Principal Attorney
Joseph Mayo
Joseph Mayo is the principal attorney at Mayo Law. He is licensed to practice law in both Ontario and New York, holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from New York University School of Law with a specialty in international business and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in law and a Master of Arts (M.A.) in business from Netanya Academic College, and is a member of the American Bar Association and the Law Society of Ontario. His practice focuses on cross-border immigration, business law, white collar defense, and compliance.
Credentials
- Law Society of Ontario · licensee 91581S
- Admitted in New York State · registration 6092845
- American Bar Association
- LL.M., New York University School of Law
- M.A. in business, Netanya Academic College
- B.A. in law, Netanya Academic College
Areas of focus
Articles by Joseph Mayo · 72
Every guide names its author and its dates. Guides carrying the reviewer line have been reviewed by Joseph Mayo before publication.
- 096Entire Agreement Clauses: NY & Ontario GuideBusiness and Startup LawA Toronto company signs a supply agreement with a New York counterparty after weeks of calls, tracked drafts, and pricing emails. Months later, a dispute starts over an exclusivity promise that appeared in the negotiatio…
- 095US-Canada Intellectual Property Assignment Agreement GuideBusiness and Startup LawYou hire a developer in New York to build product features for your Toronto startup. You pay every invoice on time. The code ships. Then an investor asks a simple question during diligence: who owns the code? If your ans…
- 094Green Card Application Process a Step by Step GuideUS Immigration from CanadaYou may be dealing with this right now: a founder relocating to New York while keeping a Toronto company, a U.S. employer sponsoring a Canadian executive, or a family trying to decide whether to file inside the U.S. or a…
- 093Privileged and Confidential: Your 2026 Business GuideBusiness and Startup LawYou’re about to send an email about a possible compliance problem. The board is copied. Outside counsel is copied. Someone suggests putting Privileged and Confidential in the subject line and moving fast. That label can …
- 092Contract Review Services: A Guide for US-Canada BusinessBusiness and Startup LawYou’ve got a deal on the table, the other side wants a signature fast, and the contract in front of you reads like it was written for someone else’s business. That’s common with vendor agreements, SaaS terms, distributio…
- 091Healthcare Fraud Attorney: Expert Legal DefenseWhite Collar DefenseAn audit notice lands in your inbox. A Medicare contractor asks for records. A subpoena arrives. Or an agent wants to “just ask a few questions.” Most providers don’t panic because they know they’re guilty. They panic be…
- 089Employment Compliance Lawyer: A U.S. & Canada Guide (2026)Cross-Border ComplianceYou’re usually not looking for an employment compliance lawyer because things are calm. You’re hiring in a new state, opening in Ontario, converting contractors to employees, or dealing with a manager issue that feels sm…
- 088Hire the Right Joint Venture Lawyer: Expert CounselBusiness and Startup LawA Toronto company wants market access in the United States. A New York company wants a faster route into Canada. On paper, a joint venture looks efficient. In practice, the deal can slow down fast once the parties ask ha…
- 087Hiring a Licensing Agreement Lawyer for Cross-Border DealsBusiness and Startup LawA Toronto software founder opens an email from a U.S. distributor on Tuesday morning. The proposal looks strong. Larger market, faster channel access, and a recognizable counterparty. By Thursday, a “standard” licensing …
- 085Off Take Contract: A U.S.-Canada Business GuideBusiness and Startup LawYou’re usually looking at an off take contract when the commercial deal is mostly real, but the financing still isn’t. The site is identified, the technology is chosen, internal approvals are moving, and then the lender …
- 083Intellectual Property Lawyer: Guide for U.S.-Canada BusinessBusiness and Startup LawYou’re about to launch in both the U.S. and Canada. The product name looks available. The code is built. Investors are asking who owns the IP. Then the problems start. A contractor wrote key parts of the software, your U…
- 082Immigration Law Attorneys: A Guide for US-Canada MovesUS Immigration from CanadaA founder needs to move a product lead from Toronto to New York. An HR manager has a U.S. hire starting in Canada next quarter. An investor wants to structure an E-2 move without triggering avoidable delays. In each case…
