According to the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada, Alberta saw a 17 per cent increase in insolvency filings from October to November 2021. That rising number is an indicator for an expected increase of people seeking help with foreclosure and debt issues generally.

The Public Interest Law Clinic hosts the Consumer Debt Negotiation Project, a free legal service pairing volunteer lawyers with anyone in Alberta who needs to understand the legal process and their options in relation to foreclosures and other debt. In many cases, the lawyers help the homeowner or debtor negotiate with their creditors to find a way forward.

“The project has successfully helped a number of homeowners. Some keep their homes by working with the banks’ representatives and insurers like CMHC. When keeping their home is not possible, we help them through the foreclosure process. In those cases, the goal is an exit with dignity,” says Christine Laing, Executive Director of the PILC.

The Consumer Debt Negotiation Project is a resource for anyone facing foreclosure or other debt issues. For more information on the project, visit their website. 

Putnam Law LLP would like to welcome our new employee, Shannon Keast, to the team. Shannon will be joining us in the role of Paralegal/Assistant to Samantha Huculak. Welcome Shannon!

We were happy to be Sponsors of the Family Movie Smallfoot at the Morinville Community Cultural Centre for the Snowman Festival in February

 Hi Putnam Law LLP

As you know, mother nature has been anything but kind to us this year.  In the short time leading up to the event, we were faced with unseasonably warm weather and rain that put the ice in the multi-sport facility in bad shape.  Our infrastructure services team made the decision to close rink with the hope the weather would turn to our favor again.  We moved our evening Glow Skate to our indoor arena and bumped our outdoor programming to draw a crowd.  As luck (or mother nature) would have it, the weather finally cooperated and one of amazing IS crew members babied the ice back to life late Wednesday so we could include a family story skate in our programming.  By the time Saturday, the wind had picked up but that didn’t stop people from stopping by to say hi to Mayor Boersma and Councillor Anheliger who were there to visit with those who stopped by to join in the fun. We shared laughs over wintery games, indulged in sweet maple taffy, and took in the warmth of hot chocolate at great event. 

By Sunday, the community was eager to enjoy a great family movie sponsored by Putnam Law LLP and hot, fresh popcorn served by our local Girl Guide Troops. We had a cozy crowd of a just less than 100 people for the in person viewing, and 44 families join us for the virtual showing. By the time the snow had settled over the weekend, the festival had attracted nearly 600 people, generated some great feedback from the community, and undoubted raised the spirits of everyone who attended.  

Check out the Town of Morinville Facebook page below for highlights of the festival!

https://www.facebook.com/townofmorinville/videos/1044882576121902

Thank you for being a great partner. We are looking forward to working with you folks again and are getting excited for our next collaboration on Festival Days in June

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

We are proud to announce that we are changing our brand name and corporate identity effective January 1, 2021 from Putnam & Lawson to Putnam Law LLP. The name change is a result of new partnership between Gordon D. Putnam and Samantha C. Huculak.  

Gordon D. Putnam and Andrew Lawson have been partners in Putnam & Lawson since 1996.  While Andrew will be stepping down as a partner, we are happy to announce that Andrew will continue to practice as General Counsel with Putnam Law LLP on a half time basis.

Samantha C. Huculak has been with the firm since 2014 and will now be a partner in Putnam Law LLP.  Gordon D. Putnam will continue in his role as managing partner of the firm.

We would also like to let our clients know that Maxwell C. Putnam will be leaving our firm as he will be relocating to Ontario.  If Max has been the lawyer on your file, you should have received separate communications regarding your file.

Historically, Putnam & Lawson has focused on maintaining a general practice law firm for the residents of this region. As a result of this effort, Putnam & Lawson has established a strong, growing and diverse client base.  Our new firm will continue to satisfy all the existing expectations of what Putnam & Lawson stands for, being Your neighbour Your lawyer,  while simultaneously moving the brand forward under Putnam Law LLP.

Once this change becomes effective, you will start seeing Putnam Law LLP branding in our correspondence and emails.

Finally, please note the change of the firm name and branding will not involve any modifications to the nature and daily workings of the firm, nor will it in any way affect existing relations with clients, partners, vendors, and personnel. We encourage you to contact us if you have any questions.

May we take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support.   We look forward to providing you with your legal services under this new branding.

Sincerely,

Gordon D. Putnam, Q.C.

Andrew Lawson

Samantha C. Huculak

On Behalf of our clients, Putnam and Lawson has proudly made an annual $1,500.00 donation in gift cards to the Morinville Food Bank for the Local Sobey’s and No Frills Stores.

May all that brings you health, happiness and joy be yours this Season!

