6 Lawyers & Law Firms tax and accounting engagements in full — what the client came to us with, what we did, and what it was worth. Each one is specific to lawyers & law firms work, not a general example.
Case Study 1 · Records and systems rebuilt
Books Rebuilt From Source, $16,000 In Unclaimed Input Tax Found — Management Consultancy, Regina
A management consultancy in Regina, Saskatchewan could not answer basic questions about its own numbers, because industry-specific reporting obligations nobody had flagged sat between the bank statements and the ledger.
What we did
We reassigned the asset classes on the CCA schedule and corrected the opening balances, then documented the process so the work does not depend on any one person remembering how it was done.
The result
Records rebuilt and reconciled, $16,000 recovered in input tax credits that the old file could not support, and a documented monthly process now in place.
Case Study 2 · Sale and succession
Share Sale Restructured, $505,000 Less Tax On Closing — Two-Partner Engineering Practice, Victoria
Client: A two-partner engineering practice · Where: Victoria, British Columbia · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Tax saved on closing$505,000
PriceAs agreed
Post-closing adjustmentsNone
The situation
A two-partner engineering practice in Victoria, British Columbia was preparing to sell. Due diligence surfaced retained cash well above what the business needed to operate, which would have reduced the price or killed the deal outright.
What we did
We cleaned up the historical file, rebuilt the chart of accounts around how a lawyers & law firms business actually earns and spends, and prepared the due-diligence package the buyer's advisers actually asked for.
The result
The deal closed at the agreed price. $505,000 of tax was saved against the structure originally proposed, with no post-closing adjustment.
Case Study 3 · Cash and remittance control
Remittance Schedule Corrected, $118,000 Refunded — Boutique Law Firm, Barrie
Client: A boutique law firm · Where: Barrie, Ontario · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Overpayment refunded$118,000
Late remittances sinceZero
ScheduleAutomated
The situation
Remittances at a boutique law firm in Barrie, Ontario were consistently late by a few days, which was enough to trigger penalties every quarter. Behind it sat a chart of accounts that told the owner nothing about lawyers & law firms margin.
What we did
We reviewed every sector-specific deduction against the current rules and claimed the ones that had been missed, then moved the remittance dates into a scheduled process rather than a monthly decision.
The result
Penalties stopped from the following remittance onwards, and $118,000 of overpaid instalments was refunded.
Case Study 4 · Backlog brought current
Collections Halted And $18,000 Cut From A 6-Year Backlog — Executive Coaching Practice, Lethbridge
Client: An executive coaching practice · Where: Lethbridge, Alberta · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Balance reduced by$18,000
Backlog cleared6 years
CollectionsHalted
The situation
By the time an executive coaching practice in Lethbridge, Alberta called, 6 years were outstanding and the CRA had assessed on estimates. Underneath it sat equipment and asset classes assigned by guesswork rather than the CCA schedule.
What we did
We reconstructed the records year by year and documented the positions to the standard the CRA applies to this sector specifically. Each filing replaced an arbitrary assessment with a real one.
The result
The account is current. Filing on real numbers rather than CRA estimates reduced the balance by $18,000, and a relief application addressed part of the accumulated interest.
Case Study 5 · Planning that cut the bill
Remuneration Review Saved $43,000 Across Corporate And Personal Returns — Surveying Practice, Vancouver
Client: A surveying practice · Where: Vancouver, British Columbia · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Combined saving$43,000
ScopeCorporate + personal
Future yearsNo rework needed
The situation
Nothing was wrong at a surveying practice in Vancouver, British Columbia — the filings were on time and accurate. What they were not was planned. Seasonal revenue reported without matching the costs that produced it had never been reviewed.
What we did
We aligned the reporting calendar with the sector’s own seasonal cycle rather than a generic year-end, and ran the numbers across both the corporate and personal returns so the saving was real rather than deferred into someone else's hands.
The result
$43,000 came off the combined corporate and personal tax bill, and the structure holds for future years without further work.
An insurance brokerage in Ottawa, Ontario was carrying sector deductions claimed on a general-business basis rather than the lawyers & law firms rules, and every option for fixing it ran through a reorganisation that had to be done without triggering tax.
What we did
Working with the client's lawyer, we reassigned the asset classes on the CCA schedule and corrected the opening balances and prepared the elections, resolutions and valuations the structure needed to stand up.
The result
The structure now matches the business. Annual saving of $55,000, and the reorganisation itself was tax-neutral.
Reviewed for the 2025 tax year by Udit Gupta, Certified Tax Accountant. Figures describe representative engagements of this type; outcomes depend on your own facts. Client names and identifying details are omitted for confidentiality.
