FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

See BANKING.

FINANCIAL PLANNING

WITTEN LLP has a long tradition of assisting clients with estate matters. Our practice offers advice and support in all areas of estates from will planning, estate freezing, enduring powers of attorney, personal directives, dependant adult matters and trusts to estate administration.

Upon accepting an estate administration file, varying levels of service are put into motion. We begin by assisting the executor or administrator in applying for probate or administration. We help to gather and distribute estate assets, advertise for creditors, and claim life insurance and pension benefits. We also represent trustees, executors and beneficiaries of contested estates in estate litigation.

Many of our clients have a special need for complex will preparation and the restructuring of their estates through estate freezing or other mechanisms. Our estate group is proficient in all these areas, and many members of the firm have lectured at Canadian Tax Foundation seminars, Bar Admission courses, Canadian Bar Association seminars, and Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants courses.

FIRST NATIONS LAW

See ABORIGINAL LAW.

FRANCHISING LAW

WITTEN LLP has long recognized the importance of franchising. Our franchise law practice offers clients strategic advice and support in all areas of franchising and related matters, including:

• Designing franchise agreements and related documents
• Preparing disclosure documents to comply with Alberta Franchises Act and Canadian Franchise Association requirements
• Enforcement of franchise agreements, including injunctive relief
• Leasing and subleasing
• Trademarks
• Employment law matters

WITTEN LLP represents a broad range of franchise clients including international, national and Alberta-based franchisors, master franchisees and franchisees.

We are among the founding members of the Alberta Franchisor Institute, which subsequently merged with the Canadian Franchise Association, and one of our partners serves on its Legal Legislative Committee. We are also listed on the Canadian Franchise Association roster of arbitrators and mediators, in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and in the International Who's Who of Franchise Lawyers.

Experience with the disclosure requirements of the Alberta Franchises Act, and in the preparation and enforcement of franchise agreements, allows our lawyers to serve clients from all over North America. Because of our expertise in franchise law, our lawyers often lecture and frequently present papers in this area.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

WITTEN LLP provides a wide variety of information technology services to assist commercial clients in protecting their rights in Canada and throughout the world. We recognize the growing marketplace for information technology products, and our services are consistently updated to reflect changing markets and evolving industry requirements.

We can draft and negotiate licensing agreements (for both standard and custom products), maintenance and support agreements, escrow agreements, and other documentation required for the successful use and protection of information technology assets.

In addition to assisting with clients' drafting needs, we are also able to assist in enforcing legal rights through litigation. Our experience in protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights extends to all levels of the Courts.

INSOLVENCY

See BANKRUPTCY.

INSURANCE CLAIMS

See PERSONAL INJURY.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Dealing with intellectual property can be a complex matter, and our goal is to cut through the confusion and help our commercial clients protect their intangible but valuable investments. We recognize the value placed on intellectual property assets and the paramount need to protect them. We work diligently to guard these interests, allowing our commercial clients to operate with confidence and security.

As trademark agents, we make applications as well as challenge third party applications. Our ability to draft licensing agreements for software, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and other proprietary know-how provides our clients with confidence that their Intellectual Property rights are well protected.

Our experience in the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights includes handling breaches of a franchise agreement, challenging businesses with confusing or similar names or designs, confronting the sale of a confusing or similar product, and dealing with simple breaches of copyright. We have obtained and defended injunctions in both the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta and in the Alberta Court of Appeal.

LABOUR LAW

See EMPLOYMENT LAW.

LEASING

See SHOPPING CENTRE DEVELOPMENT.

LITIGATION

See BUSINESS LITIGATION.