Please visit our Offices section for contact information in your area.
You can call us toll free at 1-888-567-7777 for a consultation or fill out the form below with any questions you may have and a representative will contact you shortly.
Please visit our Offices section for contact information in your area.
You can call us toll free at 1-888-567-7777 for a consultation or fill out the form below with any questions you may have and a representative will contact you shortly.
Founded in 2000
50 people in their team
There’s nothing more important than family, but sometimes families fall apart. When they do, the law has to step in to help families divide assets and provide for the care of minor children. Family lawyers also help their clients plan for senior care, manage adoptions, and engage in estate planning.
Our family lawyers have decades of experience, and a long track record of successfully helping clients navigate their cases. We’re here to answer questions, litigate when necessary, and help you take steps that will secure your family’s future.
The type of family law most people know about is divorce law. The purpose of a divorce settlement is to divide assets and debts. It’s essentially dissolving a business partnership. Yet a proper divorce settlement will also outline how any minor children will be cared for and provided for. This could include issues of custody, visitation, child support, and more. Some divorce settlements will include spousal support.
Family lawyers also handle adoption and paternity concerns, as well as attempts to gain guardianship over vulnerable adults with dementia, or children who are not your own minor biological children.
Sometimes, divorced spouses must return to court several times throughout their children’s lifetime to navigate issues of custody, visitation, and support. Merchant Law provides ongoing legal guidance through the course of these stressful events.
It is imperative to have legal help when you get a divorce. An “uncontested” divorce is a divorce where both parties have 100% agreement on all the major issues of the divorce. This rarely happens.
The goal of the proceeding will be to create an equitable and legally-backed settlement out of court. Yet some divorces are simply too contentious, and will require court hearings to resolve. When this happens you’ll need a lawyer to defend your interests.
Without legal help you could lose custody of your child, end up paying far more than you can afford for spousal support, or lose vital assets which could have a negative impact on your financial future. Our tough negotiators and hard-nosed litigators will offer a strong partnership that will help you resolve your family law affairs to your satisfaction.
Our lawyers have an extensive background in family law. For example, our founding partner, Anthony Merchant, is the Associate Editor of the Carswell Reports of Family Law, is a Member of the Advisory Board of the Canadian Journal of Family Law, and is a Member of the Advisory Board of the Family Law Journal. He has also published extensively in journals such as Canadian Family Law Quarterly, as have many of our other lawyers.
This background is combined with thousands of hours of practical case experience, all of which can be brought to your benefit no matter how complex or high-stakes your family law case may be. We specialize in highly contentious, high-asset divorces. We can help you strengthen your case so you get the strongest settlement the law allows.
Need help with your family law case? Contact Merchant Law today to get paired with your own dedicated family law lawyer.
Our legal team helps both with commercial and residential real estate transactions. We help our clients navigate the complexities of the Canadian real estate market. We can help protect you from making a bad real estate deal, and we can help you in court when deals turn sour.
We can also help you deal with more complex real estate matters like landlord-tenant obligations, foreclosures, evictions, partitions, and more.
You’re realtor can help you find the right house or the right buyer, but only a lawyer can protect you as you wrap up the transaction. Using a real estate lawyer protects you, since there are things that can go wrong with property sales.
You may also need a real estate lawyer in the event that you inherit property. Inheriting property can come with a wide variety of legal issues, especially if there are other heirs involved.
Left to their own devices, realtors usually use boiler plate sales contracts that can get you in trouble if there are special situations with your property. For example, we can help you clear up clouded titles, manage property rights, or negotiate contracts that protect you.
Commercial real estate can become intensely complex. Mineral rights, environmental permits, land use issues, zoning, and the need to conduct due diligence are all part of the complex web of transactions that take place every day. Our team of experienced commercial real estate lawyers will help you protect your interests.
In cases where your real estate becomes entangled in litigation you can count on us to defend your interests. Property disputes are very common, but our experienced team is here to help.
Those who invest heavily in commercial real estate properties would do well to keep a dedicated real estate lawyer on retainer. This ensures familiarity with your properties, the ability to anticipate and reduce problems, and the ability to respond quickly when issues arise.
Our team is known for being some of Canada’s toughest litigators, most hard-nosed negotiators, and most savvy business lawyers. We have a proven track record of defending our client’s interests, and for winning cases.
You’ll find our team of real estate lawyers to be responsive, helpful, and knowledgeable. We’re excited to help you achieve all of your real estate goals. Contact us today to retain one of our highly skilled real estate lawyers.
Hiring and firing employees is necessary to build a thriving, profitable business. Yet employees do have rights, and violating those rights can have significant consequences. In addition, certain issues can arise during the course of employment that can create problems for your business.
We are also experienced with class action lawsuits which revolve around employment law. If you are part of a large class of employees who has been wronged, you might want to give us a call. We have a proven track record of getting results.
Employees in Canada have many rights. For example, they have the right to know which hazards exist in the workplace, and the right to refuse work they believe to be dangerous.
