Business Law Talks

Welcome to Beyond Succession, a podcast series within the Bennett Jones Business Law Talks podcast that explores the complexities of family enterprise. Join host Leah Tolton, a family enterprise and corporate lawyer who helps family-owned businesses navigate governance, succession and growth.

For a family enterprise, selling the business is about much more than completing a transaction. Owners must balance financial objectives with family priorities, employee considerations and the legacy built over years or generations.

In this episode, Leah Tolton is joined by Alyson Quan, partner and senior managing director in Deloitte’s corporate finance practice, and Leanne Krawchuk KC, partner at Bennett Jones. Together, they explore how family enterprises can prepare for a potential sale, from establishing the family’s goals and assessing the value and readiness of the business to assembling the right advisory team and preparing for buyer due diligence.

The discussion also considers the emotional side of selling a family business, the differences between strategic and financial buyers, and why the price stated in a letter of intent may not be the amount sellers ultimately receive at closing. Alyson and Leanne explain how working capital adjustments, earnouts, rollover equity, indemnities, regulatory requirements and other deal terms can affect both the structure and outcome of a transaction.

Finally, Leah, Alyson and Leanne discuss what happens when a transaction does not close and how the work completed during the sale process, including improved financial reporting, valuations, due diligence materials and transaction documents, can still strengthen the business and support a future transaction.

In this episode of Beyond Succession, Leah Tolton, Partner at Bennett Jones LLP, is joined by Matt Knight, Executive Director of the Alberta Business Family Institute, to explore how family-owned businesses can thoughtfully engage with AI. From the paradox of patient capital to the challenges of multi-generational decision-making, this conversation offers a roadmap for family enterprises navigating digital transformation without compromising legacy.

Highlights:

In this episode of Clean Incentives, Brendan Sigalet is joined by Martin Ignasiak, KC (Regulatory Partner, Bennett Jones) for a candid discussion on the newly enacted One Canadian Economy Bill (Bill C-5), with a focus on the Building Canada Act and its implications for energy and mining project approvals.

With Canada’s clean economy tax credits (like the CCUS, Clean Tech and Clean Hydrogen ITCs) in various stages of enactment and regulatory hurdles still widespread, this episode explores:

In this episode of Clean Incentives, we dive into the evolving labour requirements attached to Canada’s clean economy Investment Tax Credits (ITCs). Host Brendan Sigalet is joined by Taylor Gant from Alliant Consulting, a US expert in prevailing wage compliance, to explore how labour standards tied to clean energy tax credits have been implemented under the US Inflation Reduction Act and what Canadian project proponents need to know now.

Together, they unpack how wage and apprenticeship requirements affect eligibility for clean technology incentives, how US developers have adapted their compliance strategies and what documentation and contracting practices are becoming essential in Canada. With millions of dollars in tax credits at stake, this episode provides timely insights for clean energy developers, EPC contractors and legal and tax advisors navigating the new compliance landscape.

In this episode of Beyond Succession, host Leah Tolton is joined by Rob Hannam, CEO of Farm Health Guardian and President of Synthesis Agri-Food Network, to explore how structured strategic planning can help Canada’s family-run farm businesses move from stuck to scalable.

Rob draws on decades of experience guiding more than 50 agri-food organizations through strategy and succession challenges. Together, they unpack the early warning signs that a family enterprise may be drifting without direction and how thoughtful, collaborative planning can realign vision, foster generational dialogue and unlock long-term value.

In this episode of Beyond Succession, host Leah Tolton is joined by Sandra Pollack, author of Don’t Leave a Mess! How to Disaster-Proof Your Family Legacy. Together, they explore why silence is the most common—and most costly—mistake family enterprise owners make when planning for the future. Sandra unpacks how values-based conversations, proactive planning and collaborative advisory teams can prevent disaster and preserve both wealth and relationships across generations.

Whether you are navigating succession, transitioning ownership or just starting to think about your legacy, this episode offers practical hard-earned wisdom for family enterprise leaders ready to move from fear to action.

What if the best buyer for your business is already working for you? In this episode of Beyond Succession, host Leah Tolton is joined by Bennett Jones partner Wes Novotny, one of the first lawyers in Canada to advise on the adoption of an employee ownership trust (EOT). Together, they unpack how EOTs are changing how Canadian business owners think about succession.

Leah and Wes discuss how EOTs allow owners to

All while creating long-term benefits for employees and the business itself. 

If you’re advising a legacy-minded owner—or are one yourself—this episode offers practical insight into why EOTs are a compelling option for succession.

What happens when the person at the center of a harassment complaint is also a family member? In this episode of Beyond Succession, host Leah Tolton, is joined by Laura Inglis and Sabrina A. Bandali to unpack the unique challenges family enterprises face when personal and professional boundaries blur.

They discuss how to recognize when an informal concern becomes a legal risk, the heightened perception of bias in family enterprises and why involving external counsel can make a critical difference. From employment issues to international compliance, tune in for real-world examples and practical strategies to help protect both your enterprise and your family relationships.

The Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit (ITC) is one of the federal government’s tools to encourage investment in clean power generation in Canada. However, for project developers and investors, accessing the credit means more than checking a few boxes—it requires navigating a complex and evolving landscape of eligibility criteria, regulatory frameworks and shifting political priorities.

In this episode of Clean Incentives, host Brendan Sigalet is joined by Bennett Jones partners David Macaulay and Jessica Kennedy to unpack the practical realities of the Clean Electricity ITC. Together, they explore what makes this credit different from other clean economy incentives, how it affects Indigenous and tax-exempt entities and the regulatory and interconnection hurdles specific to Alberta and other jurisdictions. The discussion also examines how political dynamics may impact energy investment across North America.