25 September 2026
By Noah Drees
In Binance Holdings Limited v. Ontario Securities Commission, the Ontario Court of Appeal allowed an appeal from the Divisional Court and found that a summons issued by Staff of the Ontario Securities Commission (“OSC”) to Binance constituted an unreasonable search and seizure contrary to section 8 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Court of Appeal set aside the summons and ordered that the documents seized be returned to Binance.
3 March 2026
By Ellen BessnerI was not an early adopter of ChatGPT because my older brother knows the answers to most of my questions and he has been just a phone call away. Don’t tell him, but I have now uploaded and use the AI app instead of calling him.
2 December 2025
By Ellen BessnerThis article was promised to those who attended the FP Canada 2025 virtual conference, where I talked about how planners and advisors will want to rethink their approach when servicing the next generations of clients who feel more comfortable relying on finfluencers.
10 October 2025
By Ellen BessnerI am a big proponent of advisors fulfilling know your client obligations in a more meaningful way than just filling out a form. Serving a client as a trusted advisor means knowing them better and having a deeper kind of relationship.
2 September 2025
By Ellen BessnerWith most full-service dealer clients in the 60-plus age category, advisors and dealers hope to build relationships with the next generation before their senior clients become disabled or pass away.
9 June 2025
By Ellen BessnerUncertain times give advisors, portfolio managers, insurance agents and planners an opportunity to shine with clients and prospects. In my last article, I explained a 5 step approach to help clients through difficult times. I used the example of Staminak, a 62-year-old client who was worried about whether he could retire at 65 because his portfolio and employment had been impacted by the economy and tariff turbulence. In this article, I want to cover how you can shine with younger clients, to grow your business during these uncertain times.
26 March 2025
By Ellen BessnerWhat can an advisor do when their clients get nervous about uncertainty in their jobs, their net worth and their need for increased liquidity, all at the same time? While this is a perfect storm for your clients, it is also an opportunity for an advisor to shine.
10 February 2025
By Ellen BessnerMy practice has never been busier, so I have listed in this article the major risks that advisors, portfolio managers, insurance agents and firms faced in 2024 and how to prepare yourself for a risk-reduced 2025. (While “advisor” is used throughout, the points below apply to all registrants.)
25 November 2024
By Ellen BessnerPart 1 of this two-part series described the more common types of advisor partnerships and the associated risks (see Part 1 here). In this article, I will describe how to reduce your risks to avoid costly and protracted litigation (funny that this is written by a litigation lawyer).
12 November 2024
By Ellen BessnerI am retained by financial advisors as their coach through bad breakups with their partners, and if unresolved, as their litigation lawyer to fight for what is rightfully theirs. In this article, the first of a two-part series, I will unpack some of the risks that advisors must consider before and during their partnerships with other advisors. Part 2 will unpack how to reduce these risks.