Find Lawyers in Vancouver, British Columbia for Trusts and Estates
Practice Area Overview
Wealth accumulation, preservation, and enjoyment may include the use of Trusts or corporate structures to split income or pass future growth to the next generation while preserving a client’s access to income and capital for financial security and personal philanthropy during their lifetime. Succession of wealth involves proper Will planning for the transfer of assets to surviving family members. This may include the administration of assets through testamentary Trusts to avoid premature vesting, or to take advantage of income splitting and asset protection opportunities, and the sharing of family wealth with favourite charities in a tax efficient manner. Trusts established during a client's lifetime, or through their Will, also may be of value when planning for the equitable distribution of assets among members of blended families or the care of minors and incapable adults, and to encourage the responsible transmission of wealth.
Trust and Estate administration services include assisting the personal representative to obtain Probate of a Will, or Letters of Administration if no Will is found, and advising as necessary on administrative responsibilities. This includes advice concerning the gathering of assets, payment of liabilities, the establishment of any trusts designated by the terms of a Will, and communicating with beneficiaries regarding accounting and distribution matters. It may include advice to individual or corporate executors and trustees relating to the administration of ongoing trusts or with regard to the interpretation and implementation of the trust terms. Trust and Estate lawyers will have the ability to advise and represent personal representatives, or estate beneficiaries, in all aspects of estate administration, and in the event a dispute arises, they will assist in resolving contentious matters.
Mediation gives people more control over the outcome of their disputes and provides privacy over what are often highly sensitive issues for the parties involved. Many people do not fully realize the lack of control one faces at trial nor do people understand the truly public nature of the courthouse. As a mediator, Diane helps clients overcome legal challenges in a fair and efficient manner. She manages emotions and expectations, and, by engaging in an active risk analysis, she helps to achie...
Jeff's practice is dedicated to estate planning, estate administration, trusts, charities and not-for-profits. Jeff advises clients on all aspects of estate administration and estate planning. Jeff counsels executors and trustees on administering estates and trusts and helps beneficiaries understand their rights. Jeff has extensive experience in developing tailored estate plans and drafting wills, powers of attorney, representation agreements, trusts and related planning documents. Jeff is a ...
Michael Blatchford works with charities, not-for-profit organizations, associations, clubs, social enterprises and other entities in the voluntary sector and advises on all aspects of their operations and governance, helping them to effectively carry out their programs while complying with regulatory obligations. Mr. Blatchford's clients include registered charities and non-profit organizations in every area, from healthcare, education and social services to arts and culture, environmental an...
Scott Boucher is a partner in our litigation group, practising general commercial litigation with an emphasis on insolvency and restructuring and estates litigation. He assists clients and other lawyers on a wide variety of matters, including contract and property disputes, insolvency files including receivership, CCAA, bankruptcy and foreclosure proceedings, wills variation claims, and trusts litigation. He has appeared before the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the British Columbia Court...
For over 38 years, Cathie Brayley has worked with clients through all types of tax complexities, including Canada Revenue Agency audits and appeals, buying and selling businesses, structuring international and domestic investments, representation and warranty insurance, tax insurance as well as personal tax and estate planning. Her aptitude for creative and strategic thinking, combined with her practical approach are complimented by her significant experience in commercial transactions. For C...
Riley Burr's practice largely focuses on commercial tax work. Riley also advises clients on GST, PST and property transfer tax issues in the corporate, charitable and real estate sectors, both in structuring designed to minimize taxes as well as in handling administrative appeals, ruling requests and voluntary disclosures relating to such taxes. Riley also works with high-net-worth individuals with significant private company interests in a wide variety of industries to structure their affair...
Annie Chen is a wills, estates, trusts and corporate lawyer in Vancouver advising clients on wealth management, estate planning and personal and corporate tax planning. Annie works collaboratively with clients and their advisors and focuses on providing creative, practical and cost-effective personal planning and corporate planning structures to meet clients’ planning/succession needs and objectives while minimizing risks and taxes. A trusted advisor to personal and corporate clients, i...
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&...
Emily Clough is a partner at Clark Wilson LLP. She is the key contact for Elder Law matters. In 2020, Emily was recognized with the distinction as being one of the Best Lawyers in Canada for Trusts and Estates. Emily works in all aspects of estates, trusts and incapacity matters, as both a solicitor and a litigator. Emily prepares estate, trust and incapacity planning documents. She assists with the administration of estates and probate. Emily has been lead litigation counsel on cases at all ...
