Best Lawyers in British Columbia, Canada for Trusts and Estates
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Estate and will planning is intensely personal and meaningful—it culminates into a person’s lasting legacy. However, it is often difficult to find the time and resources to make those important decisions. Geoffrey supports our clients with this burden and ensures that their estate goals are implemented in ways that protect wealth and avoid costs and complications. Work Highlights Successful BC business family Implemented an estate plan that ensures a tax- and cost-efficient transf...
Growing up working Saturdays and summers in the small business his father started, Richard experienced firsthand the things that are needed to keep a business going. Early mornings. Hard work. Keeping customers happy. Today, with a legal practice focused on providing tax, trust and estate advice, Richard still draws on those early lessons, recognizing that he is dealing with people’s livelihoods and families. He works with our clients to define their family, business and tax objectives ...
Eric Clavier is a trusts and estate litigation lawyer in Fasken’s Vancouver office, assisting clients with resolving contentious matters related to wills, trusts, undue influence and incapacity claims, committeeship applications, unjust enrichment claims, breach of fiduciary duties cases, abuse of powers of attorney claims, breach of trust claims, and passing of accounts. Providing innovative solutions to disputes arising from estate planning, wills, trusts and personal documents, Eric&...
Emma Ferguson is a member of our Wills, Estates + Trusts Practice Group. Emma has a broad wills, estates and trusts practice. She advises clients on all aspects of estate and incapacity planning, including wills, alter ego, joint partner and family trusts, powers of attorney and healthcare representation agreements. Emma has experience assisting clients with disabilities or their family members with planning to protect government disability benefits and advises clients on adult guardianship m...
David A. Hunter is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law and Trusts and Estates. David A., who practices law in Surrey, British Columbia, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Mary Hamilton, K.C. is a Partner in the firm’s Wills, Estates + Trusts and Charities + Non-Profit Practice Groups. Mary has extensive experience in matters relating to wills, trusts and estate administration. She has held senior positions with various wills, estates and trusts groups in Vancouver and was named Vancouver Trusts and Estates “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers ® in Canada in 2011, 2017 and 2021. Mary has over 30 years of experience advising clients about t...
As our most senior estate and trust litigator, Mark gives strategic direction to some of the most complex estate files, representing both individual and institutional clients, including personal Executors and Trustees, trust companies, non-profit organizations, charities and committees. Mark excels at moving files through the “litigation pipeline” with perseverance based on an extensive knowledge of the law and hard-fought experience. Services Wills variation claims Passing of Exe...
Cheyenne Reese is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. Cheyenne, who practices law in Vancouver, British Columbia, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Cheyenne is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Rebecca has a broad range of experience in civil litigation matters including contractual disputes, construction disputes, insolvency and restructuring matters, estate and trust disputes and international trade matters. She is recognized by The Best Lawyers in Canada for both corporate & commercial litigation and insolvency & financial restructuring law. She is also recognized by Benchmark Litigation Canada as a "Future Star". She has experience in conducting trials, appeals, mediatio...
Vancouver is fast becoming an international city, drawing people from all over the world. Years ago, Lauren moved here from China, where she was born, raised and educated. Today, she is one of just a few English-fluent and native-Chinese litigators practicing within a major law firm in Vancouver. Her cross-cultural background allows her to assist a wide range of clients across a variety of demographics as Vancouver grows more each day into a global hub. After her first university degree in Ch...
Nikki Hildebrand, a partner with our private wealth, trusts and estates team, concentrates on estate planning, trusts and incapacity matters, with a focus on family business succession planning and corporate reorganizations. She has a deep understanding of complex estate planning and works with clients and their advisors to develop and implement comprehensive and tailored estate plans that meet each family’s unique circumstances and needs, including preparing wills, powers of attorney a...
Stephanie is a tax and estate planning lawyer in the Tax and Private Wealth Group at Farris. Since her call to the bar in 2004, Stephanie has practised in the areas of taxation, wealth management, and trust and estate planning. Stephanie creates tax-effective estate plans and corporate structures for families and high-net-worth individuals, including wills, estate freezes, all types of trusts and corporate reorganizations. She also assists not-for-profit and charitable organizations in respec...
Raman Johal is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Raman, who practices law in Vancouver, British Columbia, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Raman is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Navigating legal matters involving the death or incapacity of a loved one is an emotionally-charged experience, which many clients find difficult. For a decade, clients have entrusted Gordon to guide them through their estates and trusts disputes with practical advice, sound strategy, and unwavering support throughout the process. Whether client matters are ultimately resolved through negotiations or in the courtroom, Gordon knows that preparation and positioning from the outset are critical ...
Martina Zanetti is a lawyer on our private wealth, trusts and estates team. Her practice focuses on estate planning, estate administration, and incapacity matters. Martina assists clients with preparing wills, powers of attorney and healthcare representation agreements, as well as the documentation required to establish and fund discretionary family trusts, alter ego trusts, joint partner trusts and other trust structures. She possesses a strong base in family law, which she utilizes to assis...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.