General
We focus on business and IP law, incorporations, trademarks, contracts, corporate reorganizations, alongside employment and litigation, real estate, wills and estates, and dedicated dental and blockchain practices.
No. Most of our work happens by phone, video, and e-signature, so we regularly act for clients across BC and beyond. Our office in Surrey is available whenever an in-person meeting helps.
Same business day in almost every case. We built our intake process specifically to avoid the multi-day silence founders often experience with larger firms.
Predictable services like incorporations and trademarks are flat-fee. Litigation, negotiations, and other bespoke work are billed hourly with a clear estimate up front, and we'll always flag it before costs change.
Book a free 15-minute consult through our contact page or by calling (778) 565-4700. We'll scope your matter and tell you honestly whether we're the right fit.
We accept cash, cheque, and credit card payments (Visa and Mastercard only).
As a courtesy to our clients, the first consultation up to 15 minutes is free pertaining to all legal business matters (except immigration and litigation matters). Any additional time required for legal counsel will be billed based on the individual lawyer's hourly rate. However, this does not apply to requests for legal advice, which are billed. This is solely to determine if the client wishes to work with the lawyer, and to determine if the law firm can meet the clients needs.
By retaining a lawyer, you are agreeing to pay the lawyer an agreed upon fee to secure his/her legal services and act on your behalf on a particular legal matter.
We are required to identify and/or verify the identity of our clients. It is preferable for clients to meet with us at our offices; however, if clients are not able to physically meet with us, we can make alternative arrangements.
For any monies that go into trust, the funds are held in a separate bank account on behalf of the client until the funds are authorized to be withdrawn. Every law firm has a legal obligation to keep client’s trust funds secure and separate from the law firm’s general funds.
A retainer agreement is a written contract that establishes the scope of work and the terms that set out your relationship between you and the lawyer. These usually include: The level of authority to act on the client’s behalfThe lawyer’s billable hourly rateDisbursements - fees that are paid for by the law firm to reimbursed by the client (e.g. filing fees, photocopies, couriers)What happens if either party terminates the working relationship
Incorporation
Your initial consultation, Articles of Incorporation, an Incorporation Agreement, all government filing fees, organizational resolutions, and a complete digital minute book with share certificates. Contact us for a quote tailored to your structure.
Both are legal element designations you can choose when naming a BC company, alongside Corp; functionally they're interchangeable, so the choice usually comes down to preference and how the name reads for your brand.
Accountants can often file the paperwork, but incorporation isn't a one-time task, a lawyer helps build the organizational documents the Business Corporations Act actually requires, drafts the agreements you'll need later, and is positioned to resolve issues as your company grows.
Filing itself is usually same-day once your company name is approved. Name approval through the BC Registrar typically adds one to three business days if you haven't pre-reserved it.
A numbered company is faster and cheaper since it skips the name-approval step. A named company builds brand recognition but costs an extra $40 and requires NUANS/BC name approval first.
You can incorporate yourself, but a lawyer catches share-structure and shareholder-agreement issues before they become expensive, most clients find the flat fee cheaper than fixing a DIY mistake later.
Trademarks
Typically 18 to 24 months from filing to registration, driven mostly by CIPO's examination backlog rather than anything in our control.
They protect different things: incorporation reserves a legal business name provincially, while a trademark protects your brand nationally against confusingly similar marks. Many clients pursue both around the same time.
No. A registered business or corporate name only confirms the name isn't identical to another registrant in that jurisdiction, it doesn't give you exclusive trademark rights or protection against a confusingly similar brand elsewhere.
Generally no, CIPO treats a wordmark and a design mark (like a logo) as distinct applications, so most brands file separately for each to fully protect both.
A comprehensive CIPO clearance search, preparation and filing of your application, responses to any examiner's report, and one year of post-registration monitoring for conflicting marks.
Yes, we offer flexible payment arrangements so cash flow isn't a barrier to protecting your brand, ask us for details when you get in touch.
We respond directly to the examiner's report on your behalf, addressing distinctiveness or conflicting-mark concerns, which is included in our flat fee.
Wills & Estates
A will is one of the most important documents you'll ever sign. Without one, loved ones often face added frustration, uncertainty, and cost sorting out your estate, and a properly made will heads that off before it happens.
One-size-fits-all will kits create ambiguity that can force heirs into costly court applications and block access to assets until it's resolved, a properly drafted will is worth the modest upfront cost for most families.
Yes. Without a will, BC's default distribution rules decide who inherits and who administers your estate, which rarely matches what people actually want, regardless of estate size.
A power of attorney lets someone you trust manage your financial affairs if you're unable to. Paired with a representation agreement for health decisions, it's essential planning at any age.
Straightforward estates often clear probate in three to six months; estates with disputes, complex assets, or missing documentation can take considerably longer.