Shim Law

Business Transactions

Choosing the appropriate business structure is essential to the protection and success of your business. Shim Law can help you set up or reorganize your business to protect your assets and to minimize your risk. We understand that above all else, businesses want to get their deals completed and we provide the legal solutions and advice to make that happen. Our lawyers provide timely and effective legal advice necessary when structuring, negotiating and completing successful business deals.

Incorporation

Those who wish to start their own business may run across certain pitfalls. Should I be a sole proprietor or be in a partnership? Should I create my own corporation? How many people should be involved? If the business fails, will I be personally liable? At Shim Law, our lawyers can assist you on all these issues and give you sound and practical advice on how to set up your business properly and in accordance to the most updated laws.

We can help with any Criminal Issue

You have just been arrested or charged of a crime and you don’t know what your next step is and who to turn too.  

Record and remember the list of events that have just taken place then immediately contact our Calgary Criminal Lawyer at (403) 476-2011

Consequences of a Criminal Record in Calgary

We strongly suggest you to contact our Criminal Defence lawyer if you’re convicted of a criminal offense. 

Depending on the situation, a criminal record can affect: 

• Employment – Employers may terminate you with or without cause
• Entry into Country – You may be denied access to travelling to other countries
• Immigration Application – A criminal record can slow down your immigration process or even equate to deportation from Canada
• Prison – Depending on how severe your situation is, you may have to go to jail

All of these charges can follow you for a long time and may cause unwanted trouble.

If we can act on your problem as soon as possible, we may have the ability to reduce or completely resolve your criminal offenses.  

Areas of Criminal Law

Our areas of practice for Criminal Defence include:

Property Offences

A property offence may include the use of force or threat of using force to obtain money, property or some other form of benefit 

Examples of Property Offences may include:

• Burglary
• Larceny
• Theft
• Motor Vehicle Theft
• Vandalism
• Arson
• Shoplifting

Youth Matters

Youth Matters include young individuals aged under 17 years of age who have committed a criminal offense.  

Judicial Interim Release (Bail)

Commonly known as the pre-trial release of an individual who has been accused of a crime.  

A judicial interim is the temporary release of an accused individual through the a condition that may include a sum of money to guarantee that the accused person to appear before the court.  

This is a very important process in which we strongly recommend you to contact one of our Criminal Defence lawyers to help assist you to create a thorough plan as efficient and effective as possible. 

Violent Offences

Violent Offences are a crime that involves a offender using or threatening to use force upon a victim.  

Examples of Violent Offences may include:

• Assault
• Domestic Assault
• Rape
• Kidnapping
• Extortion

​Impaired Driving/DUI

A DUI is the act of using a vehicle while being intoxicated, under the influence or impaired. 

You’re considered under the influence when you’re operating a vehicle while being on the effects of drugs or alcohol (above the blood alcohol concentration).

​Sexual Offences

Sexual offences are defined by the sexual assault that violates the sexual integrity of the victim.  

Examples of Sexual Offences may include:

• Sexual Assault
• Sexual Exploitation
• Sexual Interference

​Homicide

A Homicide is the act of of human killing another, either through accidental/negligence/intentional means. 

Examples of Homicide include: 

• Manslaughter – unintentional homicide through negligence
• First Degree Murder – a deliberate and/or intentionally planned homicide
• Second Degree Murder – intentional homicides that are not classified as a First Degree Murder (I.e. intentionally murdering someone with malice but was not planned)

Criminal Defence Lawyer – William Wister  

With 30 years of experience in criminal law and being a former Chief Crown Prosecutor, William will bring an array of knowledge and experience to our Criminal Defence practice to provide you with the best criminal defence.  

William has also worked with the Kainai, first nations tribe in Stand Off Alberta in restorative justice.

Our Collection Specialist can help recover debts of up to $50,000 for you

What can our Collection Specialist do for you?

