News & Speaking

Yvonne Chenier will be presenting “Objects & Bylaws – Govern yourself accordingly!” to Board Leadership Calgary 2018.

We are pleased to announce some of our lawyers have been included in the Best Lawyers in Canada 2019. Listed on the website are: Arthur Drache in Estates and Trust; Karen Cooper for Charity and Not for Profit Law as well as Estates and Trust; Sylvie Lalonde for Health Care Law; Yvonne Chenier for Charity and Not for Profit Law.

Sylvie Lalonde will be presenting a rapid fire session at the CSAE National Conference 2018. Drache Aptowitzer will also have a booth at the event. We look forward to seeing you there.

Yvonne Chenier will be speaking to the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (ECVO) entitled “Living Your Charitable Purposes and Keeping your Non Profit Healthy”.

Karen Cooper spoke at the Annual Conference of the Association of Treasurers or Religious Institutes in Toronto.

The Alberta Museums Association had their 2018 Conference. Yvonne Chenier presented a Pre-Conference Workshop entitled “Governance Made Fun”. This session explained how good governance can transform your museum and enhance communications within an organization. Speakers presented the legal aspects of non-profit management, cover the financial responsibilities of good governance, and answer questions about the Canada Revenue Agency.

A special Senate Committee was held to examine the impact of federal and provincial laws and policies governing charities, nonprofit organizations, foundations, and other similar groups; and to examine the impact of the voluntary sector in Canada. Adam Aptowitzer was asked to be an expert witness during their discussion of donations of private securities to Charities. Watch the discussion.

Karen Cooper spoke at the STEP National Conference in Toronto on May 29th, with a panel discussing “Charitable Foundations Today: Their Creative Establishment and Use”.

Karen Cooper participated in a panel discussion in Toronto at the CBA Charity Law Symposium regarding the “Development of Jurisprudence Post-Vancouver Society of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women Supreme Court Case (January 28, 1999)”.

Sylvie Lalonde spoke about “Running a Proper Annual General Meeting” in Montebello, Quebec for the CCLA 2018 East Region Solicitors Conference

Yvonne Chenier moderated a panel for the CCVO about the New Occupational Health and Safety Legislation in Alberta.

Karen Cooper was interviewed for an article in the Philanthropist entitled “Canada’s ‘Symbolic’ Rescue of Journalism May Be Too Little/ Too Late”.

Adam Aptowitzer and Karen Cooper spoke at the 25th Annual Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP) Conference in Winnipeg about the Donation of Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies.

Alexandra Tzannidakis joined a panel at the NEEP Buzz Forum presented by the World Skills Employment Centre. NEEP stands for Non-profit Employer Engagement Project and will deal with the top issues facing non-profits. Ms. Tzannidakis discussed Fundraising in Social Enterprise and will be available to answer your questions.

Adam Aptowitzer spoke at the CPA Not For Profit Executive Forum in Toronto speaking on the topic of running businesses in both charities and not for profits from a legal perspective.

Karen Cooper stopped by the Rideau Centre to speak to STEP Ottawa discussing Philanthropy – Taxation and Best Practices.

Yvonne Chenier spoke at Calvista LLP’s Annual Charities and Not for Profit day in Calgary. She presented a talk entitled “What you didn’t know you didn’t know, and why it’s important”.

Adam Aptowitzer and Diane Hodgins of the Shorefast Foundation presented at the CSAE National Converence in St. John’s, Newfoundland. For details on their talk please visit the CSAE Website, or hear about their talk in their own words here.

The C.D. Howe institute published a paper written by Adam Aptowitzer entitled “No need to Reinvent the Wheel: Promoting Donations of Private Company Shares and Real Estate“. In this paper he explores how the federal government can extend favourable tax treatment to the donation of private company shares and real estate. Jamie Golombek covers the paper in his article entitled “A charitable proposal amid the small business tax uproar” appearing in the Saturday, September 16th, 2017 issue of the Financial Post.

