Doug Shanks

Biography

Doug is retired from Cheadles, but his efforts have had a lasting impact, after having joined the firm in 1984.

Doug had many long-standing client relationships, characterized by a strong dedication to understanding his clients’ businesses and the industries in which they operate. As a result, he was well known as responsible, efficient, innovative and results driven.  Doug successfully represented clients in many areas of business law including:

• Acquisitions
• First Nation businesses and financing
• Financing arrangements
• Joint ventures
• Licensing and other IT arrangements
• Sales, distribution and franchise arrangements
• Business formation
• Governance issues
• Organizational structuring
• Registration and licensing matters
• Regulatory compliance
• Shareholder, partnership and joint venture agreements

In addition to his extensive practice, Doug mentored many of the lawyers and staff currently employed at Cheadles.

Doug is very active with various not-for-profit organizations in Thunder Bay, and in his retirement, he enjoys relaxing at the cottage, cross-country skiing, and golfing.

Professional Associations

• Member of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, 2009 to present
• Member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Thunder Bay Law Association, the Advocates Society, a registered trademark agent and the Canadian Bar Association
• Member of the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals
• Associate member of the Thunder Bay Real Estate Board and past counsel to such Board for over 3 years
• Past director of the Thunder Bay Law Association
• Past member of the Canadian Bar Association, Ontario Council
• Past Member of the Canadian Tax Foundation
• Past Sessional Lecturer, Lakehead University’s School of Business Administration, business law
• Past member of the Consent and Capacity Board

Community Involvement

• Past Director on the Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Center Board of Directors ( 4.5 years ) , past member of the Executive Committee and past Chair of the Quality Committee
• Past President of the Canadian Condominium Institute, Northwestern Ontario Chapter, for a period of three years
• Chair of the National Canadian Condominium Institute Constitution committee; Past member of the National Council and Ontario Caucus.
• Member of National Angel Capital Organization (NACO)
• Member of the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada, 2009 to present
• Past President and past Director of the Thunder Bay (Port Arthur) Rotary Club
• Member and Paul Harris Fellow of the Thunder Bay (Port Arthur) Rotary Club
• Past President and member of Thunder Bay Professional Advisors of Thunder Bay
• Past member and treasurer of the Lakehead University Foundation
• Doug was awarded the Thunder Bay Law Association Community Service Award in 2017

Publications & Presentations

• Speaker on various topics to many community groups, including The Thunder Bay Real Estate Board, and many other organizations
• “Becoming an Investor-Ready Entrepreneur”, presentations for the Northern Ontario Enterprise Gateway entrepreneur education programs;
• Seminars to Canadian Condominium Institute, National and Northwestern Ontario Chapter on condominium issues;
• Presentations to the Thunder Bay Professional Advisors Association on topics of interest to professionals.
• Seminars to Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund on legal issues of financing and with emphasis on indigenous borrowers.
• Doug has served as a sessional lecturer with Lakehead University’s School of Business Administration and lectures regularly on various topics dealing with franchising for the Business Development Bank of Canada , Confederation College, and other community groups. In addition, Doug is a member of the Port Arthur Rotary Club.

Practice Areas

• Corporate
• Corporate Governance
• Trademarks and trade names
• Technology & Intellectual Property
• Financial Services ( Commercial Debt Recovery )
• Insolvency & Restructuring
• Tax
• Charities & Not-for-Profit
• Corporate Tax
• Private Client Services
• Sales Tax,
• Tax Litigation
• Mining
• Real Estate
• Condominium
• Municipal, Planning & Land Development
• Procurement
• Transactions & Leasing

Bar Admission

1978 – Ontario

Education

• LL.B. ( University of Western Ontario – 1976)
• Call to Ontario Bar (Barrister and Solicitor – 1978)
• University of Windsor – Faculty of Law – Alternate Dispute Resolution Course – 1995
• University of Windsor – Faculty of Law – Alternate Dispute Resolution Advanced Course – 2000