Business Law Services for Business Owners & Entrepreneurs
If you are starting a business, running a business or growing a business from a sole proprietorship or through acquisition, you need the right advice and legal services to secure your business.
Anchor Your Business
Your company is your most precious representation of your professional contribution to your community and society at large, therefore using an experienced local lawyer with a well-versed team to guide you through the nuances of corporate law will anchor your precious ship.
Corporate or business law entails many aspects that you might not be aware of as captain of your ship and expert in your field. Trust in Ness Law Business Lawyers Orillia for the expertise you need to sail your business smoothly without having to wear a legal department’s hat. Incorporate your business, create shareholder agreements and issue shares, complete annual minute book resolutions and buy or lease commercial property, the corporate law services for lake country lifestyles.
A personalized service for commercial and business law requirements
Whether you are a contractor, tradesperson, startup founder, florist, accountant, service provider or retailer, the team at Lawyer Orillia is here to support your business’s success with the best legal solutions to your operational challenges and requirements.
These requirements may include drafting and negotiating contracts, terms and conditions, finance agreements, establishing investment shareholder agreements, issuing shares, commercial transactions, or shareholder and director’s duties.
If you think you need a lawyer, then the answer is always yes you do. Ask for help to make the best decision for the future. From the assistants and clerks to the lawyers, the education and experience they have accumulated will save you countless hours of research and sleepless nights trying to understand what the team at Ness Law are ready deliver to you and your business. Start with a Business Lawyer’s Consultation to discover your options and talk through your needs.
Legal Advice & Business Law without the jargon
No miscommunication or misunderstanding of legal jargon. Ness Law will walk you through the process with clear insight, making it easier for you to understand and get the results you are looking for.
As one of Orillia’s most personal law firms, we manage a comprehensive range of corporate and commercial law engagements, including:
- Incorporating new businesses
- Transactions from Share Purchase, Asset Purchase or Sale of a business
- Shareholder agreements
- Partnership agreements
- Loans, banking and finance
- Commercial Leasing
- Business structure advice, set-up and rework
- Business governance and succession planning
- Terms of trade and other business contracts
Our team also work closely with experts in other teams like accountants, book keepers and mortgage brokers, giving you the confidence that we have all your legal bases covered.
Incorporating a Business or Starting a New Business
Running a business of any size can be a stressful and daunting task, so you shouldn’t have to worry about learning the legal requirements for incorporating a business. Ness Law Orillia is here to offer you and your business partners (if any) the legal advice to navigate this process and incorporate the business. Receive assistance on contracts, employees, business structures and legal requirements associated with business operations.
Mitigate business risks and optimize the commercial success of your business by starting with guided expertise that saves you a headache down the line. When your time is best spent on spent on driving your business offerings rely Ness Law corporate law services to incorporate a business for long-term success, growth and smooth exit strategies.
Learn more about business structures and which one is right for you >>
Purchase and Sale of a Business
If you are buying or selling a business, whether it be shares or shares and assets, you will need a lawyer to help manage the process and draft the contract. It is very important that you use a business lawyer to review the sale contract and give advice on the purchase process. Ness Law will provide advice and assist in the best ways for the agreement to be performed. In an advent the contract is breached, the team at Ness Law will have existing insight into the contract and advise on next steps.
Minute Books
Keep track of everything accurately with yearly legal requirements for incorporated businesses and shareholders.
What is a minute book?
A minute book is your business’s glossary of information in a fancy binder. Not as complex as it might sound, your minute book will contain important documents from its legal inception. These documents will include the articles of incorporation, shareholder share certificates, business structure and key personnel.
What is an Annual Corporate Resolution?
Every year and hand-in-hand with your financial statements from the accountant, Annual Resolutions are entered into the minute book binder and report yearly financials and taxes, changes in appointed directors, shareholder contributions and shareholder dividends paid. It is important to stay up-to-date, in the same way you pay yearly taxes. These are documents that can be audited too, which can be very expensive based on the business.
Financial Transactions for Businesses
Ness Law supports your next move by overseeing financial services for lending and borrowing including vendor take-back agreements, mortgages, asset purchases and the financing requirements for you to buy, sell or grow your business.
The Lawyer Orillia team act for a number of lenders and borrowers in different capacities to secure finance for ongoing progress. Other activities necessary to your operational financial targets we can advise you on include asset ownership, corporate structures, property law and general common and corporate law issues.
Frequently Asked Questions — Business Law
How does starting or incorporating a business work (step-by-step)?
- You decide which business structure fits your goals, such as a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation.
- You confirm your business name and registration or incorporation requirements.
- You register or incorporate the business and set up the ownership structure.
- If you are incorporating, shares are issued and the initial corporate documents are prepared.
- Your corporate records and minute book are organized.
- If there is more than one owner, a shareholder agreement or partnership agreement should be considered early.
