Hello, I’m Craig Burley. I’ve been a practising tax lawyer since 2002.
I handle Canadian tax disputes at the CRA Objection level and in the Tax Court of Canada, both in income tax and GST/HST, for all sizes of clients.
I also advise businesses and individuals in all areas of Canadian tax including audits, tax structuring, financing, compensation, investment (domestic and crossborder) and tax dispute resolution. I also deal with GST (Goods and Services Tax) and HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) and other indirect tax issues, in addition to my income tax work. I often give advice regarding the maintenance of tax records, and I advise clients about responding to CRA Requirements for Information.
I’m a former member of Canada’s two largest law firms, but started my own firm in 2010. My practice has, at various times emphasized tax advice in the context of:
- reorganizations and crossborder financing;
- domestic and international investment funds;
- records retention and confidentiality;
- executive compensation and benefits structuring;
- taxation of employment, pension and benefits income; and
- tax disputes with the Canada Revenue Agency.
My tax experience includes:
- advising Canadian residents on tax issues related to new investments in both domestic and foreign entities;
- advising resident and non-resident employers on employee compensation issues, including the creation of stock option plans and non-share-based compensation plans;
- advising investment funds on tax-effective structures, including innovative fund structures and structured investment products, and on tax compliance matters related to investments and investment activities, including derivatives and debt investments; and
- advising resident and non-resident employers on multi-jurisdictional employment issues, including secondments, overseas placements, and tax issues related to non-residents providing services in Canada.
I’ve written articles on many areas of tax, including interest deductibility, Canada’s foreign investment and non-resident trust rules, and restricted and deferred share unit plans.
Ekene Okwumo is a Casework Specialist in Craig’s office. She has a law degree from Lagos State University. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2010. Her practice, which she conducted in Lagos and later Port Harcourt, mostly involved business, corporate and commercial law. She is knowledgeable in every way about the legal situations that businesses face and would be terribly embarrassed to know that I said that.