Patterson Law Celebrates Lawyers Recognized in 2025 Edition of Best Lawyers in Canada
News
29
Aug
Paul E. Radford, KC Corporate and Commercial Lawyer
Assistant
Biography
Paul has over 39 years of experience as a trusted business law advisor. He balances practical and strategic advice with technical legal knowledge to provide for the best interests of his clients.
He has extensive experience in purchases and sales of businesses, contract negotiations, commercial real estate transactions and leasing, insolvency matters, corporate reorganizations, family trusts and tax planned wills and estates.
Paul serves as the part-time Chair of the Nova Scotia Securities Commission. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2008 and has contributed papers and presented at conferences on insolvency, business law and family trusts and taught Commercial Law at St. Mary’s University and bankruptcy and insolvency law at Dalhousie Law School (now Schulich School of Law).
Paul articled and was called to the bar of British Columbia in 1983 and practised law in Vancouver for 2 years before returning to Nova Scotia. Paul is recognized in The Best Lawyers™ in Canada for Commercial Leasing Law and Corporate Law.
- Commercial transactions: incorporations, acquisitions and sales of businesses, continuances, amalgamations, wind-ups, shareholder agreements, partnership agreements, joint venture agreements, cost sharing agreements, technology agreements, employment agreements, personal property security law (opinions, financing, etc.), landlord and tenant issues on commercial leases (negotiations, financings, distraint and other remedies)
- Bankruptcy and Insolvency: regularly act for Trustees in Bankruptcy, receivers, secured creditors, unsecured creditors, and debtors, represented Federal Department of Justice in arguing leading case on crown priorities in bankruptcy, representing bankrupts and creditors in bankruptcy discharge applications, frequent opinions on validity and enforceability of security, taught Bankruptcy and Insolvency Law at Dalhousie University (Schulich School of Law) 1990-93 and served on oral examination board for Atlantic Canada applicants for Trustee in Bankruptcy licence in 2003
- Tax related corporate transactions: family trusts, professional incorporations, reorganization of private companies, structuring shareholder agreements and advising on estate planning issues – completed Canadian Bar Association’s National Program Tax Law for Tax Lawyers, attend annual Atlantic Provinces Canadian Tax Foundation Annual conference, member of Canadian Tax Foundation
- Associations: represent Interior Designers Association of Nova Scotia in successfully achieving first Interior Designers professional practice legislation in Canada (Interior Designers Act, SNS 2003, c.6) and incorporated several non-profit organizations and advise on by-laws, acted for property owners associations including drafting and enforcement of by-laws and restrictive covenants, provide advice on potential professional association discipline matters
- Appointed King`s Counsel, 2008
- Best Lawyers in Canada: recognized for Corporate Law, Trusts and Estates, and Commercial Leasing 2020 – 2023
- Best Lawyers in Canada, “Lawyer of the Year” for Commercial Leasing Law in Halifax, 2020
- Member Canadian Bar Association
- Member Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society
- Member Canadian Tax Foundation
- Chair of the Nova Scotia Securities Commission
- Member of Screening Committee, Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society since 2001
- Former Chairman, Bankruptcy and Insolvency Section, Canadian Bar Association – Nova Scotia Branch, 2003-05 and 1990-92
- Former Executive Member-at-Large, Canadian Bar Association, National Section – Bankruptcy & Insolvency
- Former Adjudicator, Nova Scotia Regional Assessment Appeal Court, Central Region, 1997 – 2002
- Former Council Member, Canadian Bar Association – Nova Scotia Branch, 1992-96
- Former National President, Dalhousie Law Alumni Association
- Rotary Club of Halifax Harbourside, Member since 1995, served various terms as director and Past President in 2001-2002
- Honourary Legal Counsel, Halifax Amateur Radio Club
- “Give Peace a Chance: The Well Drafted Shareholder Agreement and Dispute Resolution Clause”, Canadian Bar Association 2015 Mid-Winter Conference, presentation jointly with Kelly L. Greenwood, January 30, 2015
- “Effective Date v. Closing Date of a Transaction” and “Lease Issues – Sale of a Business with a Realty Lease” papers and presentations at Canadian Bar Association, Canadian Bar Association, 2008 Annual Professional Development Conference – January 11 2008
- Session Organizer, Canadian Bar Association, 2006 Annual Professional Development Conference – February 3, 2006
- “The Three W’s of Corporate Searches When, What and Why”, paper and presentation at Canadian Bar Association , Corporate Issues for Legal Support Staff, Halifax, March 2005
- “Priorities, Deemed Trusts and Other Superpriorities”, paper and presentation at Canadian Bar Association, The Agony and the Equity of Mortgages Conference, Halifax, September 17th, 2004
- Nova Scotia Real Estate Lawyers Association/Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society Practice Seminar Series, “Conveyancing Standards of Practice” 3.11 and 3.14 , February 7th, 2003 (jointly with Robert G. MacKeigan, QC)
- “Personal Property Security Act Practice Points”, paper and presentation at Canadian Bar Association 11th Annual Professional Development Conference, Halifax, January 25th, 2002
- Planning Committee, Canadian Bar Association, 11th Annual Professional Development Conference for January 25th, 2002
- “Ethical Dilemmas for the Insolvency Practitioner”, Panel Member at Canadian
- Insolvency Practitioners Association Meeting, Halifax, May, 2001;
- “Crown Priorities”, Canadian Insolvency Practitioners Association Continuing Education Seminar, Halifax, May, 2000
- “Trusts: Basic Taxation & How To Structure”, 1998 Atlantic Provinces Tax Seminar, Saint Mary’s University and Canadian Tax Foundation, Halifax, 1998
- “Judgments/Bankruptcy – Priorities -Things to Watch for in Title Search”, 1996 Real Estate Conference and Workshop, Continuing Legal Education Society of Nova Scotia & Real Estate Lawyers Association of Nova Scotia, April, 1996
- “Wage Garnishments/Assignments”, 1995 National Annual Conference, The Canadian Payroll Association, July, 1995
- “Technical Update on Insolvency Law”, 1995 Insolvency Seminar, Canadian Insolvency Practitioners Association, May, 1995
- Bar Admission: British Columbia, 1983
- Bar Admission: Nova Scotia, 1982
- LL.B. (Dalhousie University, 1981)