Charthouse Lawyers
#201-5710 Teredo Street V0N 3A0 Sechelt, BC, Canada

Charthouse is closed at the end of today and reopening January 6. The senior partner and the junior partner wish you the very best this season.

Some lawyers give you pens... In addition to screens, regular cleaning, video appointments, and HEPA air purification systems, we give you some very handsome masks. Call us today at 604-885-4151 or email Lauren at [email protected] for your business, estate planning and probate, and real estate legal needs.

As we do our part, here's our operating philosophy.

We're not health professionals but in a time where people don't know what is true or what to believe, here is an update from our local doctors: "That being said, we can reassure you that there are NO community-acquired cases of COVID-19 on the Lower Sunshine Coast, meaning that at this time there is no community spread of the virus and no illness unrelated to travel. Furthermore, there currently are no patients admitted at Sechelt Hospital with COVID-19 related illness, and there have been NO deaths on the Coast as a result of COVID-19 infection." https://www.coastreporter.net//sunshine-coast-covid-physic

The other week I was having several conversations at the Business Excellence Awards Sunshine Coast and a frequent topic was "When should I incorporate my business?" But that's the wrong question. If you consider yourself an entrepreneur, you need to first be thinking about "why". https://www.charthouselawyers.ca/when-to-incorporate-and-w/

Oh, brother... We've got some stiff competition over here! Lone Wolf Provisions Drift Cafe and Bistro Beachcomber Coffee The Bricker Cider Company Coastline Health and Performance Natural Connections Childcare

Spencer recently wrote about ways that your last will and testament might not be respected when you die: "Aside from not being able to make your own choices, B.C.’s law creates substantial opportunity for mischief by children. Perhaps there has been a relationship breakdown or you have different views about the proper maintenance and support needed for your child and their siblings. Alternatively, you are deeply concerned about their spending habits or them snorting their inheritance. A huge issue is when one parent passes away and the other parent remarries how are you to take care of your children and your new spouse if you pass away first? In these cases, your personal feelings and values may not be respected and your will may be changed."

We're getting dressed up! Some lovely soul nominated us for Business Excellence Awards Sunshine Coast Business of the Year! The winner is announced at the end of February but it's an honour to be nominated. Thank you to our clients and partners in the Sunshine Coast's business community. If you're a business looking for a community focused firm to advise you, call Lauren at 604-885-4151 and let's get acquainted!

The Sunshine Coast is home to many legacy cannabis growers who are not entering the legal marketplace. There are many reasons why and a savvy investor should be prepared to protect themselves - be it from co-investors, the government, banks and discerning customers. #sechelt #gibsons #sunshinecoast #cannabislaw #cannabisindustry #cannabiscommunity

We were happy to sponsor REMAX City Realty - Sunshine Coast's Christmas party this year. Our office works hand in glove with so many wonderful real estate agents to serve our mutual clients and we jumped at the chance to show them our appreciation for trusting their clients with our firm's service focused team. Happy holidays!

Buying or selling a house or business? If you're hoping for a December 30 or 31 closing date, make sure your chosen lawyer is open that day first! We close our office on Christmas Eve and re-open on January 2, 2020! Typically, the important components of a deal can be done ahead of time but make sure you have considered this as part of your deal planning!

Peter A. Allard donated tens of millions of dollars to rename the UBC Faculty of Law the Peter A. Allard School of Law (the Peter A. Allard School of Law is located at Allard Hall, which was a separate cheque). Unfortunately, he didn't get recognized in the ways he expected. Large donations are governed by contracts, like any other commercial arrangement. In this contract, Mr. Allard didn't realize the law school wasn't responsible for its graduate degrees and so those degree...s don't have his name. It's all a bit silly but when promises are made to convince you to part with your money, there's a real issue. https://www.cbc.ca//peter-a-allard-school-of-law-ubc-name-

When you're closing a big dill, the last thing you want to hear is that your lawyer is in a pickle.

"On Tuesday, Sept. 10, the Foundation is sponsoring a free estate planning roundtable, presented by Spencer Keys of Charthouse Lawyers. The program will run from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Seaside Centre in Sechelt. Attendees can RSVP the Foundation’s Margaret Buttner at: 604-664-7664 or [email protected] to secure a seat." https://www.coastreporter.net//volunteers-ensure-a-future-

Check out our new website, which is now live! It will have more content in the coming months but feel free to visit it and learn about all the ways our team of experienced advisors can help you achieve your goals. http://www.charthouselawyers.ca/Sunshine-Coast-law-firm-te/

Finding a house you want and making a successful offer are just the beginning. This video helps explain what your lawyer does to help you complete the deal and get you into your life's biggest investment with peace of mind!