- 081Hague Apostille Convention: 2026 Certification GuideNotary and AuthenticationThe Hague Apostille Convention (Convention of 5 October 1961) is an international treaty under which its 130 contracting parties , per the HCCH status table as of July 2026, accept a single apostille certificate in place…
- 080Work Product Privilege: Avoid Waiver & Protect DataBusiness and Startup LawA whistleblower complaint lands in your inbox on a Tuesday morning. It alleges fraud in a U.S. subsidiary, names two senior employees, and hints that records may already have crossed into Canada. Before anyone interviews…
- 079Deposit Control Account Agreement a Cross-Border GuideBusiness and Startup LawYou’ve closed the credit committee calls, agreed the term sheet, and lined up funding for U.S.-Canada expansion. Then the lender sends one more document: a Deposit Control Account Agreement . If you’re a CFO or founder, …
- 078E-2 Visa Requirements 2026: Who Qualifies & How to Prove ItE-2 Visa for Canadian InvestorsQuick answer: an E-2 visa requires treaty-country nationality; a substantial amount of capital, at risk and irrevocably committed, invested or actively being invested in a real, operating enterprise that is more than mar…
- 077Construction Joint Ventures: A US-Canada Guide for 2026Cross-Border ComplianceYou’ve built a solid construction business in Toronto. Then a project in Buffalo lands on your desk that’s too large to bid alone, too attractive to ignore, and too risky to approach with a thin template agreement. That’…
- 074Dissenting Opinion Definition: A Guide for US & CanadaBusiness and Startup LawYou read a headline about a major court ruling that could affect your contracts, privacy program, hiring model, or regulatory exposure. The article focuses on who won. What often matters just as much for future planning …
- 073Mastering the Section 250 Deduction for Cross-BorderBusiness and Startup LawWhen a U.S. company sells into Canada, licenses software to Canadian customers, or centralizes IP in a U.S. corporation while operating through a Canadian affiliate, the tax question usually arrives late. By then, contra…
- 072Contract Negotiation Attorney for US-Canada BusinessBusiness and Startup LawYou're about to sign a vendor agreement with a U.S. company, or a Canadian customer has sent over its “standard” paper and wants it back by Friday. The business team is focused on price and launch dates. You're wondering…
- 068H4 Visa and Work Permit: 2026 Application GuideUS Immigration from CanadaH-4 status alone does not authorize employment. Eligible H-4 spouses, generally where the H-1B principal has an approved Form I-140, apply for an Employment Authorization Document by filing Form I-765. The two filings ar…
- 067What to Do if Under Federal Investigation: Your 2026 GuideWhite Collar DefenseYou open the door to federal agents before work. Or a subpoena hits your desk at 8:12 a.m. and the day changes on the spot. What you do next can protect you or hand the government evidence it did not have an hour earlier…
- 066Employee Privacy Rights: A US-Canada Employer GuideCross-Border ComplianceA common cross-border problem starts with a simple rollout. A U.S. company adds screenshot monitoring, Slack analytics, and location tools for a remote team. Then it hires in Canada and assumes the same setup will work t…
- 063Export Control Compliance: SME Guide to US/Canada TradeCross-Border ComplianceYour first cross-border sale is ready to close. The customer is in the other country. Your team has the invoice, the shipment details, and a signed statement of work. Then someone asks whether the software, design file, …
- 062How to Become a Canadian Citizen and Keep US CitizenshipCanadian CitizenshipTo get Canadian citizenship from the US, you must first become a Canadian permanent resident, live in Canada for 1,095 days within the 5 years before applying, file Canadian taxes for at least 3 of those years, submit th…
- 061Reputational Risk Management Guide for US-Canada BusinessCross-Border ComplianceA reputational problem rarely starts looking important. It starts as a customer post, a supplier allegation, a privacy complaint, or an employee screenshot that lands in the wrong Slack channel and then on the right soci…
- 060Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements: US & CanadaCross-Border ComplianceA Canadian company registers to do business in the United States, opens a bank account, starts hiring, and then someone asks a simple question that turns into a compliance problem fast: who are the beneficial owners, and…