Employees are also entitled to protection from unjust dismissal. Unjust dismissal means you’ve been fired without cause and without severance. If you’ve been fired for cause, then the employer doesn’t have to pay you any severance. An employer can also avoid paying severance by providing the employee with proper working notice.
There are often disputes over whether employees were fired “for cause,” as well as disputes about how much severance is adequate for a just dismissal. These disputes can lead to litigation. Note: all forms of discrimination are illegal in Canada, and are considered to be “unjust” causes for firing an employee.
Here at Merchant Law we help companies avoid unjust dismissal cases. We also have lawyers who help employees get justice when they have been terminated unjustly. This makes us experienced in both sides of the law and allows us to handle your case in a robust, effective way.
While wrongful termination cases are some of the most well known, there are others. Our team also handles wage disputes, discrimination claims, harassment claims, and retaliation claims. We can also handle routine matters, such as setting up employment contracts, or helping you craft an employee handbook capable of protecting you from future lawsuits.
Most employment cases settle out of court. Yet you’ll want tough litigators to ensure you can prevail should the case go all the way to trial.
Note that the government releases new employment laws, standards, and regulations on a regular basis. By working with our employment lawyers you preserve your ability to stay on top of these statutes. You get the opportunity to bring your company into compliance before there is a problem. Doing this on your own is virtually impossible, as it is a full-time job.
Our employment lawyers have been in practice for decades. Our long, successful track record of winning suits for our clients offers confidence that your issue will be handled with legal excellence.
You’ll find every member of our team to be responsive, caring, and helpful. We’re proactive about providing you with solutions to your biggest employment law challenges.
Want to see what we can do for you? Contact Merchant Law today to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.
When you’ve been accused of a crime you need the best criminal defense lawyer you can get. Our job is to defend your innocence, protect your civil liberties, and to try to bring your case to its best possible outcome given the facts of the case.
We may even be able to help you if you’re guilty, or if the prosecution has a strong case against you, by helping you reduce or mitigate the consequences of your actions. We handle both misdemeanor and felony cases.
There are many myths about criminal law which prevent defendants from securing outstanding representation.
We’d all love to believe a just outcome is inevitable. In reality, there are 872 wrongful convictions in Canada every year. This figure does not count the number of plea bargains…individuals who simply pled guilty because they didn’t want to roll the dice on a trial.
A good criminal defense lawyer can dig deep into your case, determining how strong it is and whether it’s factual. Often, we find the prosecution doesn’t really have enough evidence to convict, but is hoping to intimidate the defendant into a plea bargain. When we can point out the flaws in the prosecution’s case we may be able to get your charges dropped or dismissed.
When you’re facing criminal charges you can’t afford not to have the best defense you can get. A criminal case risks your freedom, your current career, your future employment options, your family relationships, and your ability to secure housing in the future. In addition, many cases do not require as many billable hours as you might believe.
You don’t have to guess how much it will cost to work with us. You can just take advantage of one of our free, no-obligation consultations. We’ll be able to give you an idea of what it will take to get started.
If you’re in trouble, call us to ask how we can work with you. You may be able to get started with legal representation for far less than you think. No criminal charge is too big or too small. Even a misdemeanor charge can be life-altering.
When you work with the Merchant Law team we may be able to help you:
We handle both federal cases and provincial cases. Our team has experience with the courts at every level.
When you choose to work with Merchant Law you’re choosing to take advantage of decades of legal experience both inside and outside the courtroom. Our lawyers have fought hard for people just like you. We’ll defend your rights and help you bring your case to its best possible outcome.
Call Merchant Law to speak with a lawyer now. Call 1-888-567-7777 today.
Remember, anyone can run afoul of the law. Having a criminal lawyer picked out in advance, before you get into any trouble, is always a smart choice.
Canada is rapidly becoming one of the most desirable immigration destinations. We help people who are immigrating to this country navigate the legal hurdles of doing so. We also help employers who might want to sponsor foreign employees.
In both cases, working with an immigration lawyer gives you your best chance of success.
Canada accepts three broad types of immigrants. The first category of immigrant is an economic immigrant: someone who is going to contribute to Canada’s growth by working here, starting a business here, or investing here. The government will look for transferable skills, education, job experience, and language skills. They base the worthiness of the candidate on a point system.
The second class is a family reunification class. This includes spouses and family members who are coming to join their loved one here within our borders.
Finally, there is a small group of refugee immigrants, including asylum-seekers.
This is not to say there are only three kinds of visa. There are six broad classes: visitor visas, student visas, work visas, permanent residence visas, business immigrant visas, and express entry program visas.
Those broad classes can be broken down into subtypes. For example, an immigrant investor program visa gives permanent residency to someone with $800,000 in net worth who is willing to invest at least $400,000 into the Canadian economy. There are also start-up visas for people who will launch businesses here, self-employment visas, and family sponsorship programs. Express entry visas are given to immigrants who hold specific skills that the Canadian economy currently requires.
