Business financing, guarantees and corporate legal opinions in Ontario

What financing decision are you facing?

Read the financing commitments together

The amount advanced and interest rate are only part of a business financing arrangement. Review the documents that determine access to funds, repayment obligations and what happens when circumstances change.

Term sheets, commitments and related documents

We can review a proposed loan agreement alongside the commitment, guarantees, security and corporate approvals. Tell us whether anything has been accepted or signed, and which conditions or closing dates have been proposed.

Obligations during the loan

Review can address payment provisions, financial or operating covenants, reporting, fees, restrictions and events of default. The legal work should reflect the financing actually being proposed rather than assume a standard loan form suits every business.

Changes to existing arrangements

A renewal, amendment, refinance or repayment proposal should be read with the current documents. We can discuss the requested changes, continuing obligations and the work needed to document an agreement.

Understand who is taking on the obligation

A guarantee can involve obligations separate from the borrower’s own commitments. Identify the proposed guarantor, the debt being supported and the documents that define the exposure.

The wording and connected documents matter

We can review the obligations covered, any stated limit, continuing provisions and the effect of proposed amendments, releases or a change in ownership. Do not assume that a sale, resignation or repayment of one advance automatically ends every guarantee.

Personal and corporate roles can differ

A business owner, corporate borrower and lender may have different interests. Tell us whom the documents identify as borrower, guarantor and security provider, and whether another lawyer already acts for any party.

Security documents, searches and registrations

A financing arrangement may give a lender rights in business property. The security agreement, the assets described and the registration requirements need to be considered together.

Identify the assets and the proposed rights

We can review security agreements and the relationship between the obligations and the assets involved. Existing financing, asset ownership and other parties’ interests may affect the documents and approvals needed.

PPSA-related work

Ontario’s personal property registration system provides notice of security interests through registrations. Depending on the engagement, we can address relevant searches, registrations, amendments and discharges. A registration entry alone does not answer every question about the underlying agreement or competing rights.

Coordinate connected transactions

A purchase, refinance or asset sale may require consents, payout arrangements or releases. If real estate or another jurisdiction is involved, additional work may be needed. Tell us about the full transaction rather than treating one filing as the entire legal scope.

Corporate legal opinions depend on the requested scope

A lender may request an opinion on defined legal matters as part of a business transaction. The proposed wording, recipient, corporation and underlying records determine what work is required.

Start with the request

Provide the nature of the transaction and tell us whether opinion wording or closing instructions have been received. We assess what is being requested and whether we can provide it within an agreed engagement.

Records and corporate authority

The work may require a review of incorporation documents, relevant records, approvals and transaction materials. Missing or inconsistent corporate documentation may need attention before an opinion can be considered.

Understand what an opinion covers

A legal opinion is given for a defined purpose and may contain assumptions, qualifications and reliance limits. It should not be treated as a general endorsement of the business, financial position or commercial merits of a transaction. We do not promise to issue an opinion before reviewing the request and supporting materials.

Tell us about the financing and the parties

What to tell us

• Your role and the names of the borrower, lender, guarantors and other parties.
• Whether the matter involves a new loan, renewal, guarantee, security or an opinion request.
• Which documents have been received or signed and whether another lawyer is involved.
• Any funding, signing, response or completion deadline.

Please wait for our secure document-sharing instructions before sending financing documents, identification or confidential financial information.

How engagement begins

1. 01

   Understand the proposed financing work

   Share the parties, your role, documents available and important dates.

2. 02

   Confirm representation and scope

   We check conflicts and discuss consultation arrangements, the proposed legal work, fees, taxes and anticipated expenses.

3. 03

   Begin the agreed work

   Once retained, we review the relevant documents and draft, review or negotiate within the agreed engagement.

Questions about business financing services

Business financing legal support across Ontario

Our physical office is in Brampton. We serve businesses across Toronto and the GTA, including Mississauga, Caledon, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Pickering and Oshawa.

Clients in Hamilton, Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, Barrie, London, Ottawa and other Ontario communities can ask about virtual appointments for suitable matters.

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