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We are a business advisory and legal services firm located in the heart of downtown Kitchener, Ontario, providing creative, strategic and timely advice in the areas of business law, corporate finance, tax, estate and succession planning, intellectual property and real estate law. Our focus is on building strong client relationships. We're in business to help your business succeed! PRACTICE PHILOSOPHY The practice emphasis of the firm is two-fold: (i) to assist
business owners in their risk management issues with a view to increasing
the value of the enterprise. Our focus is on how we can provide
solutions to the strategic and business issues faced by the owner-manager
enterprise by being proactively involved in the management of issues; CURRICULUM VITAE The principal of the firm, Stephen Sweeney, is a native of the Kitchener-Waterloo area and has practised corporate-commercial law since 1986. After obtaining his law degree from the University of Western Ontario, Stephen articled with a Toronto firm before returning to Kitchener-Waterloo. Until 1998, he practiced corporate and commercial law as a partner of a mid-size Kitchener, Ontario, based law firm. During that time he completed many successful corporate acquisitions, divestitures and financings, including private placements, management buy-outs and reorganizations, representing both private individuals, corporations and financial institutions. He also assisted many clients in owner-managed enterprises in organizational, ownership and succession issues, focusing on tax-effective planning strategies. He has also
assisted many individuals in completing the purchase and sale of
their homes and in planning for their succession through will and
estate planning. The firm maintains a singular focus on providing legal advice and issue management for individuals and for the owner-manager enterprise. As part of maintaining that focus, the firm does not engage in litigation but does offer ancillary services including will and estate planning and real estate conveyancing. In order to maintain a full service and advisory role for clients, the firm maintains a network of relationships with outside service providers who can be called upon to supplement the firm's services when the need arises, either on a contract or referral basis. The following are some of the practice areas offered by the firm: " Incorporation,
organization and corporate governance; In corporate finance transactions, the firm has experience in representing both corporate borrowers and institutional and private lenders, including transactions involving publicly traded entities. OFFICE TECHNOLOGY The firm operates in a fully automated network environment to provide superior data management, information storage and retrieval and prompt and meaningful client communication. An integrated financial and productivity management suite ensures timely, accurate and comprehensive reporting and is supplemented by dedicated document production modules in areas such as real estate conveyancing and corporate database management. Through access to on-line search and registration facilities, incorporations, corporate searches, PPSA registrations and trade mark searches can be conducted and results obtained instantaneously. Online resources enable fast and accurate legal research on a wide variety of topics, including the latest revisions to income tax and related statutes. STAFFING AND RESOURCES With the assistance of one legal assistant, Stephen Sweeney operates the firm as a sole practitioner in an arrangement that will remain as such for the foreseeable future. As a sole practitioner, Stephen has the flexibility to be responsive to clients' needs and the ability to maintain direct personal contact. Through the efficient use of technology and outside resources, the firm is able to meet the needs of clients in even the most sophisticated commercial transactions. This includes the use of outside agents for searching, registrations and other paralegal services as well as maintaining affiliations with other professionals in the areas of litigation support, accounting, tax and insurance. PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS Stephen Sweeney is a member in good standing of the Law Society of Upper Canada and is a past member of the Canadian Bar Association. As such, he maintains errors and omissions insurance coverage in accordance with the requirements of the Law Society of Upper Canada. Excess insurance can be made available to meet the requirements of any particular transaction or coverage limit requirements. Stephen also maintains his standing as a registered trade mark agent through the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation, an organization of tax advisory professionals throughout Canada. He is also an active member of the Rotary Club of Kitchener-Westmount, and has in the past contributed his time and energy to the following organizations: " Planned
Giving Committee, University of St. Jerome's College;
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www.stephensweeney.com |