Legal Mistakes in Starting a Small Business (Part 1)
So you want to start a small business? You have your business plan at the ready, you can get a start-up loan with an interest rate that is at an all-time low, and your determination is at an all-time high. You are ready to go. Ironically, now – during this flurry of energy, excitement, and … [Read more...]