For Principal Balances up to $50,000 (administered by Collection Specialist):

• Review your problem customer account and discuss options for collection action at an initial 30 minute free consultation provided that we are retained. 
• Contact your customer by telephone and/or demand letter in an effort to resolve the matter quickly
• File Claims at the Provincial Court, Civil Division (formerly Small Claims Court) for goods or services provided for balances up to $50,000 plus interest and costs
• Prepare and file all necessary documents to obtain Judgment should the debtor customer not dispute the Civil Claim
• Prepare and file all necessary documents such as the Writ of Enforcement and Garnishee Summons to enforce the Judgment
• Utilize the services of Enforcement Agencies to seize assets which can be sold at public auction if necessary
• Prepare you for court mandated mediation sessions resulting from your debtor customer disputing the Civil Claim and attending those sessions with you
• Take the lead role and prepare you for trial should a mediated settlement not be achieved

For Principal Balances Exceeding $50,000 (administered by Junior or Senior Lawyers):

• For detailed information on services offered on claims through the Court of Queen’s Bench, please refer to our Litigation services on our home page.

Our Calgary Employment Lawyers can help you!

Our Calgary Employment lawyers and Labor lawyers can guide you if your career is being jeopardized and you don’t know what your next step is. 

We can help you with any legal matter related to employment, labor laws, and the employment standard code. 

orkplace harassment, not receiving severance, wrongful dismissal or anything that breaches employment law may cause you serious financial consequences for you in the future.

At Shim Law, we will have all your answers to your employment/labor needs.

What do our Employment Lawyers do? 

Approximately 90% of workers are enforced by employee rights laws which defines and guarantees that each employee gets a minimum standard of hours, sick days and severance packages. 

Our Calgary employment lawyers cover every legal aspect of labor and employee rights. Please see below for a more detailed look at our services. 

A Detailed Look at Our Employment Law Services

These include, but are not limited to: 

• Employment Contracts
• Employee Unions
• Employee Workplace Discrimination
• Immigration Employees
• Severance Pay
• Workers on Contact
• Workplace Health and Safety
• Wrongful Dismissal or Termination and many more 

If you have experienced any of the above or just feel like your employee rights are being jeopardized please contact one of our Calgary Employment Lawyers immediately before approaching your situation. 

Its Challenging

I think you can agree with us when we say: 

Family law matters can be ​complex and complicated…

But it doesn’t need to be.

At Shim Law we are here to help you every step of the way because we understand the challenges when entering a new family relationship or leaving one.  

How Do We Make it Easier For You?

We understand that most people don’t primarily speak English as their first language and that Canada is made up of diverse individuals.  

Here at Shim Law, we are a law firm that believes diversity breeds success which is why our legal staff come from all around the world and help bring together their multicultural skills and talents.  

We want to be able to provide our clients with the most emphatic quality of services so our Calgary Family Lawyers can offer their legal help in up to 10 languages to break down any language barriers you may have.

What languages do we offer?

• English
• Korean​
• Mandarin
• Cantonese
• Filipino
• Punjabi
• Urdu
• Farsi
• Hindu
• Romanian
• Persian

Family Legal situations can become an emotional roller coaster and our legal staff understand what you’re going through might be one of your hardest decisions in your life.  

At Shim Law, we will be by your side through one of your most difficult times in your lives.  

We want to guide you towards the best choice for you and your family so that you can successfully pass your difficult hurdle into a prosperous and rewarding future.

What Can We Help You With?

Our Calgary Family Lawyers offer Full Service Legal help. 

We understand the high costs of bringing a case to court which is why we want to resolve any further conflict with our certified arbitration specialist if possible.

But if the final solution is to move towards court proceedings, we will support you 100% of the way.     

