King’s Head owner sues law firm over amalgamation fallout

The owner of downtown Winnipeg staple King’s Head is suing a local law firm, claiming poor legal advice resulted in him taking on undue risk and may have cost him the potential sale of his pub last year.

According to a lawsuit filed earlier this month, King’s Head owner Chris Graves sought the services of Paolo Aquila, a lawyer with Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP, after Graves closed his short-lived seafood restaurant Friskee Pearl at 191 Main St. in October 2023.

According to the documents, Graves had signed a 10-year lease agreement for the building, formerly an Earl’s restaurant, before opening his eatery through the Friskee Pearl Ltd. corporation, separate from the King’s Head corporation. The lease required Friskee Pearl be liable for unpaid rent or other financial obligations, even if the lease was transferred. After Friskee Pearl closed, the lease was transferred to Boujee Restaurant and Bar in March 2024, and Friskee Pearl remained liable.

In June 2024, Graves amalgamated the King’s Head and Friskee Pearl corporations; Aquila oversaw the amalgamation, and Graves regularly sought his advice, the lawsuit says.

According to the statement of claim, Aquila did not advise Graves the King’s Head corporation would take on the Friskee Pearl’s lease liability upon amalgamation.

Graves attempted to sell the King’s Head property and shares for $5.8 million in June 2025, according to the lawsuit, but the would-be buyer had concerns about the included liability under the Friskee Pearl’s lease agreement.

Graves then approached the 191 Main St. landlord, who offered to let Graves buy out of the liability for $100,000. After Graves paid the $100,000, the buyers backed out of the potential King’s Head sale, the documents say.

Graves is represented by Trippier Law.

The lawsuit says he had “substantial plans” involving investing the proceeds of the sale into another business, but the amalgamation resulted in the King’s Head going from a “clean corporation with high value and limited risk” to taking on a potential outstanding liability under the lease agreement of more than $2.5 million.

“Had Chris (Graves) known that the King’s Head would assume Friskee Pearl’s liability under the lease agreement, he would have never directed Paolo Aquila to complete the amalgamation,” the statement of claim reads.

Boujee Restaurant remains in the space today, but has been closed since a fire on Oct. 23.

It was one of the 11 buildings hit in an arson spree across Winnipeg between June 11 and Nov. 18.

The lawsuit claims Aquila was negligent in his responsibilities as Graves’ representation and Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP is “vicariously liable” as Aquila’s employer.

Graves is seeking damages for breach of contract, loss of opportunity to invest and other damages.

The King’s Head Pub is not currently publicly listed for sale.

Graves declined to comment on the lawsuit.

He has owned the 340-seat pub since 2017.

Aquila did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

In 2024, Aquila was found guilty of professional misconduct and suspended for 30 days after admitting he sexually harassed a law student he was coaching during an out-of-province competition.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca