Selling Your Business? Here's What to Know Before You Sign

Selling Your Business? Here's What to Know Before You Sign

Selling a business can take years to get right, and the legal work often starts long before anything is signed. What should you do to prepare? When should a lawyer get involved? And what actually happens between the letter of intent and closing? In this episode of FH&P Lawyers' Law Talk, Partner Clay Williams sits down with lawyer Dustin Merritt to talk about preparing a business for sale, letters of intent, due diligence, purchase agreements, and what happens when the deal finally closes.Clay and Dustin discuss:• How to prepare a business for sale• Why removing yourself from day-to-day operations increases value• When to bring in accountants and business brokers• Whether a formal business valuation is necessary• When a lawyer should get involved in a sale• What a letter of intent is and why it matters, even though it is non-binding• Why exclusivity periods need limits• Share sales versus asset sales• How due diligence and financing come together• What representations, warranties, and holdbacks protect against• Why non-competition agreements hold up in a business sale• What to consider with employees during a transition• Who tends to make the best buyer: employees, competitors, or outsidersIf you are thinking about buying or selling a business, this conversation offers a practical look at what to expect and where to get legal advice early. Book a Consultation with FH&P Lawyers.This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.FH&P Lawyers | Rooted in Community. Ready to Help.#BusinessLaw #BuyingABusiness #SellingABusiness #BusinessTransactions #CorporateLaw #FHPLawyers #LawTalkPodcast #OkanaganLawyers #KelownaLawyers #PentictonLawyers

What Does Canada's New Tort Of Intimate Partner Violence Mean For You?

In this episode of FH&P Lawyers' Law Talk, Partner Clay Williams sits down with lawyer David Horvath to discuss the Supreme Court of Canada's landmark decision recognizing a brand new civil cause of action: the tort of intimate partner violence. Clay and David discuss: • What the Supreme Court of Canada actually ruled• What a tort is, and why this one is new • The three-part legal test that the court established• What coercive, controlling conduct looks like in practice • Why an unhappy marriage is not the same as intimate partner violence under this test • What types of damages are available, and how they were applied in this case • How this tort interacts with spousal support and family law claims• Whether this ruling could open the floodgates of litigation •What the dissenting justices argued, and why it matters • Whether courts could recognize similar torts in other family relationships in the future. If you have experienced coercive control, financial abuse, or psychological manipulation in a relationship, this conversation is worth watching. The law has changed, and your options may have too. Book a consultation with FH&P Lawyers: https://www.fhplawyers.com/contact.html This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. FH&P Lawyers | Rooted in Community. Ready to Help.#IntimatePartnerViolence #FamilyLaw #SupremeCourtCanada #CoerciveControl #CivilLaw #FHPLawyers #LawTalkPodcast #OkanaganLawyers #KelownaLawyers #BCLaw #CanadianLaw

Challenging a Will in BC: Who Can Contest, What the Courts Consider, and Why Time Matters

Left out of a will in BC? Or worried that the distribution is unfair? Before you do anything else, understand who can actually challenge a will, what the courts will consider, and how little time you have to act. In this episode of FH&P Lawyers Law Talk, Kelowna lawyer Clay Williams sits down with estate litigation practice lead Darren Kautz to break down how wills variation claims work in British Columbia, who has standing under the legislation, and why the 180-day deadline is one of the most important things every potential claimant needs to know. Whether you are a spouse, a child, or someone trying to understand your rights after a loved one has passed, this episode covers what you need to know before that limitation period runs out. Topics covered: * Why having a will matters and the cost of dying without one in BC * Who has legal standing to challenge a will under BC legislation * Why stepchildren cannot vary a will unless formally adopted * The legal test for what is "fair" in a wills variation claim * Factors the court considers: estate size, relationships, needs, contributions, estrangement, and misconduct * The strict 180-day time limit to file a claim * What evidence and assets to bring forward when challenging a will Have an estate question or believe you have been unfairly excluded from a will? Contact FH&P Lawyers at fhplawyers.com or call 250-762-4222. 🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of FH&P Lawyers Law Talk covering wills and estates, real estate, family law, immigration, and more.

What Every BC Home Buyer Needs to Know Before Signing a Real Estate Contract

Buying a home in BC? Before you sign a contract of purchase and sale or remove subject conditions, make sure you understand what you are legally agreeing to. In this episode of FH&P Lawyers Law Talk, Kelowna real estate lawyer Clay Williams and associate Abu Khurana break down exactly what a lawyer does during a residential real estate transaction, why the contract of purchase and sale is far more than a form, and what can go wrong when buyers sign before they fully understand their obligations. Whether you are a first-time buyer, working with a realtor, or buying privately, this episode covers what you need to know before you commit. Topics covered: * Contract of purchase and sale (CPS) in BC * Subject conditions: financing, title review, property inspection * What happens legally if you do not complete a real estate deal * Title review and registered covenants in BC * Buying a strata property: strata documents and special levies * When to involve a real estate lawyer in BC Have a real estate question or need legal advice on a purchase or sale? Contact FH&P Lawyers at fhplawyers.com or call 250-762-4222. 🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of FH&P Lawyers Law Talk covering real estate, family law, immigration, wills and estates, and more.

What Every BC Landlord Should Know About the Residential Tenancy Board

Being a landlord in BC can feel like a full-time job, especially when a tenant stops paying rent or refuses to leave. What are your real options under the Residential Tenancy Act, and where do landlords most often slip up? In this episode of FH&P Lawyers' Law Talk, Partner Clay Williams sits down with associate Abu Khurana to talk about the Residential Tenancy Board, eviction notices, landlord-tenant disputes, and the costly mistakes BC landlords need to avoid. Clay and Abu discuss: * What kinds of issues end up before the Residential Tenancy Board * How the RTB dispute resolution process actually works * Why service deadlines for evidence are so strict * How RTB hearings are conducted and how long decisions take * What FH&P Lawyers does to support landlords through RTB matters * Why guidance on evidence and written submissions matters * The serious consequences of getting an owner occupancy eviction wrong * The grounds a BC landlord can actually use to evict a tenant * How to handle late rent and the importance of written notice * Why you can still accept rent after issuing a ten-day notice * How to evict for nuisance, noise, or illegal activity * Why a condition inspection report is critical for damage deposits * What happens when a tenant refuses to leave after an RTB order * Bailiffs, writs of possession, and judicial review stays If you're a landlord in BC dealing with unpaid rent, a problem tenant, or an RTB hearing, this conversation offers a practical look at the process, the pitfalls, and why the details matter before you issue that notice. Book a Consultation with FH&P Lawyers. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. FH&P Lawyers | Rooted in Community. Ready to Help. #ResidentialTenancyBoard #BCLandlord #EvictionNotice #RTA #LandlordTenant #RentalLaw #PropertyLaw #FHPLawyers #LawTalkPodcast #OkanaganLawyers #KelownaLawyers