Maurice Vaturi
Senior Counsel
Other Services
Toronto Corporate Lawyerfor governance, disputes, M&A, and shareholder agreements
Trusted by GTA businesses across every sector
Overview
Strategic counsel when business stops being routine
From board advisory to high-stakes commercial litigation, VC Lawyers provides the strategic corporate counsel that GTA businesses need to grow, transact, and resolve disputes with confidence.
Most corporate legal needs come up at predictable inflection points: incorporation, adding shareholders, raising capital, structuring an acquisition, drafting an exit, or responding to a dispute. The legal mechanics of each are different, but the principle is the same — getting it right saves substantial cost, time, and risk later.
Our corporate practice spans governance, contract disputes, business transactions, and shareholder agreements. We work with founders, family businesses, growth-stage companies, and established enterprises across the GTA. We work in English, Korean, and several other languages.
Practice areas
Corporate legal services
Select a service below to learn how we protect your business interests at every stage.
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Corporate Governance
Strategic counsel for boards of directors on fiduciary duties, compliance audits, and the OBCA transparency register in force since January 1, 2023.
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Contract Disputes
Aggressive advocacy for breach of contract and non-performance claims on the Ontario Commercial List, and for interim adjudication under the Construction Act.
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Business Purchase & Sale
End-to-end legal counsel for share and asset deals, including due diligence, PPSA searches, and tax-efficient structuring.
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Shareholder Agreements
Draft robust Shotgun, ROFR, and Tag-Along clauses to protect your investment, define exit strategies, and prevent deadlocks.
Litigation-ready negotiation
The strongest deal comes from the strongest legal position
Whether you're acquiring a business, defending a contract claim, or negotiating a shareholder dispute, the outcome reflects the legal position you're prepared to take.
Our corporate practice is built on commercial fluency and litigation readiness. The first 30-minute strategy call is confidential.
Key metrics
In the numbers
- Combined corporate experience
- 70+ yrs
- List experience
- Commercial
- Crisis response available
- 24/7
- English, Korean, and more
- Multilingual
Our process
How a corporate engagement actually works
Most corporate matters follow a similar path — strategy, due diligence, negotiation or litigation, and closing or resolution. Our job is to keep it predictable, transparent, and commercially sensible.
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Step 1 — Initial Strategy Call
We start with a 30-minute call to understand the business, the transaction or dispute, and the timeline. The first call is confidential. - 02
Step 2 — Due Diligence and Document Review
For transactions, we conduct full due diligence — corporate records, contracts, leases, intellectual property, employment matters, regulatory compliance. For disputes, we review contracts, communications, and the chronology that led to the conflict. - 03
Step 3 — Negotiation or Litigation
We pursue the strongest commercially-sensible path. Most matters resolve through negotiation. Where litigation is required, we are experienced before the Ontario Commercial List, the Superior Court, and arbitration tribunals. - 04
Step 4 — Closing or Resolution
For deals, we drive to closing through agreement drafting, signature collection, and post-closing matters. For disputes, we drive to settlement, judgment, or award.
Our team
The lawyers who will handle your file
Corporate work rewards commercial fluency, attention to detail, and direct lawyer access. Our team brings all three to every engagement.
Avi Vaturi
Partner
Jae Hyon Cho
Co-Managing Partner
Jun Ki Lee
Associate
Allan Weiss
Associate
Kate Min Kwon
Immigration Consultant
RCIC R529664 · RQIC 11726
Frequently Asked Questions
We answered all
When does a small business actually need a corporate lawyer?
Several inflection points: at incorporation (proper structure, share classes, minute book setup); when adding shareholders or partners (shareholder agreement, vesting); when raising capital (term sheets, subscription agreements); when selling or acquiring (due diligence, definitive agreements); when material disputes arise; and when regulatory changes apply (the OBCA transparency register, for example). Many issues are far cheaper to handle proactively than after they become problems.What is a shareholder agreement and do I need one?
A shareholder agreement governs the relationship between shareholders — share transfer restrictions (Right of First Refusal, Tag-Along, Drag-Along), management decisions requiring shareholder approval, dispute resolution mechanisms (Shotgun clauses), exit strategies, valuation methodologies, and many other matters. If your business has more than one shareholder, a properly drafted agreement is essential. Without it, the OBCA default rules apply — which often produce undesirable outcomes when relationships break down.How are corporate legal services billed?
