Amanda Camlis — Partner, Pearsall Marshall LLP
Amanda Camlis has acted for a wide range of public and private sector clients through real estate purchases, sales and mortgages. She has developed a specialized practice in land development and land use planning matters including agricultural, residential and commercial development, site planning, Consent applications for severances, easements, zoning by-law and official plan amendments; Applications for Plans of Subdivision and Plans of Condominium and Ontario Land Tribunal Hearings. Amanda has extensive experience in all title issues and Planning Act matters. Amanda dives into real estate deals while leveraging her extensive knowledge to handle all aspects of real estate and financing transactions, going the extra mile to ensure timely completion of deliverables and favorable outcomes and resolutions for her clients.
Practice Focus
Professional Background
Amanda received her Bachelor of Arts Degree, Honours in History, with distinction from the University of Windsor in 2009. Amanda completed a Master of Arts degree in History in 2011. Amanda went on to complete her first year of law school at the University of Ottawa before moving to her hometown of Windsor to complete her law degree and obtained a Juris Doctor from the University of Windsor in 2015.
Amanda was called to the bar and joined our firm in 2016, and since then has loyally spent her legal career practicing at our firm as a real estate lawyer and serving the needs of the clients of our firm and amassing a client base that is diverse and impressed by her attention, diligence, responsiveness, and common sense/solution-based approach to matters.
Community Involvement
Amanda is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, Canadian Bar Association, Ontario Bar Association, Essex Law Association.
Being keenly aware of the rising costs of education and working multiple jobs to fund her education, Amanda was inspired to become a benefactor to local students in financial need. In 2016, Amanda established the Camlis Continuing Education Scholarship, through the Fogolar Furlan Club, where she is a proud member. The Scholarship is presented annually to assist upper year/graduating university students who plan to pursue graduate studies, with preference given to students in financial need.
Outside of work, Amanda enjoys spending time with her children, Stella and Sofia and her husband Greg, travelling, going on adventures, and hosting large family gatherings.
Amanda Camlis, JD, MA, BA, Lawyer
Address:
22 Queens Avenue
Leamington, Ontario
N8H 3G8 – Canada
Phone: (519) 326-4415 ext. 112
Email: acamlis@pmhslaw.com
Web: https://pearsallmarshall.com/lawyers/amanda-camlis/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-camlis-21252b131/
Open Hours:
Monday-Friday | 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
*Appointment required.
Service Areas
Real Estate Law
Residential Real Estate Closings in Ontario – Legal Counsel for Home, Condo, Private Purchase and Sale Transactions — Providing legal counsel for Ontario residential real estate closings, including homes, condos, private sales, and new builds. Services cover agreement review, title search, mortgage coordination, compliance, and registration to ensure secure, accurate, and timely completion of property transactions.
Home Purchase Legal Services – APS Review, Title Search, Mortgage Coordination, and Closing in Ontario — Advising Ontario buyers on home purchases, including agreement of purchase and sale review, title search, mortgage coordination, requisitions, insurance, compliance with legal requirements, and closing registration to ensure ownership is transferred securely, accurately, and on time.
Home Sale Legal Services – Agreements, Title Requisitions, Mortgage Payouts, and Final Closing for Ontario Sellers — Representing Ontario homeowners in property sales, including agreement preparation, review of requisitions, clearing title, mortgage payout and discharge, compliance with closing requirements, and registration of documents to ensure smooth, timely, and legally compliant transfer to buyers.
Mortgage Refinance Legal Services – Title Review, Lender Coordination, Payout Discharges, and Registration — Handling Ontario mortgage refinancing, including title review, lender coordination, payout statements, mortgage discharges, and registration. Services ensure clear title, compliance with legal requirements, accurate documentation, and smooth refinancing transactions completed on schedule.
Agreement of Purchase and Sale Review – Advice on Private Deals, Builder Agreements, FSBO, and Ontario Contracts — Reviewing agreements of purchase and sale for Ontario property transactions, including private deals, FSBO, and builder contracts. Services include identifying risks, advising on terms, negotiating amendments, ensuring compliance with Ontario law, and protecting client interests before signing.
Land Transfer and Registration – Title Changes, Gifts, Family Transfers, and Ontario Land Transfer Tax Compliance — Managing Ontario land transfers, including title changes, gifts, family transfers, severances, and restructurings. Services cover preparation of transfer documents, land transfer tax compliance, registration with the land registry office, and ensuring accurate, legally valid ownership changes.
Title Search and Review – Identify Liens, Encumbrances, Easements, or Ownership Issues Before Purchase or Refinance — Conducting full Ontario title searches to identify liens, encumbrances, easements or other ownership issues before purchase, sale, or refinance. Services ensure clean title, protect against hidden risks, and provide legal clarity for buyers, sellers, lenders and trustees in real estate transactions.
