Lawrences - Brampton's Business Lawyers

Called to the Bar: 1987

Phone: 905-452-6891

Heather chairs the firm's Real Estate Group. Her practice is focused on commercial real estate and real estate land development, especially for commercial and industrial condominiums and subdivisions. She has an extensive practice in commercial, industrial and farm real estate purchases, sales and secured transactions, zoning and land use planning, real estate development and financing, real estate remedies and determination of real property rights. Heather heads the firm’s leasing practice, specializing in commercial, industrial and shopping centre leasing.
Heather is exceptionally skilled in coordinating the efforts of all players throughout the municipal planning process, from surveyors, planners, architects and real estate agents to property managers and builders. She has guided clients from initial land acquisition, through Official Plan amendment and rezoning, site plan and condominium application approvals, Disclosure Statement preparation, and ultimate closings of units to Purchasers and completion of turnover meetings to Boards of Directors for newly formed Condominium Corporations.
She is also a member of the firm's Business Law Group, with an emphasis on business acquisitions and sales and secured transactions. Heather regularly appears before municipal councils, Committees of Adjustment, the Niagara Escarpment Commission and the Ontario Municipal Board for the firm’s clients.

SIGNIFICANT MATTERS

• Acts for clients who have developed commercial condominium shopping centres and industrial condominium projects throughout the GTA, particularly in Peel Region, that total over $100 million of investment.
• Represents clients who have purchased and financed multi-tenant shopping centres in Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton, totalling an investment of over $50 million. Provides leasing services for clients with tenancies in these plazas, including the negotiation of leases with anchor tenants such as Tim Horton’s, Burger King, The Toronto-Dominion Bank and Imperial Oil.
• Successfully negotiated and closed joint venture agreements for golf course developments, shopping centres and residential housing developments in Ontario.
• Completes sales and acquisitions and financing of properties for many not-for-profit organizations with real property holdings. Successfully negotiated relocation of one client’s facility with the municipality in which it was located. Funding was contributed by area developers and the municipality.
• Acted for many clients who have developed industrial and residential subdivisions in the Regional Municipalities of Peel and Halton.
• Acts for many Condominium Corporations, guiding them through governance issues including Declaration and By-Law interpretation, lien enforcement and budgetary issues.
• Acts for Hydro One Brampton, preparing easement documentation to secure access and maintenance rights for its utility lines located in Brampton.

PUBLICATIONS

“Condo Conversion: Not Just for Apartments”. The Lawrences Letter, Fall 2011.
“Lawrences in Brampton: From Flower Town to Multicultural Metropolis”. The Lawrences Letter, Fall 2009.
“New Rules for Client Identification and Verification. Know Your Client: It’s the Law”. With Michael J. Luchenski. The Lawrences Letter, Spring 2009.
“If Only We’d Thought of That: Negotiating a Commercial Lease”. The Lawrences Letter, Spring 2007.
“Title Fraud and Identity Theft: Have you sold or mortgaged your home without knowing it?” The Lawrences Letter, Winter 2007.
Monthly President’s Column, Trade Talks, Brampton Board of Trade, 1999-2000.
Monthly Column, President of the Brampton Board of Trade, Brampton Business Times, 1999-2000.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS/TEACHING

• Speaker at Junior Achievement of Peel, Rotary Club of Brampton, Progress Club of Brampton, Zonta, Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning.
• Spoke at numerous community organizations on issues related to business, the economy; real estate and environmental law when President of the Brampton Board of Trade.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Canadian Bar Association
• Ontario Bar Association
• Law Society of Upper Canada
• Peel Law Association
• The Canadian Condominium Institute

EDUCATION

Called to the Ontario bar 1987
LLB Osgoode Hall Law School 1985
University of Waterloo 1980-1982

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Chair and Director, Stepping Out for Brampton Inc., 2011
• Director, William Osler Health Centre Foundation, 2011
• Chair and Director, William Osler Health Centre Foundation, 2009-2011
• Member, Mayor Susan Fennell’s Gala Event and Community Fund, 2008-2011
• Vice-Chair and Director, William Osler Heath Centre Foundation, 2007-2008
• Governor, Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning 2001-2006
• Vice-Chair, Board of Governors, Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning 2005-2006
• Chair, Property and Finance Committee, Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning 2004-2005
• Member, Executive Committee, Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning and 2003-2006
• Member, Economic Development Committee, City of Brampton 2000-2001
• President, Brampton Board of Trade 1999-2000
• Community Business Teacher, Junior Achievement of Peel 1999-2000
• Member, City of Brampton Downtown Brampton Task Force 1998-2001
• President-Elect, Brampton Board of Trade 1998-1999
• Vice-President of Policy, Brampton Board of Trade 1997-1998
• Director, Brampton Board of Trade 1994-2001
• President, Caledon Co-operative Nursery School 1992
• Executive Committee, Caledon Co-operative Nursery School 1990-1993
• United Way of Peel Fundraiser 1987-1993