How to Start a Distillery in Ontario

Here’s an article that’s been a long time coming. On top of my law practice, I’m also a founder of Last Straw Distillery, an award-winning micro-distillery near Toronto, Ontario. I started out as the company’s lawyer, and as with any … Continued

What’s a cooperative?

The co-operative is a business model that’s beautifully suited to social enterprise and a people-first economy. It’s not nearly as common as it should be, likely because most entrepreneurs don’t even know it’s an option.

Beware the Entrepreneurship Industry

I’ve noticed a trend towards the industrialization of entrepreneurship these days, and the more I think about it, the less comfortable I am with it.

Contractors & Copyright – don’t be held over a barrel

Most of the time I meet a new client, they’re in some sort of crisis. Often it’s a crisis of their own making, in which they’re so deeply mired in that they can’t self-extract. I greatly prefer to work on … Continued

Lawyer Stuff 101 – What Does a Business Lawyer Do?

This is the second in my series of articles on how you, a business owner, can use your lawyer most effectively. The most frequent conversation I have when meeting with new clients is to explain the role of the lawyer … Continued

Legal Aspects of Business Succession Planning

Entrepreneurs dedicate their lives to growing their business, but how on earth can they retire? Toronto lawyer Mike Hook explains that a well-thought-out business succession plan is the first step…

Legal Aspects of Business Continuation Planning

This article is the second in my series on what’s involved in planning for the worst. In the last one I gave an overview on who and what is involved in the process. This time I’ll lay out some of … Continued

Contingency Planning for Small Business

Owning your own business is kind of like giving birth to a needy child. It will fill your days with all manner of excitement, some good, some bad. There also comes a time when you need to start considering what … Continued

What is a Joint Venture?

Many folks in business bandy about the words “partnership” and “joint venture”, or even a “JVP” (short for joint venture partnership – a made up term like “Leafs playoff tickets” or “government transparency”), without understanding that partnerships and joint ventures … Continued

Lawyer Stuff 101 – Contract Negotiations

It’s one thing to have professional advisors – lawyers, accountants, etc. – to point you in the right direction. It’s a whole other thing to know how to use them properly. I’ve found it’s a pretty steep learning curve for … Continued