Sue Van Der Hout
Director of Family Engagement
For over 25 years, Sue Van Der Hout has helped corporations and individuals resolve disputes to their collective advantage by making complex issues and interests understandable; and by building trust and applying sound judgment to empower participants to explore alternatives and craft successful and sustainable outcomes. She is a consummate connector and action driven knowledge accumulator.
Sue has a LLB (Osgoode Hall, 1978) and an LLM (University of Toronto, 1980). She practiced tax litigation for over 20 years, first with the Department of Justice commencing as an articling student in 1979 (where she specialized in tax avoidance issues including the interpretation of the anti-avoidance rule to successfully arguing the meaning of equality in Canada’s Supreme Court), and from 1999 with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt (where she successfully argued a number of GST cases before the courts and resolved numerous tax issues, including transfer pricing, for leading North American businesses. Sue has had mediation training and in 2006 earned her Certificate in Family Business Advising from The Family Firm Institute.)
Since 2006, Sue has taught as an adjunct Professor internationally and in Canada, on tax disputes and administration, and has been a frequent writer and speaker on tax matters. From 2006 – 2008, Sue worked with Dr. Julie Morton, PhD Communications, providing communication solutions to families, individuals and groups regarding wealth and transition management, legacy, stewardship and building generationally strong families. From 2008 to date, she has taught ‘Managing the Family Enterprise’ with Julie at the Schulich School of Business.
Sue is the Founding President of Family Firm Institute Ontario Chapter (FFI ONC); past Vice-President of Women Entrepreneurs of Canada (WEC) and currently Vice – President Fundraising of The International Alliance for Women (TIAW), the focus of which is empowering women (their children and families) economically. She is a regular speaker on leadership, career development, and personal success. Sue has been an active supporter of the Toronto Grace Hospital Foundation and is a former member of the Oakdale Golf and Country Club Finance Committee.