A Detailed Look at Our Family Law Services

These include, but are not limited to: 

• Custody and Access: “Custody” usually refers to the decision making power or arrangements for the care and upbringing of a child. There are various types of custody: sole custody, joint custody, shared custody and split custody. Depending on the arrangements for the care or upbringing of a child, one can characterize the nature of custody. On the other hand, “Access” usually refers to visitation time or parenting time with a child. It can be either specific or general access depending on the circumstances.
• Child Support: The financial support payment made by one parent to the other parent after separation or divorce. The child support amount is generally determined by the Federal Child Support Guidelines. There are two main factors to consider in determining the amount of child support: number of children and payer’s income. There are two types of child support: section 3 and section 7 child support. Section 3 child support is determined by the Federal Child Support Guidelines. Section 7 child support usually refers to extraordinary expenses such as child care expenses, medical and dental insurance, health related expenses, school education or program, extracurricular activities. Child support is the entitlement of the child, not the recipient parent. The money should be used for the benefit of the child.
• Child Welfare: When a child is apprehended by the Director due to safety concerns for the child, there may or may not be a reasonable and probable ground for such concern. If there is a valid concern for the well-being of the child, then the Director’s involvement is necessary. The Director’s authority comes from Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act, which provides guardianship, custody and access to the children who are in need of protection from their parents.
• Division of Property: In Alberta, the Matrimonial Property Act governs the division of property upon the breakdown of the marriage. This piece of legislation can sometimes be complex to understand depending on the nature of the property, applicability of exemptions, etc.
• Guardianship: Refers to a legal right and duty to care for a dependent.
• Mediation and/or Arbitration: A process where the parties can settle their issues outside of the courthouse. They can choose their own mediator and/or arbitrator to determine their own case. It can be more efficient and cost effective than the court process.
• Prenuptial Agreement: a written agreement by a couple who are planning to live together or who are planning to marry. The agreement sets out the list of the assets and liabilities in order to figure out how they would like to divide their assets and liabilities upon the breakdown of the relationship. It can also include a provision for waiving any future financial support. The parties should obtain independent legal advice prior to execution of the agreement.
• Restraining Order/Emergency Protection Order: an order that prohibits one from contacting another individual, spouse and/or child either directly or indirectly. It can include a police enforcement clause whereby the police may take the party in breach into custody.
• Spousal Support: upon the breakdown of the relationship or marriage, one spouse supports another spouse to achieve self-sufficiency. Unlike Child Support, there are no legislated spousal support guidelines. The courts have considered various factors in order to determine the issue of spousal support. There are two main issues: entitlement of support, and quantum (amount) and duration of support. One has to establish that one spouse is entitled to receive support from the other spouse. Once entitlement is established, then one can argue for the amount and duration of support. Spousal support calculations can be complex and requires an analysis of the case law.

Immigration to Canada

You may be wondering:

“How do I immigrate to Canada?”

“What are the immigration processes?” 

“How do I apply for student visa?”​

At Shim Law, we will have all your answers to your immigration needs. 

We have the best and most passionate Calgary Immigration Lawyers and Consultants to guide you through your immigration processes to Canada whether it is for: 

• Work
• Study
• Settlement Purposes
• Appropriate Visas or Permits

Moving to Canada can be both exciting and stressful especially for those unfamiliar with Immigration Law in Canada. 

But, don’t worry!  Our Calgary Immigration Lawyers and Staff are prepared to assist and support your immigration to Canada.

At Shim Law we understand the difficulties and the nerve racking moments when moving to a new country and we are here to help you every step of your immigration application process.

How Do We Make it Easier For You?

We understand that most people don’t primarily speak English especially since you weren’t originally from Canada.  

Here at Shim Law, we are a law firm that believes diversity breeds success which is why our legal staff come from all around the world and help bring together their multicultural skills and talents.  

We want to be able to provide our clients with the most emphatic quality of services so our Calgary Immigration Lawyers can offer their legal help in up to 10 languages to break down any legal language barriers you may have.  

What languages do we offer?

