A small company receives a claim and its founder wants to defend it personally. The founder knows every contract, spoke to every customer and believes that nobody else could explain the dispute as efficiently. Hiring a lawyer would consume money the business needs to keep operating. That makes self representation seem practical, until the question becomes whether the company is even permitted to do it.
Rule 120 of the Federal Courts Rules generally requires a corporation, partnership or unincorporated association to be represented by a solicitor. The Court may allow an officer, partner or member to represent it in special circumstances. This isn't a general rule for every provincial court or tribunal. Federal proceedings have their own procedural rules, which have to be identified before a company assumes its owner can stand in for counsel.
The company isn't its founder
A corporation is a separate legal person. The individual who created it can possess all the relevant knowledge without having an automatic right to argue its case as its legal representative. That separation is useful for business purposes, but it can become uncomfortable when the cost of litigation arrives.
An application for leave to represent the company needs a legal and factual foundation. Simply asserting that legal fees are expensive doesn't establish that the exception is available. The Court retains discretion, and a proposed representative must understand what obligations follow if leave is given. Deadlines, document production, evidence and court orders don't become optional because the business is small.
An earlier decision saves later expense
The better first step is to identify the forum, assess the value of the dispute and get a realistic estimate of counsel's involvement. Sometimes limited legal advice, narrowing the issues, early settlement or a procedural application can reduce the cost. None of those options should be described as a guarantee of leave under rule 120.
A founder's knowledge is valuable evidence. It isn't a procedural substitute for knowing the rules that govern who can appear on behalf of the company.