Brazeau Seller Law is pleased to announce that Alexander Shaw has become a Partner of the firm

alex shawBrazeau Seller Law Contact:
Tricia Smith, Director of Operations
+1-613-237-4000
tsmith@brazeauseller.com

Ottawa, Ontario – January 22, 2024 – Brazeau Seller Law, an Ottawa-based law firm, is pleased to announce that Alexander Shaw has joined the firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2024.

Alexander has been practising corporate and commercial law since his call to the Ontario Bar in 2013.  In 2019, Alexander joined Brazeau Seller Law to continue his practice in Ottawa. Since joining the firm, Alexander has become an integral part of, and a leader in, the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions group.  In addition to mergers and acquisitions, Alexander’s practice also includes advising on corporate reorganizations, commercial agreements and secured transactions.   

“Congratulations to Alexander on this well-earned career milestone,” said Fred Seller, Founding Partner, Brazeau Seller Law.  “Alexander is an excellent lawyer and has shown real leadership during his time at the firm.  He has acted as a valued mentor to the firm’s associates practising corporate and commercial law.”

“I am honoured to join the partnership at Brazeau Seller Law and look forward to contributing to the firm’s tradition of excellence in my new role!” said Alexander.  

Best wishes to Alexander for many more successful years as a Partner!

For more information about Brazeau Seller Law visit www.brazeauseller.com or call +1-613-237-4000.

About Brazeau Seller Law 

Brazeau Seller Law was founded in 1989 and currently operates with 24 lawyers and 36 support staff. As a business law firm, Brazeau Seller Law has distinguished itself as a leader across a full range of service areas and is locally and nationally recognized.  We have long-standing working relationships with business people in virtually every sector of the Ottawa business community, and offer a full range of services for owners, entrepreneurs, managers, and professionals around the world. Brazeau Seller Law is a proud member of Meritas Law Firms, a global alliance of independent, market-leading law firms providing borderless legal services to companies looking to effectively capture opportunities and solve issues anywhere in the world (www.Meritas.org).  For more information about Brazeau Seller Law, visit www.brazeauseller.com or call 613-237-4000.

 

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Brazeau Seller Law is pleased to announce that Geoffrey Cullwick has become a Partner of the firm

geoff cullwickBrazeau Seller Law Contact:
Tricia Smith, Senior Manager of Operations
+1-613-237-4000
tsmith@brazeauseller.com

Ottawa, Ontario – June 1, 2023 – Brazeau Seller Law, an Ottawa-based law firm, is pleased to announce that Geoffrey Cullwick has joined our Firm’s partnership, effective immediately.

Geoffrey first joined Brazeau Seller Law as an Associate in 2017. During Geoffrey’s tenure as a lawyer with Brazeau Seller Law, he has become an important member of our firm and an integral part of our litigation department, developing a broad civil litigation practice that includes construction, corporate, commercial, real estate, bankruptcy and insolvency, sports and insurance litigation.   

“Congratulations to Geoffrey on this well-deserved career achievement,” said Fred Seller, Founding Partner, Brazeau Seller Law.  “This admission to partner has been earned with his hard work and determination.  Geoffrey is a great addition to our partnership and represents our values of excellence and integrity.”

“I am honoured to join the partnership at Brazeau Seller!” said Geoffrey Cullwick.  “I look forward to this next chapter in my career and remain committed to delivering exceptional advocacy to our clients.”

Best wishes to Geoffrey for many more successful years as a Partner!

For more information about Brazeau Seller Law visit www.brazeauseller.com or call +1-613-237-4000.

About Brazeau Seller Law 

Brazeau Seller Law was founded in 1989 and currently operates with 23 lawyers and 39 support staff. As a business law firm, Brazeau Seller Law has distinguished itself as a leader across a full range of service areas and is locally and nationally recognized.  We have long-standing working relationships with business people in virtually every sector of the Ottawa business community, and offer a full range of services for owners, entrepreneurs, managers, and professionals around the world. Brazeau Seller Law is a proud member of Meritas Law Firms, a global alliance of independent, market-leading law firms providing borderless legal services to companies looking to effectively capture opportunities and solve issues anywhere in the world (www.Meritas.org).  For more information about Brazeau Seller Law, visit www.brazeauseller.com or call 613-237-4000.