• English
• Korean​
• Mandarin
• Cantonese
• Filipino
• Punjabi
• Urdu
• Farsi
• Hindu
• Romanian
• Persian

Litigation

At Shim Law, we have experienced lawyers that can assist you in dealing with all kinds of commercial and civil suits. We understand that resolving dispute is time consuming and many clients want to avoid trial. We will use our experience and expertise to guide you throughout the process, whether it involves arbitration, mediation or trial. Our ultimate goal is to represent our clients’ best interest and to find cost-effective solutions.

When faced with the possibility of litigation, our experienced lawyers will assist you at any stage of the legal proceedings.  Where possible, our legal team at Shim Law will strive to resolve disputes through negotiation, mediation and/or arbitration without the need for expensive and time consuming trial. However, in the event that a trial is necessary, our lawyers will fight for your rights to achieve the best results possible.

Why Do You Need A Real Estate Lawyer in Calgary?

At Shim Law, our Calgary Real Estate Lawyers can help ease your mind during the real estate and property transaction phases.

We understand this is a big decision for you and your family especially since this may be one of the most significant purchases in your life.  By working with one of our lawyers, we will reduce your risks and provide a safety net for your long term investments. It is highly recommended to advise a Real Estate lawyer when you’re dealing with the buying, selling or refinancing of your homes.

Equipping yourself with a Real Estate Lawyer during any of the following documentations will tremendously benefit you in the long run.  We can save you time, reduce risk and most importantly save you money.

Calgary Residential Real Estate Lawyer

Our team of Calgary Real Estate Lawyers are some of the most experienced and talented minds that work together to exceed your expectations.  They have handled a number of different cases ranging from residential real estate to more complex commercial real estate matters. 

We take pride in our Real Estate legal services and plan to show you first hand.  We understand that the paperwork involved with the purchasing or sale of a home takes up a lot of time and may create unwanted stress.  Our real estate team will work with you from the day of signing your agreement till the closing date and will ensure they handle your real estate issue to their highest quality of service.

Purchase of a Property

The purchasing of a property may take up a huge amount of your time and may create unwanted stress at a supposedly happy period of your life – when you’re just about to move into your new home.   Our professional real estate lawyers will review or prepare all the required legal documents which will include (and are not limited to):

• Purchase and Sale Agreement
• Legal and Mortgage Documents
• Real Property Report
• Alberta Land Title Searches and Documents
  • Review any encumbrances or potential liabilities of the property
  • Title Transfer and Ownership of Property
• The Closing and Legal Binding

We do strongly suggest you to come see one of our lawyers before signing your Purchase and Sale Agreement.  Most of the time our clients come after they have signed the agreement and adding or changing any conditions after that will be more difficult since we will need the written consent of you and your seller.  

If you come see us to review your agreement (before signing), we can happily advise you on some beneficial conditions and reduce any long term disadvantages that may potentially appear because of hidden obligations on the agreement.  Our real estate team will aim to reduce costs, time, and assist your real estate matter as swiftly as possible.

Wills & Estates

Preparation of your last will and testament is a critical step for estate distribution in accordance with your wishes. Although planning for your estate may seem like a daunting process, our experienced lawyers can advise you of the necessary steps you need to take to ensure your assets are properly taken care of and your family’s future is protected.

In order to make estate planning easier for you, we will assist you in identifying your assets, guide you in deciding on your heirs and choosing the right personal representative to help with the distribution of your estate once you have deceased.

What our Estate Lawyers Will Cover

Our Calgary Estates lawyers can cover the following legal issues: 

• Wills: legal document which states how your estate should be distributed upon your death
• Enduring Power of Attorney: allowing someone to act on your behalf with respect to your financial affairs should you become incapacitated.
• Personal Directives: allowing someone to act on your behalf with respect to your health care decisions should you become incapacitated.
• Probate and Administration of Estates: assist with distribution of a deceased’s estate whether the deceased has left a will or has passed away intestate.