COMMITTED TO YOUR GROWTH

Andre Nayvelt
Partner, Baker & Company

Advising business owners, developers, and lenders on complex corporate, real estate, and commercial matters.

Andre acts as trusted counsel on high-stakes transactions and advisory mandates where legal judgment, structure, and coordination across business, tax, and financial considerations are critical.

Practice Areas

Andre personally leads matters involving heightened complexity, strategic risk, or material business impact, including:

Corporate Real Estate & Development

Acquisition and disposition of commercial and development properties
Multi-residential, industrial, retail, hospitality, and mixed-use projects
Structuring transactions involving multiple entities, investors, and stakeholders
Coordinating corporate structuring and financing considerations in real estate-driven transactions

Secured Lending

Acting for borrowers and institutional and private lenders
Construction, bridge, mezzanine, and subordinated financing
Vendor take-back and layered financing structures
Intercreditor arrangements and complex security packages

Corporate & Commercial

Business acquisitions and dispositions (share and asset transactions)
Strategic combinations, restructurings, and reorganizations
Tax-driven and inter-jurisdictional corporate reorganizations
Shareholder, partnership, and joint venture arrangements
Ongoing corporate governance and advisory work for owner-operators and closely held businesses

Expropriation

Representation of property owners affected by government takings
Compensation and valuation issues under the Expropriations Act (Ontario)
Strategic negotiation and settlement of expropriation claims

Board & Advisory Roles

Andre Nayvelt acts in director roles and board advisory capacities for select organizations where legal judgment, commercial understanding, and governance oversight intersect.

In addition to his legal practice, Andre is engaged by business owners, founders, and institutional stakeholders to provide strategic input on governance, legal risk, and complex decision-making, particularly in environments involving early growth, restructuring, or heightened regulatory and stakeholder considerations.

Scope of Engagements

Andre’s board and advisory work may include:

Serving as a director or board advisor
Advising boards and senior management on governance, fiduciary duties, and risk management
Supporting executive teams in connection with complex transactions, financings, and restructurings
Acting as a strategic legal and commercial sounding board for owner-operators and principals
Bridging legal, business, and advisor perspectives to inform high-stakes decisions

Engagements may be ongoing or project-specific, depending on the needs of the organization.

Perspective

Andre brings a dual perspective to advisory and governance roles. His private practice experience advising owner-operators, developers, and lenders is complemented by prior in-house experience supporting large, multi-departmental institutions with complex governance and operational frameworks.

This background allows Andre to contribute in a manner that is practical, measured, and aligned with the realities faced by boards and executive teams.

Engagements

Board and advisory roles are considered selectively and are structured separately from legal retainers, where appropriate. Compensation and scope are determined based on the nature of the role, time commitment, and organizational needs.

Practice

Andre Nayvelt advises business owners, developers, and lenders on complex corporate, real estate, and commercial matters. His practice is anchored in transactions and advisory work where structure, judgment, and coordination across legal, tax, and business considerations are critical.

Principal-Led Matters

Andre personally leads matters involving heightened complexity, strategic risk, or material business impact, including:

Corporate Real Estate & Development

Acquisition and disposition of commercial and development properties
Multi-residential, industrial, retail, hospitality, and mixed-use projects
Structuring transactions involving multiple entities, investors, and stakeholders
Coordinating corporate structuring and financing considerations in real estate-driven transactions

Secured Lending

Acting for borrowers and institutional and private lenders
Construction, bridge, mezzanine, and subordinated financing
Vendor take-back and layered financing structures
Intercreditor arrangements and complex security packages

Corporate & Commercial

Business acquisitions and dispositions (share and asset transactions)
Strategic combinations, restructurings, and reorganizations
Tax-driven and inter-jurisdictional corporate reorganizations
Shareholder, partnership, and joint venture arrangements
Ongoing corporate governance and advisory work for owner-operators and closely held businesses

Expropriation

Representation of property owners affected by government takings
Compensation and valuation issues under the Expropriations Act (Ontario)
Strategic negotiation and settlement of expropriation claims

How Andre Works

Team-Delivered Services

Andre also oversees a range of lower-complexity and routine matters that are delivered efficiently by junior lawyers and clerks under his supervision, including:

Business incorporations and entity set-up
Corporate maintenance and minute book management
Share issuances and basic reorganizations
Standard commercial contracts
Residential real estate purchases, sales, and refinancings
Routine commercial real estate transactions

This structure allows clients to receive appropriately scaled legal support while benefiting from senior oversight where judgment and risk management matter most.

Related Capabilities

Through Baker & Company, clients also have access to experienced lawyers in related practice areas that frequently intersect with corporate, real estate, and business matters, including:

Wills, estates, and succession planning
Labour and employment law
General commercial litigation

Andre regularly collaborates with colleagues across the firm and remains involved at a strategic level where matters intersect with corporate, real estate, or broader business considerations.

Competitive Edge

Andre works closely with clients to understand commercial objectives, identify risk early, and design legal structures that support long-term objectives and desired outcomes. Where appropriate, he coordinates with tax advisors, accountants, valuation experts, and other professionals to deliver integrated, end-to-end advice.