Title Requisitions and Responses – Prepare and Resolve Objections to Ensure Clear, Compliant Ontario Closings — Preparing and responding to title requisitions for Ontario real estate transactions. Services address defects, objections, encumbrances, and compliance issues, ensuring title is cleared, requirements are met, and closings proceed without delay or dispute for buyers, sellers, and lenders.
Mortgage Payout and Discharge – Remove Existing Mortgages, Clear Title, and Register Discharges With Land Registry — Managing mortgage payouts and discharges in Ontario property sales or refinancing. Services include obtaining payout statements, coordinating with lenders, preparing and registering discharge documents, clearing title, and ensuring compliance with land registry requirements for clean ownership.
Title Insurance Coordination – Select and Implement Coverage for Fraud, Defects, and Hidden Risks in Transactions — Coordinating title insurance for Ontario property transactions, including purchases, sales, and refinances. Services include selecting policies, advising on coverage, protecting against fraud, liens, defects, and hidden risks, and ensuring compliance with lender and legal requirements at closing.
Real Estate Transactions – Legal Support for Purchases, Sales, Title Transfers, Co-Ownership, and Residential Closings — Providing legal support for Ontario real estate transactions, including purchases, sales, title transfer and co-ownership arrangements. Services ensure agreements are properly drafted, titles are clear, taxes and compliance are addressed and residential closings are completed accurately and on time.
Real Estate Law Representation in Ontario – Supporting Buyers, Sellers, and Homeowners With Transactions and Closings — Managing Ontario land transfers, including title changes, gifts, family transfers, severances, and restructurings. Services cover preparation of transfer documents, land transfer tax compliance, registration with the land registry office, and ensuring accurate, legally valid ownership changes.
Land Use Law
Planning Approvals – Official Plan Amendments, Zoning By-law Changes, and Minor Variances — We prepare and advance Planning Act applications across Ontario—OPAs, zoning by-law amendments, and minor variances. Strategy, evidence, and timing for Council or Committee of Adjustment, with coordinated planners/engineers, pre-consultation, conditions, and appeal risk.
Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) Hearings – Appeals of Planning Decisions, Variances, and Conditions — Full-scope OLT advocacy on appeals of refusals, non-decisions, conditions, variances, and consents. We manage case strategy, expert evidence, mediation, and settlements, from filing to hearing. Focused on policy conformity, PPS 2024 consistency, and practical outcomes.
Subdivision and Consent Applications – Severances, Lot Creation, and Draft Plan Approvals — We structure lot creation under the Planning Act—draft plan approvals, conditions, and consents/severances. Due diligence, frontage/servicing, road and utility conveyances, phasing, and securities. We coordinate with surveyors and engineers and negotiate workable conditions.
Site Plan Control – Design, Servicing, and Compliance Approvals for Development Projects — End-to-end site plan approvals for commercial, industrial, residential, and mixed-use projects. We negotiate design, access, parking, landscaping, lighting, servicing, easements, and securities; secure agreements and clear conditions; and align drawings with building permit timelines.
Development Agreements – Subdivision, Servicing, Easement, and Cost-Sharing Negotiations — Drafting and negotiating subdivision, site plan, servicing, easement, encroachment, tieback, crane-swing, cost-sharing and front-ending agreements. We manage conditions, securities, timing, and risk allocation to keep registrations and construction moving on workable terms.
Parkland Dedication and Development Charges – Compliance, Appeals, and Cost Recovery — We advise on parkland dedication (cash-in-lieu/encumbered land), development charges, and community benefits charges (CBCs). Strategy, calculation reviews, credits, front-ending, and appeals. We negotiate fair outcomes and cost recovery aligned with growth management.
Expropriation and Compensation – Hearings of Necessity, Business Losses, and Disturbance Damages — Representing owners and businesses through expropriation: hearings of necessity, compensation for market value, injurious affection, disturbance, and business losses. We retain valuation experts, quantify damages, negotiate with authorities, and litigate where required to secure fair awards.
Heritage and Cultural Designation Matters – Disputes, Easements, and Conservation Review Board — Advising on heritage listings and designations, alterations, and demolition permits. We negotiate heritage easement agreements, mitigation, and adaptive reuse; appear before councils, Conservation Review Board, and OLT; and balance cultural protection with viable development outcomes.
Municipal By-law and Zoning Enforcement – Defence, Compliance, and Offence Prosecutions — Defence and compliance strategies for zoning, by-law, and property standards enforcement. We respond to orders, negotiate compliance schedules, seek variances or amendments where appropriate, and defend provincial offences prosecutions to minimize penalties and project disruption.