Brazeau Seller Lawyer David Reid Elected to Board of Directors of Meritas Global Alliance of Law Firms

david-reid lawyer in ottawaBrazeau Seller Contact:
Tricia Smith, Senior Manager of Operations
613-237-4000
tsmith@brazeauseller.com

Meritas Contact: 
Beth LaBreche
1-612-578-2834
beth@labreche.com

Reid will play key leadership role in ensuring members have tools and programs to serve their clients cross-regional needs.

Ottawa, ONTARIO – May 7, 2023 – Brazeau Seller LLP, an Ottawa-based law firm, today announced that David Reid has been appointed to the Board of Directors for Meritas, a global alliance of independent law firms that serves the legal needs of clients doing business in multiple markets. David was elected to the position from the more than 8,500 attorneys in the Meritas member network and will serve with 20 others from around the world for a three-year term.

David is a proven leader in the Meritas network, with keen insight into helping Ottawa-based companies enter and expand in other markets and industries,” said Sona Pancholy, president of Meritas. “As a member of the Meritas Board of Directors, David will provide a unique perspective to the continued growth and innovation of our network.”

David has been actively involved with Meritas for six years, during which time he has served as member of the Meritas Young Lawyer Advisory Board, working on projects to enhance engagement among lawyers across the Meritas network. He is the Chair of the newly re-branded Emerging Leader Advisory Board for 2023-2024. As a board member and a member of the Meritas Member Engagement Committee, he will participate in strategic planning, member recruitment and development, and the administration of Meritas’ rigorous quality standards, which sets the network apart from other legal organizations.

I am honoured to join the Meritas board,” said David Reid. “The Meritas network provides tremendous benefits to our clients and our firm. We get the best of both worlds; we are a local firm with global reach. I look forward to contributing to engagement and further development of this elite organization.”

David practices in Brazeau Seller’s Real Estate Group, representing a wide variety of clients in their purchases, sales, financing, and/or leasing, acting in standalone transactions and in the real estate components of larger commercial transactions. David is a member of the Country of Carleton Law Association. He earned his law degree from the University of Ottawa in 2011, and is called to the bar in the Province of Ontario.

About Brazeau Seller Law

Brazeau Seller Law was founded in 1989 and currently operates with 23 lawyers and 39 support staff. As a business law firm, Brazeau Seller Law has distinguished itself as a leader across a full range of service areas and is locally and nationally recognized. We have long-standing working relationships with business people in virtually every sector of the Ottawa business community, and offer a full range of services for owners, entrepreneurs, managers, and professionals around the world. For more information about Brazeau Seller Law, visit www.brazeauseller.com or call 613-237-4000.

As a member of Meritas, Brazeau Seller has access to 8,500 lawyers in 90 countries and effectively supports clients in their cross-regional and global needs.

About Meritas

Meritas’ global alliance of independent, market-leading law firms provides borderless legal services to companies looking to effectively capture opportunities and solve issues anywhere in the world. Companies benefit from local knowledge, collective strength and new efficiencies when they work with Meritas law firms. The personal attention and care they experience is part of Meritas’ industry-first commitment to the utmost in quality of service and putting client priorities above all else. Founded in 1990, Meritas has member firms in 254 markets worldwide with more than 8,500 dedicated, collaborative lawyers. To locate a Meritas resource for a specific need or in a certain market, visit Meritas.org or call 612-339-8680.

 

Brazeau Seller Cannabis Law Highlights

Mario Torres and Trina Fraser provide valuable updates and insight in the Canadian cannabis industry as part of the inaugural Meritas Law Firms Worldwide Cannabis Practice Group newsletter.

Mario, co-chair of the Meritas Cannabis Practice group, provides highlights on the Canadian Cannabis Industry Meritas | Highlights: Canadian Cannabis Industry

Trina writes about recent legislative updates affecting co-packing in the Cannabis Industry in Canada Meritas | Co-Packing in Canada’s Cannabis Industry

The full newsletter can be found here: Meritas Cannabis Newsletter – January 2023 (mailchi.mp)

Fred Seller newly appointed board chair of Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation

fred sellerFred Seller, newly appointed QCH Foundation Board Chair, Ottawa business lawyer, and exemplary volunteer fundraiser, has a strong family connection to QCH and a knack for fundraising that led him to join the board four years ago.

During his two-year term as Chair, one of Fred’s priorities will be to help raise the regional hospital’s profile and to boost public awareness over the excellent care QCH provides to the more than 500,000 patients who may turn to it each year.

“Anyone who comes into contact or has any dealings with QCH is incredibly impressed with the level of care and service they receive. That story has to be told more often,” says Fred.

