Resources, Articles, & Advocacy
Article | November 10, 2025
When, and Why, to Hire a Franchise Lawyer?
Prospective franchise clients often ask when they should retain a lawyer. My answer is almost always the same. A franchisor client should retain a franchise lawyer from the moment they try to franchise their business. Conversely, a franchisee client should retain a franchise lawyer as one of the last steps in the process.
Article | November 10, 2025
Waste Not, Want Not! – How COVID-19 Made us Rethink Our Foodservice Franchises
More than ever, franchise brands need to ensure that there are mechanisms, procedures and protocols in place to alter their system standards to readily adapt to changes in the market and to consumer demands. Franchisors in the restaurant industry, in particular, should regularly review and update their operations manual and their franchise agreements to ensure that franchisee operations are able to adapt and stay consistent in response to market changes and to rapidly evolving consumer expectations that exist in the post-pandemic era. This article summarizes some of recent changes to food and drink legislation, and health and safety initiatives, as well as recent developments in sustainability practices that restaurant brands have had to adapt to.
Article | November 10, 2025
Signed, Sealed…Still Debatable: The Enforceability of Entire Agreement Clauses in Franchise Disputes
Franchise agreements commonly include so-called “entire agreement” clauses. These are contractual provisions that seek to exclude any statements, representations, and agreements that were made outside of the written franchise agreement. This article identifies the principles the courts rely upon when interpreting and applying entire agreement clauses in franchise disputes, identifies the key cases considering this issue, and offers practical advice for counsel engaged in disputes concerning entire agreement clauses.
Legislative Update | November 07, 2025
Your OBA LegUp Policy and Legislative Update Week of November 3
Ontario Fall Economic Statement: The Ontario government tabled their Fall Economic Statement on Thursday providing updates on their plan to "Protect Ontario". The projected deficit is down by $1.1 billion compared to the projections in the 2025 budget, while the unemployment rate is expected to rise by 1%, to 7.8%. The government still plans to balance the books by 2027-28.
Article | November 05, 2025
The 2025 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration
The 2025 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration confirms that Canada’s immigration system is entering a period of restraint after years of rapid expansion. Permanent resident admissions rose only slightly to 483,640 in 2024, while temporary streams saw sharp declines, new study permits dropped by more than 40 percent, from nearly half a million in 2023 to under 300,000, and work permits fell from 946,000 to about 905,000. Settlement agencies also served fewer clients, and the pool of temporary residents in Canada has begun to shrink, signalling fewer future pathways to permanent status. The report attributes these declines to new federal measures, particularly the study-permit cap and closer alignment of immigration with housing and labour capacity. The message from Ottawa is clear: the era of unrestrained growth has ended, and Canada is deliberately slowing intake to restore balance. For applicants and practitioners, this means a more competitive environment, tighter quotas, and the need for earlier, better-prepared, and more strategic applications.
Article | November 04, 2025
A (Mushroom) Trip Too Far: Policy Shift on Psilocybin Takes Minister Off the Map
A recent Federal Court of Appeal decision about medical psilocybin use exemptions is a great illustration of the administrative law principle that a significant policy shift must be adequately explained.
Article | November 04, 2025
Enhancing your In-House Legal Practice by Leveraging Technology: It isn’t all about AI
In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has dominated the news and is frequently used as an umbrella term encompassing a wide array of technologies, many of which predate modern AI. In its true sense, AI refers to systems that are designed to mimic human intelligence, including learning, comprehension and problem solving. However, not all technologies currently being promoted under the AI designation meet this definition. While AI is expected to have sweeping and transformative effects across numerous professions, including the legal sector - it is important to remember that all types of technologies can create opportunities and risks. Within this context, in-house counsel are increasingly adopting new technological solutions to streamline their workflows and enhance efficiency to add value to their organizations. From contract management to governance, incorporating technology into daily practice is reshaping how in-house legal teams operate within the business. This article highlights several practical ways in-house counsel can leverage technologies apart from AI to optimize their functions.
