Education

Bar Admission

  • 2012 Admitted to the British Columbia Bar

Ryan Howe is a Partner in the firm’s Business Law Group.

Ryan frequently acts as general counsel to various BC based businesses (including startups) with operations nationally and internationally on a wide variety of corporate and commercial matters. Ryan also acts as chief coordinating counsel for multi-business entrepreneurs who require personal legal representation to protect their personal and family interests and to coordinate their various other legal professionals across their holdings.

In addition to Ryan’s roles as general and/or coordinating counsel, Ryan advises the following client types on the following legal matters:

  • Private Business Owners: estate and business succession planning, and inter-generational wealth preservation, business reorganizations and related tax planning, debt and equity financing, corporate governance; initial public offerings and related securities matters, incorporation, corporate structuring, and general commercial matters
  • Vendors and Purchasers: private business mergers and acquisitions, purchases and sales of commercial real estate and residential real estate
  • Landlords and Tenants: commercial leasing, licensing, and related matters

Ryan’s clients appreciate his pragmatic approach to their legal issues and the extensive multi-disciplinary experience and expertise he brings to bear in his representation.

Ryan takes a hand’s on approach to building personal and lasting relationships with his clients by incorporating them into his extensive professional and social networks. Ryan’s clients benefit from his connections in the local and international communities and the accountability which a referral from Ryan brings.

On A Personal Note...

Ryan grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, but spent four years in Auckland, New Zealand in the early 90’s developing a love for rugby and lamb burgers. He has been told he may not perform the Haka in public without special ministerial dispensation.

In his previous lives, Ryan was a video game Quality Assurance tester, filmmaker and part-owner in a film company and played both rugby and football for the UBC Thunderbirds.

In his spare time, when Ryan isn’t giving his time to his friends, family, and various philanthropic initiatives, Ryan enjoys unwinding with his friends and clients by golfing, playing squash and tennis, and tasting new scotches with old friends. Ryan is a devoted husband to his lovely wife and their precocious beagle.

Representative Experience

Ryan has represented clients on the purchase or sale of various businesses or business interests and commercial real estate with values exceeding $100M in a single natural resources transaction. Recent transactions include:

  • The purchase of local private excavating business and related industrial real estate for a local buyer
  • The sale of a local private industrial manufacturing business to a foreign buyer
  • The sale of a local film production company to a Canadian buyer
  • The sale of various regional medical, dental, and health professional practices to local and foreign buyers
  • The sale of various franchises to franchisors or prospective franchisees
  • The sales of various regional accounting practices to local and national buyers
  • The purchase of various regional food and beverage businesses for local and international restaurateurs

Ryan has acted as counsel, or general counsel, on the following recent matters:

  • Advised a foreign franchisor on revisions to its Canadian franchise disclosure document and related agreements.
  • Advised a BC cannabis entity on shareholder and commercial real estate disputes
  • Advised a capital markets client in its role as lead agent for an IPO on the TSXV
  • Advised a regional accounting firm on its transition to a limited liability partnership
  • Advised a local professional services firm on corporate restructuring and the revisions to its shareholders’ agreement to facilitate onboarding of new shareholders
  • Advised a regional real estate developer on employee rights participation programs
  • Advised various high net worth families on blended estate, trust, tax and corporate succession planning with a focus on intergenerational wealth preservation through family charters and intergenerational shareholders’ agreements
  • Advised a cannabis startup on various local and international regulatory matters and related commercial agreement review and drafting