- 059Notary Public Ontario Canada: Your 2026 GuideNotary and AuthenticationYou’re often dealing with a notary when the document is already urgent. A closing is coming up. An immigration filing is due. A U.S. bank wants a sworn statement. A foreign registry asks for a certified copy. The usual q…
- 058Employment Immigration Attorney Guide for US-Canada BusinessCross-Border ComplianceYour first month as HR Director is going fine until cross-border problems arrive all at once. A Canadian manager needs to start work in New York next week. A U.S. engineer wants to relocate to Toronto while keeping proje…
- 056Canada Immigration Lawyer in USA: A Complete Guide for 2026US Immigration from CanadaIf you’re in the U.S. and planning a move, work permit, family sponsorship, or permanent residence application for Canada, the first mistake is often hiring the wrong kind of lawyer. The issue usually isn’t intelligence …
- 055US Canada Immigration Lawyer: A Cross-Border Guide 2026US Immigration from CanadaYou may be hiring in Toronto while opening a U.S. office. Or you may be moving from New York to Canada and finding that one job offer has turned into two legal processes, two agencies, and two sets of documents that must…
- 053Startup Business Attorney: A Founder’s Guide for 2026Business and Startup LawYou’re building product, chasing customers, and trying not to waste cash. Then a legal issue lands on your desk that isn’t really a Google problem. It’s a founder equity split, a contractor who wrote core code, a custome…
- 052Limitations of Liability: NY & Ontario Business GuideBusiness and Startup LawYou're about to sign a customer contract that could change your company. The commercial terms look fine. Then you hit the dense section called limitations of liability, and suddenly the deal feels less clear. If your pro…
- 051Canadian Citizenship by Descent Second GenerationCanadian CitizenshipA lot of parents are in the same position right now. You were born outside Canada to a Canadian parent, you've built a life abroad, and now your own child has been born outside Canada too. Until recently, that fact patte…
- 050Trade Secret Lawyers: A U.S.-Canada Guide for SMEsBusiness and Startup LawYou usually realize you need trade secret lawyers at the worst possible moment. A developer resigns, a distributor starts selling a suspiciously similar product, or a former manager begins calling your customers with inf…
- 049International Business Lawyer: A U.S.-Canada Guide (2026)Cross-Border ComplianceYou've built traction at home. Now a customer, investor, supplier, or acquisition target sits on the other side of the U.S.-Canada border, and the commercial opportunity is obvious. The legal path usually isn't. Founders…
- 048Cross-border Lawyer Canada US Business ImmigrationUS Immigration from CanadaYou’re hiring in Toronto, selling into the U.S., and suddenly immigration stops being an HR side task. A founder needs to enter for diligence meetings. A Canadian engineer needs U.S. work authorization. A manager splits …
- 046Bill C-3 Citizenship Act: What It Means for YouCanadian CitizenshipIntroduction A family often learns this problem exists at the worst time. A passport application is due, a child is starting school abroad, or an employer is trying to confirm whether a new hire needs Canadian work autho…
- 044Wire Fraud Penalties United States: Your 2026 Legal GuideWhite Collar DefenseA Canadian founder gets a target letter from the U.S. Department of Justice on a Tuesday morning. By lunch, the questions start. Is this real? Do I need a U.S. lawyer? Can New York prosecutors really care about emails se…
- 042Licensing of Technology: A Guide for U.S.-Canada StartupsBusiness and Startup LawIf you’re a founder sitting on technology that works, but you’re not ready to build a full sales force, manufacturing operation, or foreign subsidiary around it, licensing of technology is often the first serious path to…
- 041Lost Canadian Citizenship: How to Restore ItCanadian CitizenshipYou may have lived your whole life believing you were Canadian, only to learn during a passport application, border issue, estate matter, or family immigration filing that your status is unclear. That’s unsettling. It al…
- 040E-2 Visa from Canada in 2026: The Complete Guide for Canadian InvestorsE-2 Visa for Canadian InvestorsThe E-2 visa from Canada is one of the cleanest cross-border investor pathways available to a Canadian entrepreneur in 2026 — and one of the most under-utilized. Canada is an E-2 treaty country with zero reciprocity fees…