Corporate work is typically billed on an hourly basis with a transparent fee estimate at the outset. For some defined-scope matters (incorporation, simple shareholder agreements, basic asset purchase agreements), we offer fixed fees. Major transactions and litigation are quoted with milestone-based billing. We are upfront about all fees and provide written engagement letters before starting work.Can you handle Commercial List proceedings?
Yes. Our litigation team has substantial experience before the Ontario Commercial List, which handles complex commercial disputes — shareholder oppression remedies, M&A disputes, complex contract claims, and other high-stakes corporate matters. The Commercial List has its own procedural rules and pace; we know how to work within them effectively.What are the OBCA transparency register requirements?
Since January 1, 2023, the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) has required private corporations to keep a register of individuals with significant control (ISC register). The requirement arrived through Bill 43, the Build Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2021. Someone has significant control if they hold or control shares carrying 25% or more of the votes, or 25% or more of the fair market value of all outstanding shares, or if their influence amounts to control in fact. The register has to be reviewed at least once in each financial year, and any new or corrected information recorded within 15 days of the corporation learning of it, so once a year is not enough on its own. Ontario's register is private. It stays with the corporation's records, and only police, the CRA, the Minister of Finance and designated regulators can compel access. Federal corporations are the opposite: corporations under the Canada Business Corporations Act have filed this information with Corporations Canada since January 22, 2024, and much of it is publicly searchable. There are penalties for non-compliance, up to $5,000 for the corporation and up to $200,000 for a director, officer or shareholder who knowingly authorizes a breach. We help corporations establish and maintain compliant ISC registers as part of broader governance services.Do you handle international business matters?
Yes, often through co-counsel arrangements with U.S. and other foreign counsel. Cross-border M&A, foreign investment into Canada, and Canadian businesses expanding internationally all require coordinated legal advice. We maintain relationships with experienced corporate counsel in major U.S. jurisdictions and other commercial centres.
Why people choose VC Lawyers
The right firm handles the details so you can move forward with confidence
From property and business deals to family and estate matters, the right law firm gives you clear advice, transparent fees, and a lawyer who is genuinely in your corner.
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Clear, Upfront Fees
We explain your fee arrangement before we start. No surprises.
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Full-Service Firm
One firm for your property, business, family, and estate matters.
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Multilingual Legal Team
Services in 8 languages so nothing gets lost in translation.
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Boutique Firm, Direct Access
You’re never just a file number. Reach your lawyer directly.
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Trusted Ontario Counsel
Members in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.
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Decades of Combined Experience
Senior counsel on every matter we handle.
Get in touch
Looking for legal help? Speak directly with a lawyer
Tell us what happened and a lawyer will personally review your case. Personal injury consultations are free and there are no fees unless we win. For all other practice areas, a consultation fee applies.
- $30M+ recovered for injury clients
- Available 24/7, including weekends
- Service in English, Korean, and 6+ more languages
Prefer to call? (416) 661-4529
Take the next step
Protect your business with strategic corporate counsel.
Don't let a contract dispute or governance issue threaten your operations. The first 30-minute strategy call is confidential. Send us the deal terms, the dispute summary, or the governance question and we will tell you within that conversation what your realistic path looks like.
Other services
More practice areas
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Corporate Lawyer in North York
Corporate counsel for North York businesses, from our Finch and Keele office.
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Real Estate Lawyer Toronto
Commercial real estate and lease counsel.
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Wills & Estates Lawyer Toronto
Business succession planning and estate-corporate integration.
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Toronto Employment Lawyer
Workplace counsel for employers.
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Toronto Civil Litigation Lawyer
Commercial disputes outside the Commercial List.
Where we work
Service areas
VC Lawyers serves clients throughout the Greater Toronto Area, including Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Newmarket, and Aurora. We also represent clients across Ontario through video consultations and home/hospital visits when needed.
Languages spoken at the firm include English, Korean (한국어), Hebrew, Mandarin, and others depending on lawyer assignment.
Our office is located at 1110 Finch Avenue West, Suite 310, in North York, with parking and TTC access (Finch West subway and bus connections).