08/27/2026
Before there was Gord, there was Gaut.
My legal name is Gautam Mohan. Growing up in Ottawa, everyone—family, friends, even my teachers—simply called me “Gaut.” Years later, when I became a lawyer, I decided “Gord” might be a little easier for clients to remember…and probably easier to say over the telephone.
So, Gord it became. But put me in a room with my old Ottawa friends and I’m still Gaut!
My family came to Canada almost 50 years ago with the same hopes as so many immigrant families: work hard, build a life and hopefully give the next generation a few more opportunities.
My parents did exactly that.
In 1984, after years of working and saving, my father bought our family’s first home—a very modest townhouse for $65,000. It certainly wasn’t a mansion, but to us, it might as well have been.
I remember what that home represented. Security. Pride. A place that was finally ours.
And I remember what it took my parents to get there.
Without realizing it at the time, I was learning lessons that would stay with me for life: work hard, persevere, appreciate what you have—and never lose respect for the value of a dollar.
Perhaps it’s no coincidence that real estate law eventually became such a large part of my life.
More than 33 years later, I’ve been fortunate to build a successful law practice.
But when first-time buyers come through my door, part of me still remembers that $65,000 townhouse in Ottawa.
Because a home is rarely just a home.
It’s the overtime someone worked. The vacation they didn’t take. The money they carefully put aside. And the hope that all that sacrifice will lead to something better.
I grew up watching my parents make those sacrifices.
And after all these years, I think that still influences the kind of real estate lawyer—and the kind of person—I try to be.
