David Alderson LL.B, LL.M, Q.Arb : Reasonable hourly rates, with good availability. Sole Arbitrator – $450.00 per hour, plus HST Experience David Alderson is an experienced, qualified and independent arbitrator who offers appointment as an arbitrator in technology arbitration. He has been appointed arbitrator by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in commercial arbitration matters. His practice of over 40 years, and in Canada and other international jurisdictions, has been in a diverse array of commercial and technical disputes, including trademark infringement, passing off, copyright infringement, injunctions to take down fake websites and applications to transfer confusingly similar domain names, licensing disputes, reinsurance, and marine arbitration. He has been counsel in both the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal in a leading trademark and internet case. He has been counsel in numerous internet-related disputes. Technology David’s practice areas, though diverse, mostly share a common trait, namely that they … Read More
Construction Law Lawyers – An Overview of Construction Law
Construction law and practice, largely governed by the Construction Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.30 (the “Act”), is a specialized field of law which has unique attributes, processes and deadlines. One cannot contract out of the application of the Act and must abide by its provisions. Without going into the various intricacies, the following is a brief primer on some (not all) key parts of the Act for those that may need legal assistance with a construction related dispute. The Initial Contract A construction project will typically start with a contract between a property owner and a general contractor. For a fee, the contractor takes on the responsibility of overseeing the project and supplying services and/or materials to the construction project. The Subcontracts The contractor often needs help from tradespeople (“subcontractors” or “subtrades”) with various aspects of the project like plumbing, painting, etc. For such assistance, the contractor tends to enlist … Read More
Commercial Arbitrator at Reasonable Hourly Rates – David Alderson
David Alderson. LL.B, LL.M. Q.Arb – Background Sole Arbitrator – $450.00 per hour, plus HST David has been accredited by the ADR Institute as Canada as a Qualified Arbitrator (Q.Arb). He accepts appointments as a commercial arbitrator, international commercial arbitrator and as a business dispute arbitrator, at reasonable hourly rates and with good availability. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has appointed David in commercial arbitration matters. David is a member of the Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society, has successfully completed their Gold Standard Course in Commercial Arbitration, and is on the TCAS Roster of Arbitrating Members. He is also a Full Member of the ADR Institute of Ontario and appears in its Member Directory. David is on the Ontario Bar Association roster of Remote Arbitrator and Mediator Services. David has lived and practiced commercial arbitration in Ontario, England, Bermuda and Dubai, in a wide variety of disputes in a diverse range of businesses … Read More
Toronto Lawyers for Mortgage Defaults – Assessing your Bank’s Bill
Once a mortgage has been defaulted on, banks and other mortgage lenders will often charge mortgagors (you-the borrower and their customer) exorbitant and excessive fees, whether it be intentional or not. Time and again, we have seen these fees levied at exponentially greater amounts than lenders are reasonably entitled to charge under the circumstances. The charging of such unreasonably high fees has not been viewed favourably by the courts. In the midst of Covid-19 related complications and with other financial difficulties remaining on the horizon, many property owners have been unable to continue to pay their mortgages on a consistent basis. One difficulty that presents itself for home owners in this type of situation is the ability of their mortgage lenders to sell their properties via “power of sale” proceedings. A power of sale is meant to pay off secured mortgage lenders for the amount that they are owed under … Read More
Arbitrator, with Reasonable Fees and Good Availability
David Alderson is an accredited, qualified, independent and experienced commercial arbitrator, who arbitrates a wide variety of disputes. He has been appointed by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in commercial arbitration matters. David offers arbitration services at a reasonable fee, and has good availability for hearings and other arbitration procedures. Sole Arbitrator – $450.00 per hour, plus HST Arbitrating Member David is a arbitrating member of a number of institutions, including The ADR Institute of Ontario, The Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society, the Ontario Bar Association Remote Arbitrator Member Roster, and Gilbertson Davis LLP Arbitration and Mediation Chambers. He is also Senior Counsel – Commercial Litigation, at Gilbertson Davis LLP, and has practiced in a number of jurisdictions in most areas of commercial and civil litigation. Arbitration of Disputes David’s primary focus on arbitration is for commercial disputes, including business disputes, shareholder and partnership disputes, director and officer disputes, real estate, condo and commercial leasing disputes, projects and joint venture disputes, construction, sale of … Read More
Ontario Bans Commercial Evictions During COVID-19: Seven Things You Need to Know
As predicted in our previous blog, B.C. Bans Evictions if Commercial Landlords Fail to Apply to CECRA: A Similar Ban Coming to Ontario?, the Ontario Government announced yesterday that it had passed legislation to protect commercial tenants from evictions and having their assets seized by their landlord during COVID-19. After British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan took steps in the last two weeks to protect small business tenants from landlords that choose not to apply for the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program, Ontario Premier Doug Ford finally followed through on his promise to protect small business tenants during COVID-19. On June 18, 2020, Bill 192, Protecting Small Business Act, 2020 (the “Act”) received Royal Assent, and officially amended the Commercial Tenancies Act to prohibit landlords, that are or would be eligible to receive assistance under the CECRA program, from evicting tenants or exercising distress remedies in the period from … Read More
Toronto Debt Recovery Lawyers | Enforcement of Judgment Lawyers
Domestic and, US and Other Foreign Debt, Judgments and Awards We are often consulted or retained in connection with recovery of large local debt or foreign debt, including casino debt, or to seek recognition and enforcement in Ontario, Canada, of judgments, orders, or arbitration awards obtained in Ontario, other provinces of Canada, US and other foreign jurisdictions. We are sometimes retained to work with the assistance of lawyers practicing debt recovery in other jurisdictions, including, those located offshore. Claims on Loan Guarantee We can advise and represent those claiming payment on a guarantee, and those named as guarantor of a loan. Loan or Gift? | Loan or Investment? Disputes sometimes arise when either a payment advanced or transfer is alleged to be a loan rather than a gift, or alleged to a loan rather than an investment, or vice-versa. We have relevant experience in both domestic and cross-border litigation. Injunctions and Other … Read More
Commercial Leases and Relief From Forfeiture: A Second Chance For Tenants During COVID-19?
