Commercial Contracts & Leases for Ontario Businesses
Barbarian Law® is a commercial law firm in Aurora, Ontario, drafting and negotiating custom contracts, commercial leases, supplier and distribution agreements, and employment agreements, and acting for restaurants, bars, and venues on liquor licensing and leases, for clients across the Greater Toronto Area. A tenant’s commercial lease review is a flat $750 + HST, landlord lease drafting starts at $1,500 + HST, and contract work is $350 an hour + HST against a written fee estimate, with no retainer paid up front. Buying or selling a company has its own page: business purchase and sale (M&A).
Contracts and commercial leases drafted for your deal, by one lawyer, with a written estimate first. Invoiced after the work is delivered.
What the Commercial Practice Covers
Contracts, leases and the agreements a business runs on, drafted or reviewed by the same lawyer.
Custom Contract Drafting
Service and master service agreements, terms of engagement, licensing, distribution and joint ventures, drafted for your deal.
Contract Review & Negotiation
We flag what a supplier, client, franchise or partnership agreement says before you sign, and negotiate the fixes.
Buying or Selling a Business (M&A)
Share and asset purchases, due diligence, vendor financing and closings, for buyers and sellers: see business purchase and sale (M&A).
Commercial Leases
Review, negotiation, renewal and assignment, including exclusivity, percentage rent and termination. A tenant’s lease review is $750 + HST.
Supplier, Distribution & Vendor Agreements
Supply terms, distribution rights, service levels, termination and liability caps.
Employment & Contractor Agreements
Employment and contractor agreements, with confidentiality and non-solicitation clauses, written to Ontario law.
For Restaurants, Bars & Venues
For an operator, the lease, the liquor licence and the supplier contracts carry most of the risk.
Liquor Licensing & Approvals
AGCO liquor licence applications and transfers, municipal approvals, patio permits and zoning questions.
Buying & Selling Establishments
Restaurant, bar and franchise purchases and sales, including the licence transfer and lease assignment, are on our M&A page.
Restaurant & Venue Leases
Exclusive use, percentage rent, landlord’s work and fixturing periods, demolition clauses, and the assignment right you need when you sell.
Kitchen & Floor Staff
Chef and manager agreements, staff contracts and workplace policies, including tip pooling.
Supplier & Event Agreements
Distribution, catering, entertainment and event contracts.
Custom Contracts, Not Templates
A template is written for someone else’s deal.
Template contracts
- Written for a generic deal, often outside Ontario
- Clauses you don’t need, and missing the ones you do
- Termination and non-compete wording Ontario courts often refuse to enforce
- No one accountable if it fails
Custom-drafted contracts
- Built around your deal and your leverage
- Plain language, no padding
- Drafted to Ontario law by a lawyer accountable to the Law Society
- Reusable for the next customer or supplier
How the Engagement Works
No retainer, no deposit, invoiced after the work is delivered.
Consultation
We review the deal or the document. By the end of the call you know the scope.
Written Fee Estimate
A written scope and fee before any work starts. Nothing paid up front.
Drafted, Negotiated, Signed
Drafted and negotiated by the lawyer you met on the call. Recurring work can move to fractional general counsel.
Fees
$350 an hour + HST, written estimate first
Contract work is $350 an hour + HST, one-hour minimum, against a written estimate you approve first. A tenant’s commercial lease review (advice on the landlord’s lease before you sign) is a flat $750 + HST; landlord lease drafting starts at $1,500 + HST. No retainer, no deposit, invoiced after the work is delivered. The full schedule is on our fees page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s wrong with using a contract template?
A template is written for nobody’s deal. It misses the terms that matter in yours, such as payment, liability caps, termination and IP, and often carries clauses that do not fit Ontario law.
Can you review a contract someone sent me before I sign?
Yes. Send the draft and your signing deadline. Review is $350 an hour + HST with a one-hour minimum, against a written estimate. A tenant’s commercial lease review is a flat $750 + HST.
How much does a custom contract cost?
$350 an hour + HST, one-hour minimum, against a written estimate you approve before drafting begins. Landlord-side commercial lease drafting starts at $1,500 + HST. A well-built master agreement is reused for every future customer or supplier.
Do I have to pay anything up front?
No retainer. No deposit. Invoiced after the work is delivered. You receive a written fee estimate before any work begins.
Do you handle buying or selling a business?
Yes: letters of intent, share and asset purchases, due diligence and closing. For a business under $1 million, an agreement review is $1,500 + HST and the full deal is from $5,000 + HST; larger deals are $350 an hour + HST against a written estimate.
What if my business needs contracts regularly?
That is what fractional general counsel is for. There are two monthly plans: $600 a month + HST for 2 hours, or $2,000 a month + HST for 10 hours. Hours beyond your plan are $200 an hour + HST, stated in your written estimate before they are spent.
Do you handle contract disputes?
Barbarian Law® is a transactional firm. It handles contract disputes early, assessing them and negotiating before anything is filed. If a dispute needs court, Karim selects, briefs and manages litigation counsel and reviews their bills on your behalf.
Can you help me get a liquor licence?
Yes. I prepare and file AGCO liquor sales licence applications and transfers, and coordinate the municipal sign-offs and patio approvals that go with them. If you’re buying an existing bar or restaurant, the licence transfer is built into the purchase timeline so you can keep serving from day one.
Google reviews · 5.0 rating
What our business clients say
“…They were courteous, professional, and easy to deal with. Karim was incredibly prompt and quick to reply to any inquiry I had. Thank you!”
“I got referred to the Barbarian Law team through a mutual friend to help improve our existing agreements and contracts. They went above and beyond to help us, and also added nuances I wouldn't have thought of. They were professional during the entire process and made us feel comfortable and taken care of.”
“From the very beginning, the team was professional, knowledgeable, responsive, and truly dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome. They took the time to listen, explained everything clearly, and made what could have been a stressful process feel much more manageable.”
Send Us the Contract or Lease
Book a consultation and leave with a written fee estimate. No deposit.