Not-for-profits face a unique set of legal pressures. Government funding comes with conditions. Governance requirements are non-negotiable. Get it wrong and you risk losing your funding, your status, or both.

I work with Ontario not-for-profits on the legal side of their operations — from structuring governance frameworks that satisfy funders, to navigating disputes when government funding is withheld, clawed back, or comes with strings attached.

That pressure is increasing. The federal government is winding down the Office of Consumer Affairs and the programs it funds by March 2027, and the Competition Bureau has cut positions. Organizations that relied on those programs are now competing for a smaller pool, under tighter conditions, with less margin for a compliance error.

This is not general business law. It is a specialized area where regulatory knowledge matters. For more than two decades I was Crown Counsel with the Government of Ontario. I know how government agencies operate, what they expect, and how to push back when they get it wrong.

What I Help With

• Government grant compliance and conditions
• Funding disputes, appeals, and clawbacks
• Board governance and director obligations
• Regulatory compliance for Ontario not-for-profits
• Corporate structure and not-for-profit incorporation
• Contracts with government funders

Dealing with a funding issue or governance challenge?

Our first conversation is a discovery call — no charge, no obligation. Let’s look at your situation and tell you where you stand.