Publications

  • April 28, 2022 “Key Employment Law Considerations for Companies”, Entrepreneurs’ Organization Vancouver, Speaker
  • June 4, 2019, “Corporate Procedures 2019 (III): S.51 Reorganization”, CLE-TV, Co-presenter
  • May 7, 2019, “Corporate Procedures 2019 (II): S. 86 Reorganization”, CLE-TV, Co-presenter
  • April 2, 2019, “Corporate Procedures 2019 (I): S.85 Rollovers”, CLE-TV, Co-presenter
  • November 15, 2018, “PD NEXUS: Public Practice Insights: Buying, Selling or Transitioning your Small Firm”, CPABC, Speaker
  • November 15, 2018, “EO Vancouver and Vancouver Island Global Student Entrepreneur Awards Competition”, Entrepreneurs’ Organization, Judge
  • October 13, 2018, “Wealth Management: Investment, Retirement and Estate Planning”, CPA of BC Burnaby/New Westminister Chapter, Speaker
  • February 2, 2018, “Raibex Canada Ltd. v. ASWR Franchising Corp.: A Victory for Franchisors”, AHBL Business Law Blog, Author
  • October 26, 2017, “Subject to good faith: Real estate vendors may not rely on discretionary conditions as a basis for accepting competing offers” AHBL Business Law Blog, Author
  • April 11, 2017, “Discretionary Powers and the Duty of Good Faith”, AHBL Business Law Blog, Author
  • April 4, 2017, “Buying and Selling a Business”, Business in Vancouver – Business Excellence Series, Panelist
  • January 12, 2017, “A Tale of Two Wills: When and Why Dual Wills are an Effective Estate Planning Tool”, AHBL Wills + Estates Blog, Author
  • November 16, 2016, “Understanding Digital Assets”, Estate Planning Council of Abbotsford, Speaker
  • November 4, 2016, “Legal Update 2016: Corporate and Personal Issues for Physicians”, BC Podiatric Medical Association, Speaker
  • October 25, 2016, “Assisting accountants, practice sharing & successor arrangements” CPA Practitioners’ Potluck, Speaker
  • June 22, 2016,“Death in the Cloud”TELUS Optik Local, Speaker
  • January 9, 2016, “Estate Planning for Professionals and Business Owners”, CPA of BC Burnaby/ New Westminster Chapter, Speaker
  • April 23, 2015, “Legal Topics Facing Physicians”, UBC Obstetrics & Gynecology Resident Education Retreat, Speaker
  • April 10, 2015, “Left out in the cold: Estate freezes and shareholder oppression”, AHBL Business Law Blog, Author
  • February 7, 2015, ”Wills and Estates”, CPA of BC Burnaby/New Westminster Chapter, Speaker
  • October 28, 2014, “Understanding Digital Assets”, Estate Planning Council of Vancouver, Speaker
  • August 22, 2014, “Have you planned for your digital legacy?”, AHBL Wills + Estates Law Blog, Author
  • February 20, 2014, “How Managers must act for stratas with sections”, Canadian Property Management, Co-author
  • October 29, 2013, “Survivorship Under The WESA”, Pacific Business Law Institute, Speaker
  • August 28, 2013, “Wills and Estates Update – Notaries, Trusts and Probate”, AHBL Wills + Estates Law Blog, Author
  • August 1, 2013, “Proxies, private companies and the BC Business Corporations Act”, AHBL Business Law Blog, Author
  • December 6, 2012, “Digital Legacies: Electronic and Other Intangible Assets of the Estate in the Digital Age”, Pacific Business Law Institute, Speaker
  • December 2, 2012, “Update: Changes to the Canadian Registry of Vessels”, AHBL Business Law Blog, Author
  • October 2012, “How to Safeguard the Assets of an Estate”, AHBL Wills + Estates Law Blog, Author
  • August 2012, “Understanding title Searches: Undersurface Rights”, vLex, Author
  • August 2012, “Executors and Electronic Assets of the Estate”, AHBL Wills + Estates Law Blog, Author
  • August 2012, “Storing and Protecting Your Estate Planning Documents”, AHBL Wills + Estates Law Blog, Author
  • October 2011“Property Rights in Domain Names”, Intellectual Property & Technology Practice, Co-author

Blogs

New Canadian Cannabis Regulations for Second Wave of Cannabis Products

Health Canada Proposes Regulations to Restrict the Potency of Edibles, Beverages and Other Cannabis Products

Raibex Canada Ltd. v. ASWR Franchising Corp.: A Victory for Franchisors

Raibex Canada Ltd. v. ASWR Franchising Corp.: A Victory for Franchisors

Subject to good faith: Real estate vendors may not rely on discretionary conditions as a basis for accepting competing offers

Discretionary powers and the duty of good faith

Here’s what you need to know about British Columbia’s new franchise law

A Tale of Two Wills: When and Why Dual Wills are an Effective Estate Planning Tool

Franchising focus: Implied termination rights

Bill 38 – 2015: Franchises Act

Trustee Liability Under The Environmental Management Act (BC)

Left Out in the Cold: Estate Freezes and Shareholder Oppression

Left out in the cold: Estate freezes and shareholder oppression

Have You Planned For Your Digital Legacy?

Wills and Estates Update – Notaries, Trusts and Probate

Proxies, private companies and The BC Business Corporations Act

Primer on Probate

Update: Changes to the Canadian Registry of Vessels

How to Safeguard the Assets of an Estate

Executors and Electronic Assets of the Estate

Storing and Protecting Your Estate Planning Documents

Professional & Community Affiliations

Ryan's
Focus