- Before signing major contracts, leases, lending documents, or purchase agreements, the legal terms should be reviewed carefully.
- As the business changes, the records should be updated to reflect new owners, directors, resolutions, and major decisions.
Should I operate as a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation?
The right structure depends on how many owners are involved, your liability concerns, tax considerations, financing plans, and how you expect the business to grow. A sole proprietorship may be simpler to start, while a corporation may offer more flexibility for ownership, investment, and long-term planning. Business owners in Orillia often benefit from legal advice before deciding which structure best supports their goals.
When should I incorporate my business?
Incorporation is often worth considering when you want to separate business operations from personal ownership, bring in partners or investors, create a clearer share structure, or prepare for future growth or sale. The right timing depends on your business model, risk profile, and long-term plans. Early legal advice can help you set things up properly from the start.
Do I need a shareholder agreement if my corporation has more than one owner?
In most cases, yes. A shareholder agreement is strongly recommended when a corporation has more than one owner. It can reduce uncertainty by setting out how decisions are made, what happens if someone wants to leave, how disputes are handled, and how shares can be transferred. Putting this in place early can help prevent expensive problems later.
What should a shareholder agreement include?
A well-drafted shareholder agreement often addresses decision-making rights, board representation, share transfers, exit terms, dispute resolution, funding obligations, valuation issues, and what happens on death, disability, retirement, or a breakdown in the working relationship. The right terms depend on the business and the people involved, so the document should be tailored rather than copied from a generic template.
What is a corporate minute book, and when should it be updated?
A corporate minute book is the central legal record for a corporation. It commonly includes articles, by-laws, resolutions, registers, and share records. It should be kept accurate and updated when the corporation is formed, when shares are issued or transferred, when directors or officers change, and when key corporate decisions are made. Keeping records current can help with financing, transactions, tax matters, and general corporate compliance.
Should I have a business lawyer review contracts before I sign them?
Yes. Contracts can affect payment rights, liability, termination rights, intellectual property, confidentiality, non-solicitation terms, and dispute resolution. A business lawyer can review or prepare contracts before you sign so you understand the legal risks and the practical business impact. This can be especially important for service agreements, shareholder agreements, franchise agreements, employment agreements, and lending documents.
What should I watch for in a commercial lease?
Commercial leases can contain important terms about rent increases, renewal rights, repair obligations, operating costs, default provisions, assignment or subletting, personal guarantees, and permitted use of the space. Because a lease can become one of a business’s largest ongoing obligations, it is wise to have the terms reviewed before signing or renewing.
What is the difference between buying shares and buying assets?
In a share purchase, the buyer usually acquires the corporation itself, including its existing rights, obligations, and legal history. In an asset purchase, the buyer typically purchases selected assets of the business instead of the entire corporation. The structure of the deal can affect liability, due diligence, tax considerations, lease issues, and closing documents, so it is important to understand the difference before moving ahead.
When should I speak with a business lawyer?
You should speak with a business lawyer before incorporating, taking on a partner, signing a shareholder agreement, entering into a commercial lease, borrowing or lending money, signing major contracts, or buying or selling a business. Getting legal advice early can help protect your interests, reduce risk, and make future growth easier to manage.
Ness Law’s Professional Corporate Law Services
Corporate Law and Business Lawyer Orillia
A high standard of personalized service
Accurate, timely and understanding advice
Positive towards your business ambitions
Reasonable fees for a hands-on service
Business Lawyers Orillia, Barrie, Gravenhurst, Muskoka
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Corporate Law Orillia and Business Law Orillia for all walks of business incorporation and legal services are provided by Ness Law Lawyers Orillia
Remote business lawyer’s consultations offered by Ness Law. Find us on 36 Andrew St S Orillia for in-person service appointments.
Use a business lawyer for your corporate law requirements including; incorporate a business, create share purchase agreement, buy or sell a business, money lending, commercial lease agreements. Ness Law, Corporate lawyer Orillia serves Barrie, Midhurst, Angus, Gravenhurst, Severn, Bracebridge, Ramara, Brechin and everything surrounding.
Updating a Will
A Will is never a static document. Individuals will probably tweak it throughout their lives, particularly when their circumstances change significantly; for example, due to marriage, divorce or the death of a beneficiary.
If you have been meaning to update your Will, we strongly advise you to get the process moving—even if that involves tough conversations.
Ness Law understands the importance of Wills, estates and trusts, and the sensitivities that come with creating or changing your Will, so contact us today to talk to an expert about how we can help you.
Buying or Selling a House?
Real Estate Law
Although it seems quite straightforward, real estate law can be quite complex and lawyers have to consider issues such as contract terms and conditions, mortgages, leans, property title and municipal regulations to name just a few. Are you buying a new or selling a property, trust in Ness Law Orillia to secure your decision.