Eric Atkinson

Biography

A native of Quebec City, Eric is trained in civil law, common law and European law.  He is a member of the Nova Scotia Barristers Society, the Quebec Bar, the Canadian Bar Association, the Canadian Tax Foundation, and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Leaving law school, Eric commenced his legal career at the top, articling with the Supreme Court of Canada.  Admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1982, Eric first gained an insider’s perspective of our tax regime by working for several years as tax litigator for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) in Ottawa. He then joined the Montreal business law firm of what is now known as Lapointe Rosenstein Marchand Melançon LLP, where his exposure to the inner workings of the CRA became an invaluable asset to his clients in the private sector.  Eric advises and represents French and English speaking clients mostly across the Maritimes and Quebec.

For more than 35 years, Eric has practiced almost exclusively in matters of tax and commercial law where he uses his dual training in common law and civil law.  Eric also has extensive experience in various forms of tax litigation, including negotiations with the Audit and Appeal divisions of the CRA, Provincial Courts, the Tax Court, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Quebec Court of Appeal.

Besides tax litigation, business succession planning, personal succession planning including personal trusts and an ever expanding practice to restructure fishing businesses are now his preferred areas of practice.  Eric has developed an expertise most useful to fishing businesses using his knowledge of the tax rules and EI Fishing Regulations along with his experience working with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the CRA.  This specialized expertise enables him to offer tailor-made restructuring solutions to his fishing clients as well as with assist fishers in maximizing their after-tax returns when entering or expanding their fishing business, during their tenure as fishers and upon exiting the industry.

He is the author of various articles in tax journals and has spoken to various audiences including the APFF, the Canadian Tax Foundation and STEP.  Eric is Past President of the French Lawyers Association of Nova Scotia, has served the Nova Scotia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association and is Past President of the Parents’ Association of école acadienne de Pomquet. He also has been for several years a lecturer in Business Law at St. F.X. University.   He is currently serving on the Board of the Festival Antigonish Foundation and the Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre as well as assisting some outdoor organizations.

Eric is a keen outdoor enthusiast including self-organized back country skiing and offshore sailing above and below the Arctic Circle as well as long distance running and cycling.