Areas of law, explained

Family Law

3,264 firms listed

Family lawyers help when a family changes shape, most often through separation or divorce, and sort out what happens to the kids, the money and the home.

You might need one if:

• You're separating or getting divorced
• You and your ex can't agree on parenting time or child support
• You're moving in together or getting married and want a cohabitation or marriage contract
• Child protection services have contacted you

Wills, Estates & Trusts

3,776 firms listed

Wills and estates lawyers help you plan for what happens if you pass away or can't make decisions for yourself, and they help families settle an estate after someone dies.

You might need one if:

• You don't have a will, or yours is out of date
• You want to name someone to make decisions for you through a power of attorney
• You're the executor of a loved one's estate and aren't sure where to start
• You think a will is unfair or someone isn't handling an estate properly

Real Estate Law

3,505 firms listed

Real estate lawyers handle the legal side of buying, selling or refinancing property. They check the title, manage the mortgage paperwork and move the money safely on closing day.

You might need one if:

• You're buying or selling a home, cottage or condo
• You're refinancing or taking out a new mortgage
• You're leasing space for a business
• There's a problem with a property line, title or condo board

Landlord & Tenant

199 firms listed

Landlord and tenant lawyers help with disputes over rented homes and spaces, whether you're the one renting or the one who owns the place.

You might need one if:

• You've received an eviction notice
• Your tenant has stopped paying rent or is damaging the unit
• Your landlord won't make repairs or is raising the rent in a way that doesn't seem right
• You have a hearing coming up at your province's tenancy board or tribunal

Notary & Commissioner Services

806 firms listed

Notaries and commissioners certify documents, witness signatures and take sworn statements. What a notary can do depends on where you live.

You might need one if:

• A document needs to be notarized or certified as a true copy
• You need to swear an affidavit or statutory declaration
• You need a travel consent letter for a child going abroad
• A bank, government office or foreign authority asked for a notarized signature

Employment & Labour Law

1,237 firms listed

Employment lawyers help with problems at work, from being let go to harassment, and review contracts and severance offers before you sign them.

You might need one if:

• You were fired or laid off and want to know what you're owed
• You've been offered a severance package
• You're being harassed or discriminated against at work
• You've been asked to sign an employment contract or non-compete

Bankruptcy & Insolvency

223 firms listed

Insolvency lawyers help people and businesses dealing with debts they can't repay, and help creditors who are owed money by someone in financial trouble.

You might need one if:

• Your business can't pay its bills and you're weighing your options
• A creditor is taking legal action to collect a debt
• A company that owes you money has gone bankrupt
• You've been named in a bankruptcy or receivership

Tax Law

241 firms listed

Tax lawyers help you plan to pay the right amount of tax and defend you when the Canada Revenue Agency says you owe more.

You might need one if:

• You're being audited or reassessed by the CRA
• You disagree with a CRA decision and want to object or appeal
• You have unreported income or assets and want to come forward
• You're planning an estate, a business sale or a move abroad

Business & Corporate Law

2,885 firms listed

Business lawyers help you set up, run, grow and eventually sell a company, and they draft the agreements that keep business relationships clear.

You might need one if:

• You're starting a business and deciding whether to incorporate
• You're bringing in a partner or investor and need a shareholder agreement
• You're buying or selling a business
• You need a contract drafted or reviewed

Technology & Startups

93 firms listed

Technology lawyers help startups and tech companies with the legal side of building a product, raising money and handling customer data.

You might need one if:

• You're launching a startup and need founder agreements in place
• You're raising money from investors
• You need terms of service, a privacy policy or software contracts
• You want to make sure you own the code your contractors wrote

Intellectual Property

318 firms listed

Intellectual property lawyers protect the things you create, like your brand name, your inventions and your creative work, and act when someone copies them.

You might need one if:

• You want to register a trademark for your business name or logo
• You've invented something and want to know if it can be patented
• Someone is copying your work, brand or product
• You've received a letter saying you're infringing someone else's rights

Construction Law

375 firms listed

Construction lawyers handle the contracts and disputes that come with building projects, big or small, for owners, contractors and suppliers.

You might need one if:

• A contractor hasn't finished the job or did poor work on your home
• You're a contractor or supplier who hasn't been paid
• You want a construction contract reviewed before you sign
• A lien has been registered against your property

Agricultural Law

74 firms listed

Agricultural lawyers help farm families and agribusinesses with land, succession, financing and the regulations that come with farming.

You might need one if:

• You're passing the farm to the next generation
• You're buying, selling or leasing farmland
• You're dealing with farm debt or a lender
• You have a drainage, boundary or supply quota issue