Sylvia A. Jacob

Sylvia Jacob has been practicing in the areas of cross-border corporate/commercial law and litigation for more than 25 years. She represents corporate clients and private investors in acquisitions and mergers in jurisdictions including Canada, Germany and England. As a Canadian-German, her signature characteristic is to build a bridge between the German and Canadian legal system.

During her many years of practice, Sylvia has successfully launched the Canadian operations of a number of German multi-national firms in the manufacturing and technology sector, including green energy in form of subsidiaries and joint venture firms in all major Canadian provinces. By having an office in Canada, she is able to consult with her Canadian partners in order to provide tailor-made solutions for the varied legal issues faced by her clients based on a quick turnaround and a results-oriented perspective. Due to her presence in both legal jurisdictions she is able to meet with clients both in Germany and in North America and give on-site advice.

As a result of her unique set of qualifications, she is able to provide legal opinions on a range of issues involving the interplay between German and Anglo-Canadian law.

Sylvia has also set up subsidiaries and carried out business acquisitions for numerous American and Canadian global players as well as establishing high-tech startups in the German market. Due to her considerable experience in the German business environment she is able to identify difficulties arising from the differences between the Anglo-American and German legal cultures at the outset of a project and to solve these by clear and effective communication in both languages.  One of her key skills is to put together a team of professionals in short order to ensure that projects are completed quickly and efficiently and with a high level of expertise.

Recent transactions include consulting a major American automotive supplier in connection with its entry into the German market and the negotiation of a joint venture agreement between a German hotel chain and a resort in British Columbia.

In her international litigation practice, she has considerable experience in enforcing and defending claims resulting from contractual relationships between German and North American firms, including agency and distribution agreements and shareholders’ rights. She has successfully represented clients in legal disputes in England, Germany, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Ontario.

In April of 2011 she was successful before both the Munich District Court and the Munich Appellate Court in defending the claim of a number of German investors against a Canadian mining company based on the sales prospectus used in Germany. At present, she is representing a number of German investors in their oppression claim against two Canadian real estate funds in the Province of Alberta.

Sylvia Jacob can look back at 25 successfull years of of transatlantic experience in drafting contract and licencing agreements for distributors and commercial businesses. This has been especially the case for North American companies looking to set up a subsidiary in Germany and includes also consultation on the general economic and employment related aspects relating to setting up a business. Recent activities included a involvement in a fusion of two global software companies in British Columbia, the establishment of a subsidiary company in Berlin for a Canadian music instrument producer and negotiations on sales and distribution contracts between a German manufacturer and a New York based distibution company.

The successful defence of a German mid-sized company against a US based multi-national corporation in the resource sector, represented by a major league legal team, proved to be the high point of recent successes for Sylvia Jacob in 2016 which also happens to mark the 20 year anniversary of service to her clients.

Sylvia also represents Germans in estate matters pertaining in Canada as well as nationals from Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. in estate matters pertaining in Germany. She and her team provide comprehensive services ranging from opening probate, obtaining certificates of inheritance, ensuring the effective transfer of real estate, stocks and bonds, money in  banks and pension entitlements and advising on required tax filings in Canada and Germany .

– Corporate/Commercial Law

– Tax Law

– Real Estate – acquisitions and sales

– Dispute resolution services incl. litigation and mediation

– Cross-border Estate Law

– One-stop management services for mid-sized enterprises, and

– Tri-lingual services in German, English and French

Sylvia is bilingual in German and English and fluent in French and Spanish.