"Why are those stinkin' lawyers so expensive? They're just getting rich off regular people!" It's an interesting question and my 2010 Honda Fit would probably argue the opposite but when you're dealing with the law, it feels like the law firms have you over a barrel. In this article it's noted that a quick legal question can easily cost $300 or more to the lawyer being asked to open a file - and that's before they get paid a dime!... Fortunately, our team of allied professionals (legal assistants and paralegals) know a great deal and are able to answer many of your basic questions! By helping you with the right person for your question, everybody wins. However, sometimes you need more certainty about the legal risks you're facing and that's when you need a lawyer's help. BUT IT'S STILL EXPENSIVE! The article below gets into fascinating detail about why all of that is the case, though it's cold comfort if you see legal advice as just a drain on your life. This is where frame of mind comes in - insurance is expensive but you wouldn't skip it because you don't know what might go wrong. It's the same for legal advice - we're insurance for your decision-making about your property, end-of-life planning and your business by reducing the risk that you have received bad advice. And if we're very wrong, we can be sued, unlike your friend who loves Law & Order. Fortunately though, lawyers can also simplify things instead of making them more expensive. It's shocking but true! We regularly provide solutions that end up saving money for our clients. This is all just a long- winded way of saying the price is the wrong way to look at a lawyer's fees. It's the value that matters. Lawyers can drive costs lower by adopting some of the latest technologies and having the right ratio of assistants to lawyers but too often costs are reduced by cutting corners that can put you at risk. And that's worth considering when choosing someone to manage some of your most precious affairs. - Spencer

Parents typically assume that because their children get along now, they will when they pass away. But the truth is your children are different people after you pass away, emotionally, psychologically and physically. Fights break out in unexpected ways. An experienced wills and estates lawyer knows the practical problems that come up when you pass away, can advise you on the legal problems, and show you how to avoid them with minimal fuss so you can live your retirement years with confidence about what will happen with your family when you pass.

If you own a home, you need an estate plan that thinks about what can be done *before* you pass away to make sure your estate isn’t a burden to your family. This article is from Ontario but the considerations are the same as British Columbia.

The Sunshine Coast is full of small business people. For 35 years, our office has been helping people legally structure and maintain their businesses so they can confidently deliver their products and services. Call Lauren at our office to set up a meeting with one of our lawyers today: 604-885-4151.

2 More Days!!! We would like to send a HUGE THANK YOU to all of our generous sponsors! RONA Coast Builders, Coast Reporter, Eastlink, Trail Bay Source for Spo...rts, Sunshine Coast Credit Union, Fossello's, Denis Turenne Concrete, Gibsons Building Supplies, Cyclone Taylor Figure Skating Ltd., BCFerries, TCG Chartered Professional Accountants LLP, Charthouse Lawyers, Crowemackay LLP, Brent Tracy Parker- Tracy Parker Notary, The Medicine Shoppe in Wilson Creek, Dr. Bland Family Dentist, Dr. Louis Metzner- Orthodontist, Rotary Club of Gibsons, Secret Cove Sail tours, Emelles Market Bistro, Sunshine Coast Community Foundation and Share-There! We are proud to call the Sunshine Coast Home to the Sunshine Coast Skating Club! See more

Congratulations Stephenie Rayner for winning two tickets to see Patrick Chan this weekend!

**Please like our Facebook page and tag a friend you would want to take to see Canadian Olympic figure skater Patrick Chan with free tickets from Charthouse Lawyers!** As sponsors of the Sunshine Coast Skating Club’s event with Canadian Olympic skater Patrick Chan on March 9th, we have TWO VIP ice level tickets to give away to clients or friends of the firm. This will be a great community event on the Sunshine Coast and we want to get as many people as possible excited about it. We will select a winner at 4:30 pm on Wednesday.

Due to weather conditions, the office is closed today.

The sign may not be on the door but you'll know where to find us!

We're pleased to announce our name change effective January 1, 2019! Previously known as the Lois Potter Law Office, Charthouse Lawyers is the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia’s dedicated firm for business, estates and property law, with a team of six lawyers and allied professionals.