Sylvie Lalonde presented to the University of Ottawa’s new francophone CLE program for lawyers, called “PratiquO”. Sylvie’s presentation was in French and was an introduction to Not for Profit Organizations for lawyers who do not practice in the area. It was recorded and will be posted on the PratiquO portal where it can be viewed by other lawyers for CLE hours. For more information on the PratiquO program please see this announcement or visit the portal.

Yvonne Chenier Q.C. and Alexandra Tzannidakis will be speaking at the upcoming 24th annual CAGP conference in Toronto taking place at the Hilton. Yvonne and Alexandra will speak to the legalities of “Fundraising Without Borders” on Wednesday, March 29th, 2017. Here is a sneak peek. For more information on the CAGP Conference or to register to see Yvonne and Alexandra speak, please visit the CAGP website.

Arthur Drache is featured in the Philanthropist – Canada 150 Profiles series. To read Arthur’s profile click here.

Drache Aptowitzer PC is proud to announce that it has received honourable mention in Canadian Lawyer Magazine’s listing of Top 5 Tax Boutiques in Canada.

Yvonne Chenier Q.C., will be speaking with a variety of other experts involved in the Not for Profit sector, at Calvista LLP’s annual client information day – Not For Profit Update 2016. Her topics this year include limited partnerships, new requirements regarding testimonials, and other legal updates. While this event is by invitation, she hopes to see you there.

Kara Johnson joined the Drache Aptowitzer PC team on November 1st, 2016 and we are delighted to have her. While new to the legal profession, Kara brings a wealth of experience from her many varied positions. Kara is fluent in English, French, Spanish, and conversant in Italian. To find out more about Kara, please feel free to read more here.

Adam Aptowitzer is speaking at the CBA’s Administrative Law National Gathering about Julie Guindon v.s. Her Majesty the Queen, which was argued by Adam up to the supreme court level, on Friday November 18th, 2016.

Drache Aptowitzer PC will be appearing as an exhibitor along with Global Philanthropic at AFP Congress 2016 in Toronto, November 21-23rd. Stop by our booth and say hello.

Arthur Drache will be a presenter at a symposium for museum and gallery board members sponsored by the Museums Foundation of Canada in Toronto on October 24th, 2016. Karen Cooper will be speaking at the Cross Border Conservation 2016 LTA Rally taking place in Minneapolis, Minnesota on October 30th, 2016 about “Navigating the Complexities of U.S./Canada Cross Border Conservation”.

Karen Cooper and Arthur Drache were named in the 2016 Best Lawyers in Canada guide. Adam Aptowitzer was named as a 2016 Corporate Lawyer to watch by Lexpert and has been elected to the Federal Court Bench and Bar Committee of the Canadian Bar Association and our very own Yvonne Chenier Q.C. was elected to the National Section Charity Council

Guy Mallabone of Global Philanthropic and Adam Aptowitzer on the subject of “Practical and Legal Approaches for Developing a Major Gift”. The presentation will take place on June 20th, 2016 1:00 PM EST. Click here to sign up.

Alexandra Tzannidakis on the subject of “Attracting Donations from Entrepreneurs”. The presentation will take place on May 25th, 2016

On February 5th at 1:30 PM Alexandra Tzannidakis will give a legal update for charities and NFP’s as part of the OBA Institute 2016 at the Delta Hotel Downtown Ottawa. SAVE THE DATE – February session on Learning the Ropes of Social Enterprise. Yvonne Chenier will be presenting on February 22nd at 1:00 PM EST. Click here to sign up

Adam Aptowitzer presented to the Estate Planning Council of Eastern Ontario.

Karen J. Cooper will be travelling to the First Congress of the International Land Conservation Network conference in Berlin, Germany to speak about private land taxation to an international audience. We are also proud to announce that Karen has been honoured as a 2016 Best Lawyer in Canada for her work in the area of trusts and estates.

Adam Aptowitzer presents to a group of Dentists discussing tax issues that have universal significance. View the presentation here. Karen J. Cooper will be at the Association of Treasurers of Religious Institutes (ATRI) conference in Saskatoon to give a workshop on tax and charity law updates that impact religious organizations.