Helping you choose the right visa for your situation is one of the functions we provide as immigration lawyers.
Employers who want to hire foreign workers will need help with things like the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or with the specific documentation you will need to successfully complete the hiring process.
Fees can range from a couple of thousand dollars to over $10,000, depending on the matter at hand and what needs to be completed. Before you commit to hiring us you’ll have a good idea of our fee schedule and what it will take to complete the immigration process.
We do our best to keep our fees reasonable and competitive as we understand the role immigration plays in helping so many people fulfill their dreams.
When you work with Merchant law you get the experience that gets results. For decades, our legal team has helped people just like you navigate the complexities of legal immigration and employment. Our responsive lawyers will keep you in the loop as we work to get everything squared away on your behalf.
Want to find out how we can help? Contact us today. We’ll answer all of your questions, help you understand the process, and take you through your next steps. Call us today to get started.
Legal problems can sink a business. Give your business its best chance for survival by getting experienced guidance from the team at Merchant Law. Our business lawyers help you proactively protect your company by making sure you are complying with the laws and regulations governing your industry. We can help you take steps to mitigate or avoid costly lawsuits, and we can defend you when your company is brought into court.
We practice all aspects of this legal field and have dedicated lawyers who have devoted their lives to becoming the best in their fields.
There are many advantages to turning your business into a corporation, but doing so comes with many steps and ongoing requirements. We can help you ensure your business is structured to comply with all applicable federal and provincial law.
This includes help with certificates of compliance and existence, help with developing your board structure, and help ensuring you’re meeting your obligations under the law. Should you find yourself embroiled in a merger, acquisition, takeover, or reorganization we can give you the strategic legal guidance it will take to successfully navigate these events.
We also rigorously defend our clients who find themselves grappling with derivative action suits, contract dispute lawsuits, or liability lawsuits. No amount of preparation can provide 100% coverage against litigation, so we’re here to give you the best chance of winning any lawsuit that comes your way.
Many contract disputes begin with badly-written contracts. We review contracts that you may wish to offer or become involved with, checking them for legal issues and potential pitfalls. We’re also happy to write contracts on your behalf.
Using a lawyer’s help instead of using “boilerplate” contracts can ensure the contract is fit to serve your unique business interests and needs. It can also help you solve problems long before they ever turn into litigation or take you into court.
Every industry has specific regulations it must follow to remain in compliance with the law. Keeping up with these regulations and remaining in compliance with them can be a challenge.
Merchant Law is here to help you understand the specific steps your organization must take to remain on the right side of the law. We boil the complex language down to action items.
Hiring and firing employees are legally fraught activities that can create massive lawsuits if you’re not careful. We help you develop policies and procedures that vastly reduce your chances of having to enter a litigation process to resolve issues with disgruntled employees.
Some employees will sue regardless of these precautions. When they do, we’ll be there to defend you and your interests.
See our employment law page for more details.
Reach out to some of the most experienced corporate lawyers and business lawyers in any province. Our team of dedicated lawyers comes armed with on-point strategies and creative solutions that we will implement in order to help your business survive.
Call to learn more about what we can do for you and your company.
Accidents can be both physically and financially devastating. When another party’s negligence has caused you to suffer from a financial or physical loss, Canadian law allows you to recover funds so you can be “made whole” again, or made as close to whole as financial compensation can allow.
Pursuing a personal injury case can mean getting help with your medical bills, recovering lost wages and earning capacity, and receiving compensation for the pain and suffering you’ve been through. It can also mean receiving punitive damages when the other party has acted in a grossly negligent or otherwise reprehensible fashion.
The most common type of personal injury case is a car accident. Yet there are many types of personal injury cases.
A case exists when:
If you feel these three criteria apply to you then you have a personal injury case.
Personal injury cases are complex. Each side is trying to prove the other was primarily the cause of the accident. If the defendant can prove you were the primary reason why the accident happened then they, or more often, their insurance company, won’t have to pay.
Failing that, in some provinces, they will try to prove you shared a percentage of negligence, since they can reduce your award amount by that percentage.
This means after you file a claim there is an extensive process of discovery and investigation that takes place, during which we’re helping to nail down the facts of the case.
Once you’ve reached maximum medical improvement it’s possible to calculate the full extent of your damages. We then use your actual loss and the facts of the case to support our position in a settlement conference. 92% of the time, cases settle out of court.
Sometimes insurance companies push the matter into court. At that point we argue your case in front of the jury at trial.
We get paid on contingency. That means you don’t have to worry about coming up with a retainer or paying an hourly rate. Instead, we take a percentage of your settlement when we win it for you.
Most people get far more money with our help than they’d get alone, even after we take our percentage. Thus, contacting a personal injury lawyer is completely risk-free.
Our team of personal injury lawyers is known for being some of the toughest litigators and negotiators you’ll find anywhere in the nation. We have a long track record of successful cases and we can help you bring your case to its best possible outcome.
