Paul Tonita is a partner at Pushor Mitchell who specializes in the areas of Business Law, Real Estate Development, and Estate Planning and Administration.
Paul has extensive experience with commercial transactions, including negotiating and drafting agreements and making sure his deals get to completion. No matter what the file entails or who the client may be, Paul always supports his clients and strives to find practical solutions so that his clients can instead focus on moving their businesses and developments forward in a timely manner.
Paul has deep connections to the Okanagan and works with many community partners and organizations. He works very closely with commercial lenders to ensure that they have the right type of security in place as they help businesses operate effectively and grow.
He is often called upon to assist clients by working with their accountants to reorganize corporate structures to limit exposure and liability while ensuring the most tax-efficient and effective structure is put into place.
Paul has strong experience working with real estate developers and helps them navigate the complexities that come with municipal requirements and statutory compliance. He regularly assists his clients by drafting and advising on disclosure statements, strata bylaws, easements, covenants, and ancillary documents to move developments forward in a timely manner.
Paul’s commitment to clients extends to estate and incapacity planning. Getting to know his clients through this process is something Paul very much enjoys as he advises them on options and guides them through a plan that will work for them and is tailored to their needs.
He assists executors as they navigate the legal intricacies of their role, assisting with tasks such as determining the need for a grant of probate, managing assets and liabilities, transferring real estate to surviving joint tenants, liaising with accountants, and navigating difficult discussions with beneficiaries.
Paul spent his younger years in Saskatchewan and Alberta. He completed a Bilingual Commerce Degree (French and English) in 2007 and a Juris Doctor Degree in 2013, both at the University of Alberta. During his Commerce Degree, Paul spent a semester abroad in Lille, France where he discovered his passion for travel. Since that time, Paul and his wife have travelled throughout the world, including living and volunteering in Saikeri, Kenya.
After his first year of law school, Paul interned with the Trade Commissioner’s Service at the Canadian Consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico. Following law school, Paul began his legal career clerking with six judges at the British Columbia Supreme Court and working at an international law firm in Vancouver.
Paul’s studies, work experience, and travels have cultivated his fluency in French and Spanish. Whether at home in the Okanagan or on an adventure, Paul always tries to seek out good food and likes to stay active – he is never one to shy away from learning a new sport or trying a new dish. Paul and his wife enjoy sharing their love for the outdoors and adventure with their two young sons and they spend as much time as possible cycling, skiing, snowboarding, reading, laughing, and enjoying all that the Okanagan has to offer.
*Providing services through a law corporation.