SB LLP

It’s common to think of a will as the primary tool in estate planning, but how assets are held during your lifetime can be just as important.

One area that often creates confusion is joint ownership.
In Alberta, adding a joint owner to property or accounts may allow those assets to transfer outside of the estate. However, without clear intention and documentation, this approach can lead to unintended outcomes.

Key considerations include:

▪️ Whether the joint owner is meant to benefit from the asset or simply hold it on your behalf
▪️ The potential for disputes if other beneficiaries have different expectations
▪️ Exposure of the asset to the joint owner’s personal liabilities
▪️ Changes to control and decision-making during your lifetime

While joint ownership can be useful in certain situations, it needs to be carefully structured to align with your overall estate plan.

Clear planning helps ensure your wishes are carried out as intended.

📍 Located in South Edmonton.
🌎 Serving Alberta and beyond.
💻 https://sb-llp.com/
📲 780-438-5281

Meet Roshan Kalra, Partner & Team Lead, Corporate

Roshan’s practice focuses on transactional matters, including commercial purchases and sales, real estate development, secured lending, and franchise law. He works closely with business owners, lenders, and developers to provide strategic, practical guidance that supports growth and long-term success.

In addition to his corporate practice, Roshan also advises on immigration-related matters, offering clients a broader scope of support as their needs evolve.

Roshan holds a combined JD/MBA from Queen’s University and has studied law internationally, bringing a global perspective to his work. He remains actively involved in the business and legal community, currently serving on the Board of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.

Outside the office, Roshan enjoys travelling, squash, ball hockey, and golf, and is fluent in both Hindi and Punjabi.

📍 Located in South Edmonton.
🌎 Serving Alberta and beyond.
💻 https://sb-llp.com/
📲 780-438-5281

📍 Located in South Edmonton.
🌎 Serving Alberta and beyond.
💻 https://sb-llp.com/
📲 780-438-5281

What happens when a shareholder wants out unexpectedly?

Many business owners focus on day-to-day operations but overlook what happens if a shareholder wants to exit unexpectedly.

Without a properly structured shareholders’ agreement, an unplanned departure can create uncertainty around valuation, control, and decision-making within the business.

Key provisions that are often missed include:

▪️ Clear valuation methods for shares upon exit
▪️ Buy-sell mechanisms triggered by death, disability, or dispute
▪️ Restrictions on transferring shares to third parties
▪️ Funding strategies (such as insurance) to support buyouts

Without these in place, remaining shareholders may face disputes, financial strain, or loss of control at a critical time.

Putting clear terms in place early helps protect the business, maintain continuity, and reduce the risk of conflict down the road.

📍 Located in South Edmonton.
🌎 Serving Alberta and beyond.
💻 https://sb-llp.com/
📲 780-438-5281

Without proper coordination, your assets may be distributed in ways you didn’t intend. Take the time to review:

▪️Beneficiary designations on registered accounts and insurance policies
▪️How assets are titled (joint vs. individual ownership)
▪️Whether your designations align with your overall estate plan

Certain assets, like jointly held property or accounts with named beneficiaries (such as life insurance or RRSPs), may pass outside of your will directly to the named individual.
This means your estate plan needs to consider more than just the will itself.

At SB LLP, we help our clients take a comprehensive approach to estate planning, ensuring that all elements work together to clearly and effectively reflect their wishes.

📍 Located in South Edmonton.
🌎 Serving Alberta and beyond.
💻 https://sb-llp.com/
📲 780-438-5281

As of January 2026, the Court of King’s Bench has introduced the Family Focused Protocol, a new approach designed to reduce conflict, streamline processes, and better support families navigating separation and divorce.

In this article, Grace Snider breaks down what this means in practice, from mandatory requirements to the new structured process, and how it may impact parenting, support, and property matters.

If you or someone you know is navigating family law in Alberta, this is important reading. Read the full article on our website: https://sb-llp.com/knowledge-bank/understanding-albertas-new-family-law-process

📍 Located in South Edmonton.
🌎 Serving Alberta and beyond.
📲 780-438-5281

Buying a home comes with big decisions, and your mortgage is one of the most important. 🏡

If you’ve ever wondered about the difference between conventional and halal mortgages, or how Sharia-compliant financing works in Alberta, this guide breaks it all down in a clear, easy-to-understand way. Whether you’re exploring your options or ready to take the next step, having the right information (and the right legal support) makes all the difference.

Read the full article on our website to find the best path to home ownership: https://sb-llp.com/knowledge-bank/conventional-vs-halal-mortgages

📍 Located in South Edmonton.
🌎 Serving Alberta and beyond.
💻sb-llp.com
📲 780-438-5281

We’re pleased to announce that SB LLP has been recognized as an Alberta Recommended firm for litigation by Benchmark Litigation Canada in its annual national review of law firms.

This distinction highlights the country’s leading litigators and firms, based on extensive research including interviews with legal professionals, dispute resolution specialists, and clients, as well as analysis of significant cases and firm developments. SB LLP is proud to be one of only eight firms recognized in Edmonton, and the only firm located south of the downtown core to receive this honour.

We are especially proud to celebrate the individual achievements of our team:

▪️Sandeep K. Dhir, K.C., Litigation Team Lead, who has been recognized as a Benchmark Litigation Star every year since 2013
▪️Tanner J. Kovacs, Litigation Partner, was named a Rising Future Litigation Star in 2025 and 2026, and was included on the prestigious 40 & Under list

At SB LLP, our practice is rooted in responsive client service and delivering outcomes we stand behind. This recognition reflects the strength of those commitments. If you are seeking a firm where partners and associates are personally invested in your matter, we welcome you to connect with our team.

💻 Learn more about us at https://sb-llp.com/