Overview
For over 36 years, Cathie Brayley has worked with clients through all types of tax complexities, including Canada Revenue Agency audits and appeals, buying and selling businesses, structuring international and domestic investments, as well as personal tax and estate planning. Her aptitude for creative and strategic thinking, combined with her practical approach are complimented by her significant experience in commercial transactions. For Cathie, service is a priority: she is responsive and committed to providing pragmatic solutions to serve her clients’ needs.
Cathie is well-integrated in the business and wider communities and she puts the strength of her network and experience to work for her clients. She is a passionate contributor to the tax community and regularly speaks at seminars and events to educate practitioners and clients in the evolving areas of tax law. She is currently Second Vice Chair of the Canadian Tax Foundation.
Professional achievements & leadership
- The Best Lawyers in Canada, Trusts and Estates, 2022
- Highly regarded Women in Tax Leaders, The Comprehensive Guide to the World’s Leading Female Tax Advisers – Canada, International Tax Review, 2016-2021
- Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Corporate Tax 2017-2021; Estate & Personal Tax Planning, 2017-2019
- LexisNexis – Martindale-Hubbell: BV Peer Review Rated
- Joint Committee of the Canadian Bar Association and CPA Canada, 2017 to 2021
- CPA Canada Income Tax Education Committee, 2016 to present
- Canadian Tax Foundation: Governor and Second Vice-Chair (2020); Board of Governors, (2012-2015); Conference Committee chair (2013-2016); Prizes and Awards Committee member (2013-2016); Sherbaniuk Prize Committee (2017-2020); Chair, Ad-Hoc Committee on Community Engagement (2018); and serving on several of annual and regional conference planning committees
- Initiated Canadian Tax Foundation’s “Women in Tax: Celebrating our Success” (Vancouver), 2015 to present
- Adjunct professor at the Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia “Tax Law in Practice”, 2017-2019
- Mentor, WLF Mentoring Program, 2018-2019
- Member of Founding Group of and instructor at the CBA’s Tax Law for Lawyers, 1994-2019
- Chair, Tax Section, Ontario Bar Association, 1995-1996
- Associate head, Law Society of Ontario – Business Law Section, Bar Admission Course, responsible for tax
- Arbor Award, University of Toronto, in recognition of voluntary service contributions
Thought leadership
- Co-Moderator, CRA Roundtable, Canadian Tax Foundation, Leading Tax Thought, October 2020
- Co-author, Dealing with the Crown’s Tax and Debt Collections Playbook: Strategies and Best Practices, Canadian Tax Foundation, 2020
- Co-author, “Canada’s Efforts to Blunt the Economic Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic”, Tax Notes International, Volume 98, Number 3, April 20, 2020
- “Representing a Business from Start-up to Mature Business”, Canadian Bar Association, Skilled Lawyer Series, February 12, 2020
- “Structuring the Deal: Asset vs. Share Transactions”, Canadian Bar Association, Skilled Lawyer Series, February 6, 2019
- “Partnership Rollovers and Corporate Mergers”, Pacific Business & Law Institute, Taxation of Common Business Transactions program, February 5, 2019
- Panelist, Canadian Tax Foundation, Women in Tax: Celebrating our Success, September 13, 2018
- Co-author, “Business Transitions other than Sale”, Canadian Tax Foundation, British Columbia Tax Conference, 2018
- Author, “It’s 2018: Is there a Place for Trusts?”, Canadian Tax Foundation, St. John’s Tax Seminar, 2018
- Policy Conference, Tax Planning Using Private Corporations: Analysis and Discussion with Finance, September 25, 2017
- Co-author, “Ballparks Never Work: A Primer on Valuations”, Canadian Tax Foundation, British Columbia Tax Conference, 2017
- Co author, “Death and Taxes: Uncertainty in 2016 and Beyond”, 67th Annual Conference Canadian Tax Foundation, Montreal, 2015
Community involvement
- Serving on the board and in executive positions for many charitable endeavours, including with the Collegium of the University of St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, the Canadian Mothercraft Society and the Ross Memorial Hospital
Professional memberships
- Canadian Tax Foundation
- Canadian Bar Association
- Law Society of Ontario
- Law Society of Newfoundland
- Law Society of British Columbia
Bar admissions & education
- Ontario Bar, 1985
- Newfoundland and Labrador Bar, 2005
- British Columbia Bar, 2014
- LL.B., Windsor Law School, Dean’s Medal, 1983
- B.A., St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto, 1979