- 039E-2 Visa to Green Card: 4 Proven Pathways in 2026E-2 Visa for Canadian InvestorsThe E-2 visa to green card transition is one of the most misunderstood corners of U.S. immigration. The E-2 is a non-immigrant visa with no direct path to permanent residency — but that doesn’t mean E-2 holders are stuck…
- 037Trade Secret Misappropriation A Guide for US-Canada BusinessBusiness and Startup LawIt usually starts with a resignation, a suspicious download, or a competitor whose pricing suddenly looks too familiar. By the time a founder calls counsel, the problem is rarely theoretical. An employee has left with fi…
- 035Forum Selection Clause: US vs. Canada EnforceabilityBusiness and Startup LawState courts across the United States enforced forum selection clauses in 77 percent of reported cases between 1972 and 2019, and that rate rose to 79 percent from 2010 to 2020. For a Canadian business signing a U.S. con…
- 034Master Your Marriage Interview for Green Card in 2026US Immigration from CanadaYou open the mail, see the USCIS interview notice, and feel two things at once. Relief, because the case is moving. Anxiety, because now you have to sit across from an officer and answer personal questions about your mar…
- 033What Is A Certificate Of Incorporation? Legal EssentialsBusiness and Startup LawA certificate of incorporation is the official filing that creates a corporation as a separate legal entity from its owners. In the United States alone, there are approximately 33 million small businesses, and for many o…
- 032Immigration Lawyer Toronto Free Consultation: What to ExpectUS Immigration from CanadaYou’re about to book a free consultation with an immigration lawyer in Toronto, and you’re not sure what’s supposed to happen. Will they ask for documents? Will they tell you what your case is worth? Will they push you t…
- 031Small Business Lawyer Toronto: When You Actually Need OneBusiness and Startup LawYou can run a Toronto small business for years without ever needing a lawyer. Then one Tuesday, your largest customer disputes a $40,000 invoice — and the contract you copied from a template five years ago doesn’t say wh…
- 030Trade Secret vs Patent: Maximize Your IP ProtectionBusiness and Startup LawYou’ve built something valuable. Maybe it’s a manufacturing process in Toronto, a software workflow used by clients in New York, or a product design you’re preparing to launch on both sides of the border. The question us…
- 029LLC vs Corporation New York Which to Choose?Business and Startup LawYou’re forming a New York business, the product is ready, a lease or client contract is close, and then the structuring question lands. Should you use an LLC or a corporation? For founders working across New York and Can…
- 027How to Get a Green Card Through Employment: A PlanUS Immigration from CanadaA lot of Canadian professionals reach the same point. Your U.S. role is going well, the company wants to keep you, but your status still feels temporary. If you’re on TN, L-1, or another work visa, the question usually i…
- 026What Are Bylaws Of A Company?Business and Startup LawYou incorporated your business in New York or Ontario. The certificate is filed, the name is set, and now someone asks for the bylaws. Many first-time founders pause here because incorporation feels concrete, while gover…
- 025Exempt v Non Exempt Guide for NY & ON | Mayo LawBusiness and Startup LawYour first cross-border hire often looks simple on paper. You have a growing company, a strong candidate in Toronto or New York, and a compensation package that seems competitive. Then payroll asks whether the role is ex…
- 024Assignment of Contract: A Guide for NY & ON BusinessesBusiness and Startup LawA founder in Toronto buys a small Buffalo company and assumes the supplier relationships can move over with the deal. Then a vendor says the contract is still with the old entity, not the buyer. Payment stalls, delivery …
- 023Arbitration Agreements in Employment Contracts: A GuideBusiness and Startup LawYou hire your first software engineer in New York, then a sales lead in Toronto. Both sign offer letters. A dispute clause seems like a routine HR detail until someone raises a wage claim, a harassment complaint, or a di…
- 021How to Get US Citizenship: A Complete Guide | Mayo LawCanadian CitizenshipIf you’re living in the United States, building a business, raising a family, or crossing the border regularly from Canada, citizenship can feel like the final step that makes everything more stable. It often means votin…
