Alain Gaucher, K.C.

Partner

Saskatoon

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Education & Qualifications

  • LLM (Toronto, 1982)
  • Saskatchewan Bar (1980)
  • LLB (Saskatchewan, 1979)
  • BA cum laude (Saskatchewan, 1979)

Alain Gaucher is a leading lawyer with extensive experience in the areas of personal and business succession planning, high net worth estate planning, corporate tax and shareholder agreements.

Alain works with a broad client base of individuals, small- to medium-sized enterprises and large corporations to produce business structures and processes that are as tax efficient as possible. He has extensive experience with provincial, national and international tax issues, and also provides tax litigation advice in disputes with the Canada Revenue Agency.

Alain has more than 40 years of experience, including previously being Chair of the firm. Alain has encountered most corporate and shareholding succession planning issues that can arise and can bring them to bear on planning objectives the client wants to achieve. Once tasked with an assignment, Alain is able to move forward expeditiously to the assignment’s conclusion.

  • Former Chair, Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan (2014-2018)
  • Former Chair, Former Director, Saskatoon Community Foundation (2006-2014)
  • Former Chair, Board of Management; Former Director, Foundation Board; Volunteer Chair, Capital Campaign (2007), St. Paul’s Hospital
  • Founding Director, Canadian Association of Family Enterprise, Saskatoon
  • Former Chair, Campaign Cabinet, United Way of Saskatoon
  • “Anatomy of a Trust,” presentation to business and tax advisers (2013)
  • “The Uses of Trusts in Tax and Estate Planning,” presentation to business and tax advisers (2012)
  • Co-author, “Shareholders Agreements – Tips and Traps,” Prairie Provinces Tax Conference, Canadian Tax Foundation, 6:1-40 (Toronto, 2003)
  • “U.S./Canada Executive Transfers: Selected SERP [Supplementary Executive Retirement Plan] Issues,” 13 T. Executive Comp. and Retirement 102-110 (March 2002)
  • Co-author, “The New Civil Penalty Provisions Under the Income Tax Act (Canada) and the Excise Tax Act (Canada),” CBA Bar Notes 16:1, p. 14 (fall 2001)
  • “A Worker’s Status as Employee or Independent Contractor,” Report of Proceedings of the Fifty-First Tax Conference, Canadian Tax Foundation, 33:1-98 (Toronto, 2000)
  • “Estate Planning for Farmers: Some Income Tax and GST Issues,” CBA Bar Notes 6:3, p. 15 (April 1992)
  • Guest lecturer, “Taxation and Estate Planning,” College of Law, University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, 1984-1997)
  • Stock Purchase Agreements, Carswell (Toronto, 1984)
  • Recognized by Chambers Canada as a Leading Canadian lawyer in Corporate/Commercial law (since 2020)
  • Named by Chambers Canada as one of the top lawyers in General Business Law (2019)
  • Lawyer of the Year, Tax Law, Best Lawyers (Saskatoon, 2018, 2021)
  • Recognized in Best Lawyers, Tax Law, Trusts & Estates (since 2008)
  • A notable practitioner, Chambers Canada, General Business Law (Saskatchewan)
  • A “Man of Influence,” SaskBusiness Magazine (2013)
  • A leading practitioner, Corporate Tax, Estate and Personal Tax Planning,  Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (since 2003)
  • Lexis-Nexis / Martindale-Hubbell – “AV Peer Review Rated”