Community Improvement Plans and Incentives – Municipal Tools for Redevelopment and Renewal — Structure and secure Community Improvement Plans and local incentives to enable redevelopment and renewal. We align program criteria, agreements, tax increment grants, and timelines; coordinate with planning staff and councils; and integrate CIP tools with broader approvals and financing.
Environmental and Servicing Issues – Approvals, Constraints, and Sensitive Area Development — Identify and address environmental and servicing constraints affecting approvals—records of site condition, MECP processes, stormwater and capacity, source water, species at risk, and buffers. We coordinate experts, secure approvals, and sequence conditions for buildability.
Property Tax and Municipal Levy Appeals – Assessment, Allocation, and Development Cost Challenges — Appeals and negotiations on assessment, allocation, and municipal levies for development properties. We pursue ARB and court remedies, resolve classification and equity issues, manage tax apportionment, and challenge development-related charges impacting feasibility and cash flow.
Business Law
Incorporations, Corporate Structuring, and Formation of New Businesses in Ontario — Legal guidance for Ontario incorporations: select optimal structure, draft articles and by-laws, set share rights, prepare resolutions, minute book and director consents, complete NUANS search, file returns, ensure statutory compliance, and mitigate future disputes, tax issues, and governance risks.
Corporate Reorganizations, Amalgamations, and Continuance Transactions for Ontario Corporations — Advising on reorganizations, amalgamations, and continuances, including share exchanges, rollovers, asset transfers, tax-driven restructurings, and compliance with the Ontario and federal corporate law legislation to ensure continuity, protect shareholders, and maintain proper corporate governance.
Mergers, Acquisitions, and the Purchase or Sale of Ontario Businesses and Corporations — Counsel on mergers, acquisitions, and business purchases or sales, covering due diligence, letters of intent, asset or share purchase agreements, competition & regulatory compliance, tax structuring, financing, closing deliverables post-closing indemnities and holdbacks, transition planning support.
Shareholder Agreements, Partnership Agreements, and Resolving Shareholder Disputes — Drafting and negotiating shareholder and partnership agreements, including governance, voting, capital calls, payouts, buy-sell/shotgun, tag/drag-along, ROFRs, restrictive covenants, deadlock mechanisms, valuations; resolving disputes via mediation, arbitration, oppression remedies under OBCA/CBCA.
Corporate Governance, Regulatory Compliance, and Risk Management for Business Owners and Directors — Corporate governance and compliance advice for Ontario and federal corporations, including board duties, director liability, shareholder rights, minute books, resolutions, regulatory filings, risk management, ESG and privacy compliance, conflict of interest and statutory corporate governance law.
Business Succession Planning, Tax Structuring, and Ownership Transition Strategies — Business succession planning and transition strategies, including estate freezes, rollovers, family trusts, shareholder buy-sell arrangements, cross-purchase agreements, tax-efficient transfers, retirement planning, corporate reorganizations, valuation methods, and compliance with succession laws.
Commercial Contract Drafting, Negotiation, and Review of Business Agreements — Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial agreements, including service contracts, supply agreements, distribution, licensing, joint ventures, NDAs, standard terms, conditions, technology agreements, indemnities, warranties, dispute resolution clauses, and compliance with Ontario contract law.
Commercial Leasing, Real Estate Transactions, and Property Law for Businesses — Commercial leasing and real estate law for businesses, including lease drafting, renewals, assignments, subleases, rent review clauses, property purchases and sales, financing, zoning and land use compliance, landlord and tenant disputes, due diligence, title matters, and risk management strategies.
Corporate Financing, Secured Transactions, and Asset-Based Lending Arrangements — Advising on corporate financing and secured lending, including asset-based loans, debentures, guarantees, PPSA registrations, security agreements, priority disputes, debt restructuring, refinancing, compliance with banking and securities regulations, and protecting creditor or borrower interests.
Secured and Unsecured Business Financing, Loans, and Creditor Protection Strategies — Advising on secured and unsecured financing, including loan agreements, credit facilities, guarantees, PPSA filings, security enforcement, intercreditor arrangements, restructuring, debt workouts, forbearance agreements, insolvency issues, creditor recovery and strategies to minimize financial risk.
Franchise Law, Franchise Agreements, and Compliance for Franchisors and Franchisees — Advising franchisors and franchisees on franchise disclosure compliance, drafting and negotiating franchise agreements, renewals, assignment, area development rights, master franchise arrangements, terminations, dispute resolution, regulatory filings and risk management strategies under Ontario law.
Asset Protection, Creditor Recovery, and Risk Mitigation in Business Operations — Advising on asset protection and creditor recovery, including security agreements, guarantees, PPSA filings, insolvency strategies, debt restructuring, enforcement, judgment collection, fraud prevention, contractual safeguards, and compliance measures to minimize business and shareholder risk.