- 020What Is an Antitrust Lawsuit | Mayo LawCross-Border ComplianceYou’re negotiating a distribution deal in New York, opening sales in Ontario, and a potential partner suddenly says, “Let’s avoid anything that looks like price coordination.” Then you see a headline about an antitrust l…
- 019Your Guide to federal rule of civil procedure 60 b in 2026Business and Startup LawA final judgment in U.S. federal court often feels like the case is over. For many businesses, especially Canadian companies operating in the United States, that assumption can be expensive. Sometimes the problem appears…
- 017Navigate the Right of First Offer with ConfidenceBusiness and Startup LawA founder signs a lease in Toronto, then hears the building owner may sell. Another founder in New York is reviewing a shareholders’ agreement and spots a right of first offer buried in the transfer section. In both situ…
- 016EB-5 Immigration Attorney: Choose Your Best FitUS Immigration from CanadaIf you’re considering EB-5 now, you are not entering the same program investors discussed a few years ago. The rules, filing posture, and risk profile changed after the 2022 reforms. For Canadian investors and business o…
- 015Cap Exempt H1B Visa Guide for EmployersUS Immigration from CanadaYou found the right candidate. They have the degree, the experience, and the business fit. Then the usual H-1B lottery gets in the way. For many employers in New York and Ontario, that’s the moment the hiring plan stalls…
- 014Patent Infringement Attorney: A Cross-Border GuideBusiness and Startup LawA founder launches a software product in Ontario, starts selling into New York, and then gets a letter from a competitor claiming patent infringement. The letter demands that sales stop, records be preserved, and a respo…
- 010Transfer on Death Deed New York: Protect Your AssetsBusiness and Startup LawIf you are a Canadian who owns a condo, vacation home, or investment property in New York, estate planning may feel simple until you ask one practical question. What happens to that property when you die? For many cross-…
- 009How to Incorporate a Business in Ontario: 2026 GuideCross-Border ComplianceIncorporating a business in Ontario is relatively straightforward. Building the corporation correctly is not. The filing itself can often be completed online in a short period. The more important decisions involve owners…
- 008A Guide to Stock Purchase Agreements for 2026Business and Startup LawWhen you're buying or selling a business, the Stock Purchase Agreement (SPA) is the single most important document in the entire transaction. It’s the legal blueprint that dictates every term of the deal. For entrepreneu…
- 007Shareholders’ Agreements: 12 Clauses That Prevent Founder WarsBusiness and Startup LawA shareholders’ agreement is the backbone of a multi-owner company, setting the stage for smooth operations by defining decision-making authority, ownership, and exit strategies. By addressing issues like equity vesting …
- 006Arbitration in Canada: Domestic, Ontario Framework, International Arbitration, and EnforcementBusiness and Startup LawArbitration in Canada sits at the intersection of contract law, procedural autonomy, and judicial restraint. Canadian courts are strongly pro-arbitration. The governing philosophy is party autonomy, minimal court interve…
- 004The Ultimate Guide to Ontario Business StructuresBusiness and Startup LawChoosing the right business structure in Ontario affects liability, taxes, and growth. This guide explains sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, cooperatives, nonprofits, and more.
- 003Visa Overstay in the U.S.: Myths, Facts, and What You Need to KnowUS Immigration from CanadaFor individuals who have remained in the United States beyond their authorized stay, understanding the legal consequences of a visa overstay is essential to protecting future immigration plans
- 002New U.S. Immigration Rule: Do You Need to Register if You Stay More Than 30 Days?US Immigration from CanadaA new federal directive may require certain non-citizens—including undocumented individuals and Canadian visitors—to register with U.S. immigration authorities if they remain in the country for more than 30 days
- 001U.S. Business Structures: What You Need to KnowBusiness and Startup LawChoosing the right legal structure is a crucial first step. This article breaks down the pros, cons, tax treatment, and investor suitability of sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations—so you can make s…