How can a business lawyer help?
- Commercial contracts, supply and service agreements, terms and conditions
- Buying or selling a business — letters of intent, due diligence and closing
- Commercial leases — review and negotiation
- Partnership agreements and disputes between owners
- Employment agreements and workplace policies
- Debt recovery and commercial disputes
- Financing and real estate for the business
Should I buy the business’s assets or its shares?
In an asset purchase, you choose which assets and liabilities you take on; in a share purchase, you buy the company itself — with its history, contracts and liabilities. Each has different tax, liability and transfer consequences for buyer and seller, so the structure should be settled with your lawyer and accountant before the letter of intent is signed.
What if a customer or supplier won’t pay?
Start with the contract and the paper trail. A lawyer’s demand letter often resolves the matter. If it doesn’t, claims up to $50,000 can proceed in Small Claims Court, and larger claims in the Superior Court of Justice — see civil litigation. The basic two-year limitation period applies, so don’t let unpaid accounts sit.
Last reviewed: October 3, 2026General information about Ontario law — not legal advice for your situation.