McInnes Cooper partners with Venture for Canada

All businesses need written contracts. Determining what written contracts are essential depends on many factors, including the nature of the…

If you’re at the stage in the financing lifecyle where venture capital is the right route to grow your business, here are five tips to help…

Finally closing on October 27, 2022, the tumultuous Elon Musk/Twitter M&A deal drama has been unfolding for months, with both sides making…

If you’ve reached the stage in your financing lifecycle where you’re ready to take your company public, you might think you’ve only got…

More and more people are using smart contracts: the global smart contracts market was valued at USD $145M in 2020; it’s projected to be valued…

Many employers use equity compensation plans like employee stock option plans to attract, motivate, and retain talent. One reason stock options…

Your startup idea has blossomed into a viable business: you’ve incorporated a company, it’s been growing steadily, and you’re at the stage…

We udpated this publication on March 4, 2022. Privacy is critical to every business in every sector, including startups and growing…

An economic downturn can result in an M&A uptick: there can be more attractive targets on the market, and sellers can be more motivated to…

Spurred by the COVID-19 Pandemic and bricks-and-mortar closures, businesses - from SMEs to multinationals, startups to mature businesses,…

Properly incorporating and structuring is key to position a startup to attract investors and strategic partners and, if desirable, achieve a…

This publication has been updated as of May 5, 2021. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led many employees to continue working from home, by…

On June 26, 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada released Uber Technologies Inc. v. Heller, a much-awaited decision regarding the enforceability of…

The financial technology (Fintech) industry uses technology to support and enhance financial and banking services.

Intellectual property (IP) can be a business’s most valuable (even only) asset. Once you’ve taken steps to understand what the five main IP…

NOTE: The new tax rules for employee stock option plans take effect on July 1, 2021. Learn more at Limited Options: New Employee Stock Option…

Growing a business takes people. In early days, many startups have just one “employee”: the founder. At some point, the founder might retain…

As of January 2019, incorporating a limited company in N.S. will be more economical. On September 7, 2018, the N.S. government announced it’s…

Most businesses – from startups to SMEs to multi-nationals, and from private family-owned businesses to public corporations – will use…

Equity compensation plans are a valuable and versatile tool for many corporations, from early-stage startups to established blue-chips.…

Blockchain technology has already been a transformative force in a number of sectors. Its most prominent use to date has been as the…

Corporations are the leading business vehicle in modern commerce. For startups, properly structuring and incorporating is critical to avoid…

Intellectual Property (IP) can be a valuable asset – even the most valuable asset – of a business. So it’s worth making sure the business…

A corporation does not always sail in calm or safe waters. Cash shortages, unattainable or unmet goals, Board disagreements over the best course…

When growing your business, you face many decisions, including choosing the business structure that is right for you. Your legal team can be…

On April 13, 2017, Canada’s federal government introduced legislation that, if passed into law, will legalize recreational cannabis in Canada.…

Social media platforms, like Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and GooglePlus, arguably have more followers and are more closely…

There are very few examples of a Canadian court interpreting and opining on the provisions of an information technology contract. So the Ontario…

On January 1, 2022, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program became the permanent Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). Learn more at From Pilot to…

On January 11, 2017, Emera Inc. offered an electrifying opportunity for renewable energy developers to potentially access the New England…

On December 13, 2016, the Province of Nova Scotia released for comment draft regulations that will establish the Solar for Community Buildings…

All shareholders – whether in a startup, a small or large business or a family-owned business – can benefit from a shareholders’…

We updated this publication on January 17, 2023. For many businesses, large and small, their “Intellectual Property” (IP) is one of their…

Business owners wear many hats – including employer. Your employees may be your business’s greatest asset, but they could also be your…

This publication has been updated as at January 27, 2023. A key legal decision in starting or growing your business is choosing the…

This publication has been updated as at April 18, 2022. Access to sufficient capital is always a business issue, from the startup stage right…

Access to sufficient capital to fund operations, research and development, and other costs is a key challenge for start-ups and for some small…

The market for the sale and the supply of goods is a global one for many businesses in today’s economy. Both exporting goods from Canada and…

NOTE: Substantial changes to Canada’s Trademarks Act took effect on June 17, 2019 Learn more at New Canadian Trademarks Regime Effective June…

Note: For an update on Crowdfunding, read: New Kid on the Block – Crowdfunding Joins Traditional Equity-Based Funding Options for Start-ups…