Lawrences - Brampton's Business Lawyers

Called to the Bar: 1992

Phone: 905-452-6889

Michael is a partner in the firm's Business Law Group and has significant experience in acquisitions and divestitures, shareholder disputes, secured financing transactions, succession planning and implementation, and the licensing of intellectual property rights. Michael acts primarily for owner-managed businesses. He also advises not-for-profit corporations and assists them with governance issues.

SIGNIFICANT MATTERS

• negotiated and completed transfer of a family business to the next generation: assisted in identifying the likely successor in a difficult succession, with feuding siblings and founder reluctant to let go
• resolved a shareholder dispute, in which there was no shareholder agreement and shareholders had divided into factions, by devising an exit strategy and negotiating the departure of a shareholder
• assisted in developing an exit strategy for a successful business, to institutionalize the goodwill and ready the business for sale at maximized value
• restructured a share acquisition, saving the purchaser tens of thousands of dollars that would otherwise have been paid as taxes
• assisted in resisting an attempt by a disaffected group of former directors from taking control of a not-for-profit corporation
• negotiated trade mark licence and related distributions agreements for a well known brand

PUBLICATIONS

“Proud of Our Past, in Step with the Future”. With Robert van Kessel. The Lawrences Letter, Fall 2009.
“New Rules for Client Identification and Verification. Know Your Client: It’s the Law”. With Heather M. Picken. The Lawrences Letter, Spring 2009.
“Serving on Not-for-Profit Boards: Rewards and Risks. With Avi E. Goldstein. The Lawrences Letter, Summer 2007.
Monthly President's Column, Trade Talks, The Brampton Board of Trade, September 2005-June 2006
Monthly Column, President of The Brampton Board of Trade, Brampton Business Times, September 2005-June 2006

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS/TEACHING

• As President of The Brampton Board of Trade, speaker at numerous community organizations on issues related to business and the economy as well as governmental issues.
• Frequent speaker at Sheridan College and various community organizations on issues related to business law, including director liability, business structuring and succession planning.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Ontario Bar Association
• Peel Law Association
• Law Society of Upper Canada

EDUCATION

• Called to the Ontario bar 1992
• LLB Osgoode Hall Law School 1990
• BA (Hons) International Relations, University of Toronto 1987

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Brampton and Area Community Foundation, Advisory Board 2007 - present
• Past President The Brampton Board of Trade
• Chair, Building Committee, St. Eugene de Mazenod Church, Brampton
• President, The Brampton Board of Trade 2005-2006
• President-elect, Vice-president Membership, The Brampton Board of Trade 2004-2005
• Vice-president Policy, The Brampton Board of Trade 2003-2004