Our Practice Areas
SALP practises in seven areas of law. Each section below describes what we handle, who we act for, and what clients can expect from the file.
Immigration Law
We advise individuals, families, and employers on Canadian immigration matters. Immigration law in Canada changes frequently, and the consequences of an error on an application can be significant — including refusals, inadmissibility findings, or delays that affect employment and family life.
We provide a comprehensive partnership to individuals, families, and corporate employers. By staying ahead of legislative shifts, we mitigate the risks of delays and refusals, allowing our clients to focus on their professional goals and family life while we manage the intricacies of their legal status.
Our Expertise Includes:
Economic Mobility & Work Permits: Expert management of LMIA-based and LMIA-exempt applications to secure essential workforce talent.
Academic & Post-Graduate Pathways: Guiding international students through study permits and strategic transitions to post-graduation work permits.
Permanent Residency Strategy: Sophisticated counsel on Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), and the specialized Atlantic Immigration Program.
Family Reunification: Dedicated support for family sponsorships, ensuring loved ones are united through robust and compliant applications.
Inadmissibility & Rehabilitation: Strategic advocacy for individuals facing complex inadmissibility challenges or seeking criminal rehabilitation.
Citizenship & Naturalization: Guiding long-term residents through the final stages of the path to Canadian citizenship.
Appellate Advocacy: Expert representation for immigration refusals and appeals before the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).
Corporate Compliance: Ensuring employer adherence to rigorous IRCC obligations and foreign worker program requirements.
Areas of Focus
Residency — Mobility — Advocacy
Employment Law
We act for both employers and employees across Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Employment disputes are rarely simple, and the legal framework — including the Nova Scotia Labour Standards Code, the New Brunswick Employment Standards Act, and the Canada Labour Code where applicable — sets out specific obligations that most people are unaware of until something goes wrong.
The legal framework surrounding the workplace is often misunderstood until a conflict occurs. Our team provides the foresight required to draft resilient agreements and the advocacy needed to resolve sensitive disputes. By acting for both sides of the employment relationship, we possess a unique, 360-degree perspective that allows us to anticipate the other party’s strategy and secure a more favorable outcome for our clients.
Our Expertise Includes:
Bespoke Employment Agreements: Expert drafting, review, and negotiation of contracts designed to protect both organizational interests and individual rights.
Separation & Severance Strategy: Strategic advisory on terminations, ensuring full compliance with statutory obligations and fair common law practices.
Dismissal Advocacy: Expert representation in complex wrongful dismissal and constructive dismissal claims.
Workplace Governance: Developing comprehensive workplace policies, codes of conduct, and staff handbooks that foster a compliant corporate culture.
Human Rights Representation: Navigating and defending complaints filed with provincial human rights commissions with sensitivity and legal precision.
Restrictive Covenants: Crafting and interpreting non-competition and non-solicitation clauses that stand up to legal scrutiny.
Workforce Classification: Advising on the critical distinction between employees and independent contractors to prevent significant tax and legal liabilities.
Safety & Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring employer adherence to current Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation.
Areas of Focus
Contracts — Advocacy — Compliance
Business Law
We advise businesses at every stage, from setting up the legal structure at incorporation to handling commercial disputes that arise as the business grows. In Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, common business structures include corporations, limited liability partnerships, general partnerships, and sole proprietorships. The right choice depends on the nature of the business, the number of owners, tax considerations, and liability exposure.
Selecting the right legal structure is a strategic decision that impacts tax efficiency, owner relationships, and long-term liability. Our team provides the nuanced guidance necessary to navigate the specific requirements of provincial and federal acts, ensuring that your corporate framework aligns perfectly with your commercial objectives.
Our Expertise Includes:
Strategic Incorporation: Expert guidance on incorporating under the Nova Scotia Companies Act, the New Brunswick Business Corporations Act, or the Canada Business Corporations Act.
Shareholder & Governance Agreements: Drafting robust shareholder agreements that define relationships and protect interests from the outset.
Partnerships & Joint Ventures: Structuring equitable and secure general partnerships, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), and joint venture agreements.
Acquisitions & Divestitures: Providing comprehensive legal oversight for the purchase or sale of business entities.
Commercial Leasing & Property: Precision review and negotiation of commercial leases to secure your physical operational footprint.
Franchise Law & Expansion: Navigating the complexities of franchise agreements and multi-unit expansion strategies.
General Counsel Services: Providing rapid, reliable responses to the diverse commercial legal questions that arise in daily operations.