Today is the first day landlords can apply for the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program (CECRA) as reported in our blog last week entitled COVID-19 | Ontario-Canada Emergency Rent Assistance Program – Part 2. Although commercial rent relief is now finally available for the months of April, May and June 2020, it has been over two months since non-essential businesses in Ontario were required to close. The gradual re-opening of some non-essential businesses, under strict guidelines, was only announced over the last few weeks. According to a recent survey by CFIB, 48% of Ontario small businesses suffered a drop in revenue of 70% or more, and 77% of Ontario small businesses suffered a drop in revenue of 30% or more. It is highly unlikely that these small businesses will survive the COVID-19 pandemic without further assistance. In addition, it has been widely reported that some commercial landlords will not … Read More
COVID-19 | Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program – Part 2
Further to our blog entitled COVID-19 | Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program, CMHC has finally released further details about the OCECRA program including the opening date of the applications portal on May 25, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. EST. Amidst reports that many landlords were refusing to apply for the OCECRA program, Premier Doug Ford pleaded with landlords to participate in the OCECRA program, stating: “It is not going to be forever. It is going to be for a few months. Help people out. You have an obligation to do that as a landlord”. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau provided a more business-oriented argument for landlords to participate in the OCECRA program, stating: “With many people discovering that we can work from home … there may be a lot of vacancies in commercial buildings over the coming months and years. Who knows exactly what the post-pandemic world will look like exactly?”. … Read More
Are Examinations by Video Conference the “New Normal” During COVID-19?
On March 17, 2020, Ontario declared a State of Emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ushered in a new era of physical and social distancing rules. Individuals are required to maintain a minimum distance of two metres from any other person who is not a member of the same household. Gatherings of more than five people are banned unless they are members of a single household. Since March 17, 2020, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has suspended all regular operations, including hearings for civil matters except urgent and time-sensitive motions and applications and other limited matters such as consent motions in writing. Most of these hearings are conducted in writing, or remotely by telephone or video conference, due to physical and social distancing rules. In-person hearings would only be granted in very limited circumstances. Although the Court may be closed for the time being, civil litigants and their … Read More
Confidentiality, Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation Clauses In Contracts
Confidentiality, non-competition, and non-solicitation clauses often show up in a variety of business contracts including employment and executive contracts, shareholder, and director agreements, as well as, independent contractor agreements, joint venture agreements and mergers, to name a few. A question that must be considered by contracting parties to such agreements is: What is the enforceability of these types of restrictive covenants? This question particularly becomes important when parties may part ways and a breach of the clauses is suspected or confirmed. These clauses are premised on the assumption that the relationship between the parties will result in the sharing of proprietary and sensitive business knowledge, contacts and relationships related to the operations of a business, which the company seeks to protect, particularly once the relationship between the parties ends. Non-competition clauses usually restrict one’s ability to engage in a competing business. Non-solicitation clauses prohibit one from soliciting stakeholders and contacts … Read More
Toronto Lawyers for COVID-19 / Coronavirus Urgent Legal Services
See our information and resources regarding legal services during COVID-19 through these links to the Gilbertson Davis LLP website: Arbitration During the Pandemic Remote Arbitration Hearings – Emerging Protocols Arbitration & Court Closure Contract Arbitrator Event Cancellation Arbitrator Contract Termination Arbitrator Moving Litigation to Arbitration | Arbitration Options Business and COVID-19 Ontario Allows More Businesses To Reopen Soon Ontario to Permit Some Businesses to Reopen on May 4 Small Business Relief Resources Ontario Extends Mandatory Closure of Non-Essential Businesses Ontario-Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program Construction and COVID-19 Are Closing Dates Extended Due to Construction Sites Closing? Urgent Hearings for Real Estate Closings Contracts and COVID-19 Pandemic Closures: Considerations For Commercial Tenants And Landlords How to Schedule an Urgent Civil or Commercial List Hearing Comments on Frustration and Force Majeure Clauses in The Huffington Post Legal Consequences on Commercial Contracts Distribution Agreements Manufacturing Contracts Shopping Mall Lease Deferral Contract Disputes … Read More
