Robert J. Howe Professional Corporation

Counsel to the C-Suite

223-3004 Bloor Street West Toronto, Ontario, M8X 2Y8 Canada

(416) 388-2427

Increasing regulatory oversight, more aggressive class actions and economic cycles that are steeper and less predictable combine to make life at the Executive & Board levels more "interesting".  Of recent interest are Barrick Gold, JPMorgan and, of course, Sino Forest. 

Many clients have begun to seek advice as to how to better protect their personal interests resulting from corporate decisions.  Providing that type of counsel is the focus of my practice.  That advice includes identifying exposure issues, ways to minimize that exposure, reviewing and negotiating compensation and severance packages, D&O insurance and indemnification agreements. 

Robert J. Howe

For almost 40 years, Bob has provided independent legal advice, insight and – most importantly – the benefit of judgment to senior executives, directors and Board Chairs. That advice has included analyzing potential personal exposure issues, highlighting methods available to directors and officers to minimize that exposure, and reviewing and negotiating compensation and severance packages. He has also provided advice with respect to directors’ and officers’ insurance and
indemnification agreements.

Bob is uniquely positioned to provide that independent legal advice by reason of his education, professional background and personal experience. He has, among other things, a Master of Laws in e-Commerce (Osgoode Hall) and recently graduated from the Institute of Corporate Directors’ Education Program (Rotman’s). In his capacity as an advocate, he has appeared before numberous Courts and Tribunals where he has successfully argued a number of leading “D&O” insurance and indemnification cases. He has also been successful in thwarting attempts to expose directors and officers by “piercing the corporate veil”. Finally, in his personal capacity, he has sat on several Boards, one of which he has chaired.

Bob was a senior partner of Davies Howe Partners LLP, a law firm which he co-founded in 1995 with his long time friend, Jeff Davies. Both Bob and Jeff have been delighted that the firm has grown to 19 lawyers, plus professional staff. Before that, Bob was a senior partner at a major downtown Toronto law firm for 20 years.

In his spare time, Bob is involved in a number of community organizations, including the Canadian Special Olympics. On winter weekends, he teaches snowboarding in HoliMont’s Phoenix Adaptive Ski Program. 

EDUCATION

ICD.D (Certified Director) Institute of Corporate Directors’ Education Program, Rotman’s School of Management, University of Toronto, 2013

Master of Laws, Osgoode Hall Law School, in e-Commerce, 2002

Called to the Ontario bar as Barrister and Solicitor, 1976

J.D., Osgoode Hall Law School, 1974

B.A. (magna cum laude), St. Bonaventure University (U.S.A.), 1969

A.A.S.I. (American Association of Snowboard Instructors) 

 

For more information, contact me via email at howe@robertjhowe.com or call me at 416-388-2427. 

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