Areas of practice: Real Estate Law Commercial Law Estates Family Law Business Law Other areas are reviewable & References can be made.
Established in 1973	Efficient and cost effective services are available with 1/2 hour complimentary services and fee quotes provided by telephone. After hour appointments are available, as are home visits for the disabled.

Recent Awards

2001 - Flamborough Chamber of Commerce Business Achievement Award
2001 - Burlington Post Best Lawyer, Reader's Choice Award
2002 - Burlington Post Best Lawyer, Reader's Choice Award
2003 - Burlington Post Best Lawyer, Reader's Choice Award
2004 - Burlington Post Best Lawyer, Reader's Choice Award
2005 - Burlington Post Best Lawyer, Reader's Choice Award
2006 - Burlington Post Best Lawyer, Reader's Choice Award
2007 - Burlington Post Best Lawyer, Reader's Choice Award
2008 - Burlington Post Best Lawyer, Reader's Choice Award
2009 - Burlington Post Best Lawyer, Reader's Choice Award
2010 - Burlington Post Best Lawyer, Reader's Choice Award

To Prospective Clients

Prompt quotes and replies to questions are given upon inquiry. Due to potential clarifications and confidentiality, telephone contact is encouraged, but E-Mail will be responded to. Quotes for all areas of legal work are available upon request.

Some examples of recent quotes:

• Resale Home purchase-$450.00 plus disbursements & applicable taxes.
• New Home purchase including one Mortgage and all disbursements but excluding Builder's Adjustments-$799.00 plus registration & applicable taxes.
• Uncontested divorce-$500.00 plus disbursements.
• Mortgage work-$295.00 plus disbursements.
• New Company (Ontario) with organization and review with Accountant-$500.00 plus disbursements.
• Negotiated Marriage Contract-$450.00 plus taxes.

To Real Estate and Financial Professionals...

Province wide E-Reg and Real Estate service are available together with fast sub-searches and telephone advice. The Practice is fully integrated with all major lenders and is current on Commercial and Corporate developments and practices. E-mail contact, after hours appointments, and prompt telephone estimates for legal services are all encouraged.

CHRISTOPHER C. BREEN’S PRIVACY POLICY:

From January 1, 2004, all businesses engaged in commercial activities must comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. The Act gives you rights concerning the privacy of your personal information.

Christopher C. Breen takes all reasonable precautions to ensure that your personal information is kept safe from loss, unauthorized access, modification or disclosure. Among the steps taken to protect your information are:

• Premises security;
• Restricted file access to personal information

PRACTICE NOTES

1. PRIVACY:
   
   In summary, all matters of information are considered private and confidential, except where there is a requirement to disclose at law or where the client allows disclosure in order to obtain or further their legal matters. An example of the latter would be supplying information to obtain a pension valuation in a family matter or addressing shareholder or officer/director information for a government filing. Please consult with and advise us if you have any particular issues of confidentiality or disclosure that you wish to apply to your file.
   
   
2. TITLE INSURANCE:
   
   Basically, Title Insurance provides the following coverages:
   
   
   1. Restrictive covenants limiting your use or affecting use, marketability or forced removal.
   2. Tax, special assessment, utilities and condominium arrears.
   3. Matters which would be revealed by an up-to-date survey affecting use, marketability or forced removal.
   4. Zoning affecting use, marketability or forced removal.
   5. Being located on conservation authority lands affecting use, marketability or forced removal.
   6. Encroachment of your building onto adjoining property affecting use or forced removal.
   7. Defects which would be discovered by a local authorities search.
   8. Improvements built without a building permit.
   9. Future forgery claiming an interest in the property.
   10. Future construction of an encroachment onto the lands.
   
   
   Please note that Title Insurance is an indemnity and not a guarantee, which means the insurer will attempt to resove the issues first, then deal with a loss of property value if the same results. A copy of the standard endorsement is attached from one large Title Insurance Company showing coverages and limitations.
   
   Unless the property is a condominium, for which surveys are not required, or a new home, for which surveys are generally supplied, Title Insurance is required on residential homes in lieu of an up-to-date survey. Title Insurance costs are considerably less than obtaining a new survey and paying for property reports and the Law Society Levy. Most lenders are content with Title Insurance and most clients prefer this product in order to save costs.
   
   There are a number of major Title Insurance carriers, but from a cost and convenience point of view, this office uses Stewart Title unless otherwise directed by the client.
   
   In cases such as those in which additions have been added to the house since original construction or there are mutiple units or non-residential use, a zoning and work order search from the Municipality is strongly recommended in addition to Title Insurance. You must request this at the time the file is being set up.
   
   
3. PURCHASE AND SALE CHECKLIST:
   
   Both parties should be having meters read and insurance dealt with and the vendor's pre-authorized payments should be cancelled on closing date. If purchasing a new home, remember that the Building Assessed Realty Tax Bill may be some time coming so monthly amounts should be set aside for that bill when received. Please check with the real estate secretary concering direct questions and any other issues.

The practice is approved by and works with the following plans:
Canadian Legal Network, Mills & Mills, CAW Legal Services, ACS/Lawphone, Oracle, Legal Opinion, Law Protector and Sterlon Underwriting Managers.
We are also a part of the Law Society of Upper Canada Lawyer Referral Network and the Canadian Lawyer's Network (CLN).

For answers to specific legal questions, review of options available, and cost-related questions,
please contact Christopher C. Breen Law Office by phone or through E-mail.

breenlaw@lawtel.ca
www.breenlaw@lawtel.ca