ESTATES

Distribution of the Estate

Where an individual dies leaving a Will, the distribution of the estate is governed by the provisions of the Will.

OR Grant of Administration

Given that no Will has been located, it is necessary to obtain a grant of administration and we will proceed on this basis. For this purpose it is necessary to file certain documents, including an inventory which we will prepare on your behalf in accordance with information provided to our office. Accordingly, it is first necessary to ascertain the value of the various assets comprising the estate and we will require your assistance in this regard.

Solicitor's Responsibility

As solicitors for an Estate, our responsibilities may include the following:

1. Advising you on all matters in connection with the administration of the Estate;

2. Preparing the application to the Court to have you formally appointed Executor/Administrator and to obtain the Grant;

3. Preparing the advertisement for creditors, if necessary and instructed after which we will obtain an an affidavit of publication;

4. Assisting you in the transferring and realizing of the assets by preparing any documents that might be required for this purpose;

5. Advising you as to the relevant law governing the distribution of the Estate to those persons beneficially entitled thereto; and

6. Assisting in the preparation of your accounts for the beneficiaries, or for a passing of accounts by the Court if you decide or are required to do so. Assist in preparation, obtaining releases and filing them with the court if necessary.

Please contact our office with any questions you may have.

Phone 780-939-2001 www.putnamlawson.com 9702 - 100 Street Morinville, Alberta T8R 1G3

We were pleased this year to donate our time and expertise in drafting up legal paperwork required to run this important event. Please see below for information on the event and a quote from one of the event organizers.

Our event was extremely successful. We had set what we thought was a high goal of $5,000 raised. We were blown away when we saw that we had actually raised $8,000. The Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation was also very pleased as so many of their events have had to cancel due to COVID-19.

“This year Collin’s Carventure has had to overcome many hurdles due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of which, pleasantly enough, was that our event more than tripled in size from our previous year. A major concern for us was making sure that we were legally protected when it came to people potentially exposing themselves to the COVID-19 virus. Putnam and Lawson went above and beyond to draw up a waiver for us, on very short notice, to help put us at ease. Knowing that we were protected gave us the peace of mind we needed to be able to pull off a very successful fundraiser.”

My husband and I run an event called Collin’s Carventure to help raise money for the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. Collin’s Carventure is an ‘Amazing Race’ style scavenger hunt takes teams on a trip around Edmonton and St.Albert. This is our second year running this event and last year we were able to raise $2000. 

We decided to start this event last year after our son underwent his 3rd open heart operation at 3.5 years old. Collin was born with congenital heart disease that essentially means that we was born without a connection between his heart and lungs, only has 3 heart chambers and his heart is on the wrong side of his body. He has had a total of 3 open heart surgeries to date with his first occurring at only 4 days old and he will require a heart transplant at some point.

were lucky enough to be able to change our event this year to a contactless event as to comply with the social distancing rules. 

We operate this event purely on donations and out of our own pockets. The team registration fees we collect all go directly to the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Regards,

Janessa

Collin’s Carventure Organizer

collinscarventure@outlook.com

In light of the continued spread of COVID-19 and to ensure the health and safety of our employees, clients, families and the greater community, Putnam & Lawson will remain open, but will see clients by appointment only.  If you have a scheduled  appointment, please come to the office and ring the door bell (to the right of the door). 

If you need to schedule an appointment, please call and we will be happy to accommodate you by either a telephone appointment or when required, an in person appointment.

When calling or attending our office you will be asked whether you have travelled outside Canada during the last 14 days or have knowingly been exposed to COVID-19.  If you have been travelling, exposed to COVID-19, or have flu-like symptoms, we ask you to schedule a phone appointment or wait 14 days from your return date or until you have been symptom free for 14 days.

We continue to make every effort to ensure this situation does not impact the quality of service and support our lawyers and staff provide to our clients.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Gordon D. Putnam, Q.C.

Andrew Lawson

In light of the continued spread of COVID-19, Putnam & Lawson has been taking various precautionary measures and adjusting our procedures to ensure the health and safety of our employees, clients, families and the greater community.  We will continue to do so as the situation changes.

We are making every effort to ensure this situation does not impact the quality of service and support our lawyers and staff provide to our clients.

At this time our office remains open but we are prepared in the event that some of our staff need to work remotely.  We have technology in place that enables us to work remotely in an efficient and effective manner, allowing us to provide uninterrupted service to our clients as necessary.

To protect our internal community, we have enhanced our office sanitization efforts and put policies in place for business and personal travel, events and meetings.  When attending our office you may be asked whether you have travelled outside Canada during the last 14 days or have knowingly been exposed to COVID-19.  Our staff returning from travel outside Canada are in a 14 day isolation period.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.  We greatly value our relationships with you. We are confident that we will get through this together and wish everyone the best during this challenging time.