Moving Litigation to Arbitration | Arbitration Option in Times of COVID-19
Click Here for our Webpage on Moving Litigation to Arbitration Access to Justice The courts in Ontario continue to address access to justice in the time of the coronavirus, providing a triage process to determine which matters are considered urgent and should be heard. Video conference arrangements in the courts are evolving. We are mindful that both criminal and family law matters are likely to take priority both now and when traditional hearings become available post-coronavirus. Moving Litigation Forward Through Arbitration If you, or your clients, are contemplating civil or commercial litigation by court-based process, because the governing agreement does not provide for arbitration (the so-called pre-dispute arbitration agreement), you should be aware that, except in very limited exceptions, those engaged in a dispute, can nonetheless agree to resolve their disputes by arbitration, whether post-dispute, mid-dispute or when court-based litigation is otherwise being contemplated or on-going. The roster of arbitrators … Read More
Corporate Governance Considerations During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Corporate governance issues are top of mind for directors and businesses who are attempting to navigate through the Covid-19 Pandemic related closures and emergency measures. Boards of Directors still need to operate and make decisions in the best interests of the corporation, and this can involve tough decisions, particularly where there is little guidance as to how measures to lift Covid-19 related restrictions will play out. By example, while it may be in the best interest of investors and shareholders that the Board act to lay off employees in the short term, the impact of staff shortages when Covid-19 restrictions are lifted may pose it’s own challenges. Many businesses must consider how to hold governance meetings during Covid-19 times. On March 30, 2020, Ontario passed an Order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA), (Ontario Regulation 107/20) entitled “Meetings for Corporations” making temporary changes to the Business Corporations … Read More
Small Business Relief Resources During COVID-19 / Coronavirus
On April 14, 2020, the Ontario legislature passed a bill during an emergency sitting to extend the state of emergency to May 12, 2020. The state of emergency in Ontario was initially declared on March 17, 2020, and subsequently extended to April 14, 2020. Under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, any further extensions must be passed by the legislature, and can only be extended for additional periods of no more than 28 days. On May 12, 2020, the state of emergency was extended to June 2, 2020 (Updated: May 12, 2020). Although the extension of the state of emergency does not automatically apply to individual orders such as the closure of non-essential businesses, it is expected the mandatory closure of non-essential businesses will be extended as well to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, many small businesses (deemed essential) have voluntarily closed due to safety concerns for their … Read More
Expedited Arbitration Arbitrators
Expedited Arbitration Sole Arbitrator – from $450.00 per hour, plus HST Sometimes an arbitration clause provides for expedited arbitration proceedings, with time limits by stated duration for claims submissions (pleadings), discovery of documents (by request) and an early arbitration hearing date and award publication. Agreed Expedited Arbitration On other occasions the arbitration clause does not provide expressly for an expedited arbitration procedure, but neither does it prohibit that. If the parties agree, then an expedited arbitration procedure or simplified arbitration procedure for the arbitration can be directed by the arbitrator. An expedited arbitration procedure will usually be agreed at the preliminary, or first, meeting and result in a procedural order covering the entire duration of the expedited arbitration from exchange of written submissions (pleadings) up to the date of the hearing and publication of the award. Some Reasons for an Expedited Arbitration There are lots of reasons the parties may … Read More
Toronto COVID-19 / Coronavirus Lawyers and Legal Services
COVID-19 Practice Group In the rapidly evolving pandemic, the lawyers at Gilbertson Davis LLP have promptly published blogs and other online content concerning the effects of COVID-19 on matters within our respective practice areas. COVID-19 Litigation and Arbitration Resources These are conveniently indexed and accessible through our COVID-19 webpage. If your concern relates to: Contracts and COVID-19 Event Cancellation Due to COVID-19 Condo Law and COVID-19 Family Law and COVID-19 Real Estate | Commercial Leasing and COVID-19 Construction and COVID-19 Wills and Estates – Coronavirus COVID-19 and the Courts Arbitration During the Pandemic you may find Coronavirus / Covid-19 Litigation & Arbitration Resource here. Contact Gilbertson Davis LLP If you have enquiries or require legal advice or representation concerning events arising from the COVID-19 / Coronavirus pandemic, please contact the Intake Coordinator at Gilbertson Davis LLP at 416 979 2020, ext 223, by email info@gilbertsondavis.com, or though the Contact Us … Read More