Read more

Brazeau Seller Law is pleased to announce that David Reid has become a Partner of the firm

Brazeau Seller Law Contact:
Tanya Jenkins, Managing Director
+1-613-237-4000
tjenkins@brazeauseller.com

Ottawa, Ontario – January 31, 2022 – Brazeau Seller Law, an Ottawa-based law firm, today is pleased to announce that David Reid has been invited to join our Firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2022.

David first joined Brazeau Seller Law as a student in 2010. He remained with us through his articles and as an associate lawyer after his call to the bar in 2012.  During David’s tenure as a lawyer with Brazeau Seller Law, he has become an important member of our firm, in particular, in our real estate department.   

“Congratulations to David on this significant career milestone, it is extremely well deserved,” said Fred Seller, Founding Partner, Brazeau Seller Law.  “We are very proud of his career achievements and look forward to watching him take this next step in his growing career committed to delivering strong client service for our clients on complex commercial real estate transactions.”

“With a legacy shaped by smart, innovative and passionate individuals, this admission to partner represents our commitment to see our team achieve personal growth”, said Tanya Jenkins, Managing Director.  “David represents our values of quality service and client satisfaction.”

Best wishes to David for many more successful years as a Partner!

For more information about Brazeau Seller Law visit www.brazeauseller.com or call +1-613-237-4000.

About Brazeau Seller Law 

Brazeau Seller Law was founded in 1989 and currently operates with 21 lawyers and 37 support staff. As a business law firm, Brazeau Seller Law has distinguished itself as a leader across a full range of service areas and is locally and nationally recognized.  We have long-standing working relationships with business people in virtually every sector of the Ottawa business community, and offer a full range of services for owners, entrepreneurs, managers, and professionals around the world. Brazeau Seller Law is a proud member of Meritas Law Firms, a global alliance of independent, market-leading law firms providing borderless legal services to companies looking to effectively capture opportunities and solve issues anywhere in the world (www.Meritas.org).  For more information about Brazeau Seller Law, visit www.brazeauseller.com or call 613-237-4000.

Brazeau Seller Law Earns Recertification in Meritas, the Leading Global Alliance of Independent Business Law Firms

Brazeau Seller Law Contact:
Tanya Jenkins, Managing Director
+1-613-237-4000
tjenkins@brazeauseller.com 

Meritas Contact:
Beth LaBreche
+1-612-578-2834
beth@labreche.com

Brazeau Seller Law membership in Meritas means clients can access quality legal expertise around the world

Ottawa, Ontario – January 13, 2022 – Brazeau Seller Law, a Ottawa-based law firm, today announced that it has been awarded recertification in Meritas, a global alliance of independent business law firms. Brazeau Seller Law joined Meritas in 1999 and, as a condition of its membership, is required to successfully complete recertification every three years. 

Meritas is the only law firm alliance with an established and comprehensive means of monitoring the quality of its member firms, a process that saves clients’ time validating law firm credentials and experience. Meritas membership is selective and by invitation only. Firms are regularly assessed and recertified for the breadth of their practice expertise, client satisfaction and high standards of cybersecurity to keep legal information safe. Meritas’ extensive due diligence process ensures that only firms meeting the tenets of Meritas’ unique Quality Assurance Program are allowed to maintain membership. The measurement of the firm’s performance, based on input from clients, is reflected in a Satisfaction Index score, which is available online on the Meritas website.

“Our values of quality service and client satisfaction align with the Meritas mission to provide a safe and responsive global offering to clients,” said Tanya Jenkins, Managing Director at Brazeau Seller Law. “We’ve successfully collaborated with colleagues in many jurisdictions around the world to solve client issues and help them seize opportunities outside of this market. We look forward to keeping those vital connections through membership in Meritas.”

The recertification process Brazeau Seller Law completed to maintain its membership status included exacting self-assessment, peer review by other law firms and client feedback.  

“Businesses trust the Meritas alliance of law firms for top-tier quality, convenience, consistency and value,” said Sona Pancholy, president of Meritas. “Brazeau Seller Law has demonstrated its commitment to world-class legal standards, and therefore has successfully earned its recertification in Meritas.”

For more information about Brazeau Seller Law’s capabilities and the benefits of its membership in Meritas, visit www.brazeauseller.com or call +1-613-237-4000.