Gordon D. Putnam, Q.C.

Andrew Lawson

Do I need a Notary Public or A Commissioner of Oaths? What is the Difference?

WHAT IS A COMMISSIONER OF OATHS?

In Alberta, A Commissioner of Oaths is certified to endorse affirmations and declarations- they can also receive affidavits or administer oaths. These legal documents and agreements are only valid for use in Alberta.

Commissioners of Oaths are often employed at law and real estate offices. Municipal councilors, members of the Legislative Assembly, lawyer, students-at-law, judges, full time commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces, school board trustees, justices of the peace and police officers are all Commissioners Of Oaths.

WHAT IS A NOTARY PUBLIC?

In Alberta A Notary Public has all the powers of a Commissioner of Oaths - But they can also endorse documents to be used outside of the Province. Notary Public’s that are lawyers or judges can witness, certify and attest business documents, contracts and property deeds as well as make Certified True Copies of original documents.

All practicing lawyers are notary public. Also: Student-at-law, Judges, members of the House of Commons, members of the Legislative Assembly and members of the Senate appointed while citizens of Alberta.

If you are unsure if you need a Notary or a Commissioner please give our Receptionist a call at 780-939-2001 ext 310 and they will help you determine the best route and provide you with a quote.

On Behalf of our clients, Putnam and Lawson has proudly made a $1,500.00 donation to the Morinville Food Bank in gift cards to the Local Sobey’s and No Frills Stores.

May all that brings you happiness and gives you joy be yours this Christmas Season!

Join Putnam & Lawson at the Morinville Community Cultural Center 9502-100 Ave on Saturday November 30th 11:30 am-12:30 pm for a FREE Hot Dog Lunch

See below for a list of all events Nov 27- Dec 1, 2019

Wednesday, November 27

Photos with Santa
5 to 8 p.m. Morinville Community Cultural Centre 9502 100 Ave
FREE Drop-in program • Free 5x7 Photo

Community Tree Decorating
6:30 to 8 p.m. Morinville Community Cultural Centre 9502 100 Ave
FREE Drop-in program

Thursday, November 28

Fill-A-Bus Business Challenge in support of the Morinville Food Bank
10 a.m. to Noon
Contact Community Services to book a donation pick up and the Town Bus will stop at your business to pick up your donation.

Photos with Santa
5 to 8 p.m. Morinville Community Cultural Centre 9502 100 Ave
FREE Drop-in program • Free 5x7 Photo

Friday, November 29

Fill-A-Bus in support of the Morinville Food Bank
9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. No Frills 8901 100 St
1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sobeys 10003 100 St

Morinville News Family Movie Night Double Feature
5 p.m. Doors & Concession provided by the Friends of the Morinville Community Library
6 p.m. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
6:30 p.m. The Polar Express
Morinville Community Cultural Centre 9502 100 Ave
Free •Wear PJ’s • General Seating • No Ticket Required

Saturday, November 30

Lions’ Pancake Breakfast with Santa
9 to 11 a.m. Morinville Rendez Vous Centre 9913 104 St
$5.00/ea $10/family of 4 $2 per extra child

Family Festival sponsored by ACE Energy
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Morinville Community Cultural Centre 9502 100 Ave
Free Games • Crafts • Prizes • Glitter Tattoos • & More

Farmers’ Market Christmas Craft Sale
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Morinville Community High School 9506 100 Ave
$2 entry fee, Age 12 and under free

Performance by: Isabelle la Wonderful, Magie de Noël
11 a.m. & 1 p.m. Morinville Community Cultural Centre 9502 100 Ave
FREE • General Seating • No Ticket Required

FREE Hot Dog Lunch sponsored by Putnam & Lawson
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Morinville Community Cultural Centre 9502 100 Ave

An Old Fashioned Christmas
Noon to 7 p.m. The Musée Morinville Museum 10010 101 Street

Silent Auction Fundraiser, Free Hot Chocolate & Parade Viewing Area
4 to 7 p.m. Morinville Community Library 10125 100 Ave

Lite Up the Nite Parade
5:30 p.m. Travels West on 100 Ave from MCCC to 102 Street

Lite Up the Park
After the Parade St. Jean Baptiste Park

Lite Up the Nite Pyrotechnics
After Lite Up the Park 100 Avenue 103 Street

Sunday, December 1

Free Red & Green Skate with Santa hosted by Skate Morinville Club
12:45 to 2:15 p.m. Morinville Leisure Centre 25119 AB-642 Sturgeon County
Wear red & green for your chance at a prize!

For more information contact Community Services at 780-939-7839 or visit morinville.ca.