Areas of Focus
Formation — Expansion — Advisory
Corporate Commercial
We advise private companies and their principals on significant commercial transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures, and complex commercial agreements. We work with clients who need legal review that goes beyond standard templates — deals where the structure matters, the representations and warranties are negotiated, and the indemnification provisions have real consequences.
Our team provides more than just legal review; we offer a comprehensive partnership that guides your business through its most significant milestones. By deeply understanding the commercial drivers behind your deals, we ensure that every agreement and resolution is structured to provide maximum protection and operational clarity.
Our Expertise Includes:
Bespoke Commercial Contracts: Expert drafting and negotiation of complex agreements tailored to your specific operational goals.
Mergers & Acquisitions: End-to-end strategic support for acquisitions and divestitures, including due diligence, structural optimization, and closing.
Asset & Share Transactions: Precision-focused management of purchase agreements to ensure seamless ownership transitions.
Strategic Corporate Governance: Proactive oversight of board resolutions, minute book maintenance, and essential filing obligations to ensure rigorous compliance.
Shareholder Advocacy & Dispute Resolution: Navigating and resolving internal conflicts with a focus on business continuity and equitable outcomes.
Financing & Capital Transactions: Structuring and executing financing arrangements to fuel corporate expansion.
Commercial Litigation & Resolution: Providing a robust defense and strategic advocacy in complex commercial disputes.
- Amalgamation and continuance of companies
- Research agreements
- Intellectual property law
- Registration of trademarks and patents for inventions, research work, online applications, and related assets
Areas of Focus
Transactions — Governance — M&A
Regulatory, Environmental & Indigenous
Indigenous Law is a personal area of practice for SALP. We advise Indigenous communities, individuals, and organizations on a range of legal matters involving Indigenous rights, Crown consultation obligations, treaty rights, and governance.
Operating as a unified, multidisciplinary team, SALP provides strategic counsel to clients navigating the intricacies of regulatory, indigenous, and environmental law. Our lawyers draw on collective expertise to deliver seamless assistance across a diverse range of sectors, ensuring your projects move forward with clarity and compliance.
We advise clients on energy, natural resource, and infrastructure matters, including:
Renewable Energy & Power: Navigating the legalities of solar, wind, and emerging hydrogen facilities.
Resource Development: Strategic advice for mining, forestry, and oil and gas operations.
Infrastructure & Logistics: Comprehensive support for pipelines, rail, transportation, and port facilities.
Industrial Operations: Legal oversight for chemical plants, refineries, and agri-food facilities.
Utilities & Transmission: Guidance on electricity generation, storage facilities, and grid integration.
Environmental Stewardship: Managing contaminated sites and nuclear regulatory frameworks.
- Climate & Regulatory Strategy: Advising on evolving climate-related obligations and the transition to sustainable operational frameworks.
- Administrative Advocacy: Expert representation during hearings, proceedings, and appeals before provincial and federal regulatory tribunals.
- Enforcement & Investigation Response: Strategic counsel and tactical support when responding to investigations or enforcement actions by regulatory authorities.
- Legislative Advisory: Interpreting and implementing obligations under evolving sector-specific frameworks to ensure long-term business continuity.
Areas of Focus
Environmental — Indigenous — Regulatory
How a Matter Works at SALP
Initial Consultation
We start with a consultation to understand your situation, what you need, and whether SALP can help. We tell you upfront if this is not a matter we handle.
Scope and Fee Agreement
You receive a written summary of what we will do, the anticipated timeline, and our fee arrangement. Nothing proceeds without your agreement.
The Work
We handle the legal work on the file. You are updated when there is something to report.
Completion
We review the outcome with you and flag any follow-up steps or ongoing obligations you need to be aware of.
FAQs
We are a boutique firm, which means our lawyers practise in specific areas rather than taking on whatever comes through the door. You will work directly with the lawyer handling your file. We also practise in areas that many Atlantic Canadian firms do not, including environmental law and Indigenous law.
This depends on the type of matter. When you book a consultation, we will send you a short intake form. For immigration matters, that typically means copies of your current status documents and any previous applications or refusals. For employment matters, a copy of your employment contract and any relevant correspondence. For corporate or commercial matters, a description of the transaction and any draft documents already in circulation.
We accept [insert payment methods: e-transfer, cheque, credit card]. We send invoices [monthly/upon completion of defined milestones — confirm and fill in].
You can reach us by phone at [phone number] or by email at [email address]. We aim to respond to all messages within [one business day — confirm this]. For urgent matters, indicate that in your message.