About Brazeau Seller Law 

Brazeau Seller Law, a Meritas member firm, was founded in 1989 and currently operates with 21 lawyers and 37 support staff. The firm has distinguished itself among the best across a full range of service areas and is locally and nationally recognized.  We have long-standing working relationships with business people in virtually every sector of the Ottawa community, while continuing to offer a full range of services for owners, entrepreneurs, managers, and professionals around the world. For more information about Brazeau Seller Law, visit www.brazeauseller.com or call 613-237-4000.

About Meritas 

Meritas’ global alliance of independent, market-leading law firms provides borderless legal services to companies looking to effectively capture opportunities and solve issues anywhere in the world. Companies benefit from local knowledge, collective strength and new efficiencies when they work with Meritas law firms. The personal attention and care they experience is part of Meritas’ industry-first commitment to the utmost in quality of service and putting client priorities above all else. Founded in 1990, Meritas has member firms in 259 markets worldwide with more than 7,500 dedicated, collaborative lawyers. To locate a Meritas resource for a specific need or in a certain market, visit Meritas.org or call +1-612-339-8680.

COVID-19 Privacy and Data Collection

corona virus

Best Practices relating to privacy and data collection in the age of COVID-19 

While some businesses are considering reopening its physical doors as Ontario heads into Stage 2 of its reopening plans, and others are implementing long-term work-from-home measures, privacy and data collection issues will undoubtedly continue to arise more frequently as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.   

Canada is home to both federal-level and provincial-level authorities that oversee and regulate privacy-related legislation. While privacy laws continue to apply during the COVID-19 pandemic, these regulatory bodies have made it clear that these laws should not act as “a barrier” to appropriate information sharing. That being said, now is the perfect time for all organizations to implement best practices on how it intends to collect, store, and use private information – below, we have summarized and highlighted privacy-related best practices with respect to personal information, employee information, and data collection tips to pass onto your employees.

 

Best practices for organizations that collect, use, and disclose “personal information”

During the COVID-19 health crisis, all organizations must continue to comply with privacy laws and act responsibly, particularly with respect to handling personal information, and information about individuals’ health, travel, movements and contacts or association. As “personal information” is broadly defined within legislation, and generally includes all recorded information about an identifiable individual, organizations must be well aware of their statutory obligations relating to collecting personal information.

There exists privacy legislation at both the federal and provincial levels that govern the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information. Most private sector Ontario-based organizations that collect personal information must continue to operate in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”), which allows organizations to collect, use, or disclose information only for purposes that a reasonable person would consider to be appropriate in the circumstances. In most cases, personal information can only be collected, used, or disclosed after obtaining meaningful consent from the individual in question. Key privacy principles that organizations should keep in mind when collecting, using, or disclosing personal information include:

  1. Privacy laws apply to all personal information even when using public sources such as social media.
  2. Personal information collected, used or disclosed with respect to COVID-19 issues must not be used for other reasons. Individuals would not reasonably expect that their information collected for COVID-19 related issues could become available for commercial purposes.
  3. Any personal information collected with respect to COVID-19 issues ought to be properly destroyed following the end of the COVID-19 crisis.
  4. De-identify personal information/data whenever possible.
  5. Ensure physical (e.g. a secure safe) and/or electronic safeguards (e.g. encryption methods) are in place to protect personal information collected.
  6. Ensure there are strict time limits on measures implemented to collect personal information in response to the crisis.

 

Best practices relating to privacy of employees’ information (e.g. temperature testing results)

There is no private sector privacy legislation that is directly applicable to employee privacy in Ontario, save and except for those private sector organizations that qualify as “federal works” (e.g. banks, airlines, telecom companies). While there is provincial legislation relating to “personal health information”, generally speaking, employers who hold personal health information are not governed by these laws, unless they receive personal health information from a defined health information custodian – such as a physician. When an employer receives personal health information from a defined health information custodian, the employer may, in general, only use or disclose the information for the authorized purpose for which the information was disclosed or for the purpose of carrying out a statutory or legal duty. 

While privacy laws are not meant to prevent an employer taking reasonable precautions to ensure the health and safety of its employees, in order to avoid privacy violations at common law, any COVID-related information directly obtained from employees (e.g. temperature testing results, other health screening information) should not be collected, recorded, stored, used or disclosed for any purpose aside from determining whether the employee should be permitted to enter and/or stay within the workplace. 

What is clear is that employers have a legal obligation to provide a safe workplace for employees. While the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (the “IPC”) has not provided specific guidance with respect to obtaining and storing COVID-related employee information, some best practices to follow include:

  1. Obtaining employees’ consent before having their temperature checked.
  2. Make clear why the information collected is needed and explain how the information will be stored then destroyed by the organization.
  3. Anonymizing information collected.
  4. Limiting access to any information collected to only designated individuals who are well informed about the privacy-related obligations of the employer.
  5. Only obtaining as little information as needed to fulfill the purpose of maintaining a safe work environment. Do not ask general questions relating to an employee’s disability that is not related to COVID-19.
  6. Ensuring electronic encryption of stored information.

In addition, employers should consider human rights related issues when conducting medical tests and safeguarding employees’ information. The position of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, a provincial government agency that administers human rights legislation, is that medical tests (such as temperature testing) in determining an employee’s fitness to perform their job duties may be permissible, if employers only obtain information that is reasonably necessary to determining the employee’s fitness to perform on the job. At the same time, organizations should not seek information from medical testing that may identify a pre-existing disability and employees’ test results must not lead to automatic negative consequences such as termination.

 

Privacy/data collection tips to pass down to your employees

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the creation of numerous remote workplaces across the province, and it is inevitable that a significant portion of the Ontario workforce will continue to be encouraged to work from home, until a vaccine for COVID-19 is found. When employees are working from home, employers must be aware of their obligations to ensure that their employees use secure and appropriate remote work procedures and that the privacy and the security of personal/confidential information (e.g. client information, trade secrets) is not put at risk.

In particular, Ontario employers and organizations should be aware of what the IPC has recommended with respect to best practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, which we have summarized below. 

  1. Ensure that USB drives containing work-related information are encrypted and password protected.
  2. Protect all mobile devices with strong passwords and lock your device when not using them.
  3. Remove information from physical offices only if absolutely necessary to carry out work tasks and duties.
  4. Keep the organization’s anti-virus software up-to-date.
  5. Make it clear that personal email inboxes are not to be used for work purposes.
  6. Encourage your employees to check that they are sending their emails to the correct recipient, particularly for emails involving personal data, prior to sending the email.
  7. Securely store electronic devices and paper records in public spaces.

Issues relating to privacy and data collection can be complicated and can lead to potential complaints and legal proceedings relating to privacy breaches or unauthorized access to personal information. We encourage you to consult a member of Brazeau Seller’s employment law team when you learn of privacy and data collection related issues within your workplace.

Our Team

David Spears
Partner
613.237.4000 x207
dspears@brazeauseller.com

Download the COVID-19 Privacy and Data Collection PDF

    Note to readers:

    The above-noted information does not constitute legal advice and is of general application only. The information regarding COVID-19 is rapidly evolving and the recommendations contained herein are accurate only up to the date of publishing (June 18, 2020).

    Brazeau Seller Law Congratulates Trina Fraser on being recognized as one of the Top 25 lawyers in Canada by Canadian Lawyer Magazine

    Location:  Ottawa, Ontario
    Date:  August 6, 2019

    https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/surveys-reports/top-25-most-influential-lawyers/the-top-25-most-influential-2019/277779

    trina fraser top 25 lawyer award

    Learn more about Trina’s award here

    For more information about Brazeau Seller Law’s capabilities and the benefits of its membership in Meritas, visit www.brazeauseller.com or call 613-237-4000.

    About Brazeau Seller Law
    Brazeau Seller Law, a Meritas member firm, was founded in 1989 and currently operates with 22 lawyers and 33 support staff. The firm has distinguished itself among the best across a full range of service areas (business transactions & acquisitions, corporate & commercial, family business, litigation, employment law, real estate and development, tax and estate planning, wills and estate administration, cannabis law) and is locally and nationally recognized. For more information about Brazeau Seller Law, visit www.brazeauseller.com or call 613-237-4000.

    About Meritas
    Founded in 1990, Meritas is an international alliance of commercial law firms working across jurisdictions to provide clients the best of both worlds: a local legal partner with full-service capabilities and the cost efficiency and personal attention unmatched by mega law firms. Each member law firm is required to adhere to rigorous and specific service standards on a regular basis. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Meritas has member firms in 247 global markets and 7,049 lawyers. To find a Meritas law firm or for more information, visit meritas.org or call 612-339-8680.

    Brazeau Seller Law Contact:
    Tanya Jenkins, Managing Director
    +1-613-213-4000
    tjenkins@brazeauseller.com