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...
Dwight Dee, TEP, has a business law and estates and trusts practice with a focus on private client services. Dwight works with individuals and families in the areas of estate and incapacity planning, trusts, business succession planning, and elder law matters. Dwight also has extensive experience in all aspects of business law, particularly in the areas of capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and public company compliance. In his private client and trusts practice, Dwight regularly assi...
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...
Sarah Fitzpatrick’s practice focuses on the areas of charities, not-for-profits, and trusts. She provides general practical legal advice to these clients, to assist them in carrying out their missions and mandates. Sarah counsels charities and not-for-profit clients on governance matters, tax and regulatory compliance, social enterprise and gift planning. She also assists clients with general corporate legal matters including major transactions and restructuring. Sarah is an active memb...
Andrea is a lawyer in the Private Wealth Group at Farris LLP. She focuses her practice on assisting clients with sophisticated estate and trust planning and administration. She provides succession planning advice and works with clients to craft trust documents, wills and testamentary instruments, powers of attorney and representation agreements which respond to their specific needs. Andrea also provides services to executors and trustees. Andrea is a frequent speaker for a wide variety of gro...
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...
Kirsten Jenkins' practice focuses on advising individuals and families regarding estate planning, trusts, business succession and incapacity matters. She works with clients and their advisors to develop and implement comprehensive and tailored estate plans that meet each family’s unique circumstances and needs. Ms. Jenkins also advises individuals and financial institutions on estate and trust administration. This includes applications for grants of probate and administration, interpret...
Tax is a fundamental aspect of most business transactions and individual estate plans. Tax laws are complex, ever-changing and difficult to maneuver. While for most clients, the end goal is rarely tax-related, a successful outcome is often tax-dependent. As such, Areet helps individuals, businesses and tax-exempt entities plan for the future and achieve their goals while identifying and managing the tax risks. Areet works with clients across a variety of industries, including real estate deve...
Catherine practices in estate and trust planning, as well as estate administration. She focuses on personal estate and business succession planning and advises on matters such as: wealth preservation, probate minimization and incapacity planning. Catherine’s background in tax also equips her to navigate various income tax and regional real estate tax issues and to provide comprehensive solutions that complement her extensive background in estates and corporate law. She works with accoun...
Kimberly Kuntz represents executors, trustees and beneficiaries in a variety of estate- and trust-related disputes, including wills validity and wills variation claims. She also assists clients in disputes involving interpreting wills and trust instruments, matters involving suspected undue influence or incapacity of testators and settlors of trusts, applications for committeeship of incapacitated adults, and contested disputes involving trust and estate accounts. In her growing elder law pra...
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...
Helen Low, KC is the leader of Fasken’s Wills, Trusts, Estates and Charities Group in BC. She assists clients with contentious disputes regarding wills, trusts, inheritances, powers of attorneys and elderly and incapable family members, as well as estate planning for both simple and complex estates with a goal to avoid post-death disputes. She has been litigation counsel on a broad range of cases, including: challenges to estate plans; variation of wills and trusts; abuse of powers of a...
William is an Associate Counsel with Harper Grey and chair of our Wills & Estates Group. William is also a member of our Business Law and Estate Litigation Groups. William focuses his practice on helping clients set up wills, trusts and use other tools that help them preserve wealth and transfer it to their beneficiaries in the way they want. At the same time, he advises them regarding the laws that could impact on what they want to do. He carefully considers the entire estate including f...
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...
Amy’s strong legal skills are balanced with her empathetic but practical approach to what are oftentimes highly emotionally charged files. She excels at identifying opportunities and obtaining results for our clients. Amy’s clients include: Executors & Trustees Beneficiaries Trust companies Non-profit organizations and charities Committees Services Wills variation claims Passing of Executor and Trustee accounts Undue influence and incapacity claims Committeeship applications U...
Alison’s practice is focused on wealth management, estate planning, trusts, and personal and corporate tax planning. She works with high-net-worth individuals, families and owner-managers to develop customized strategies to manage and transfer wealth. Alison works on matters such as: Basic estate and incapacity planning (wills, powers of attorneys and health care representation agreements) Complex estate plans involving tax-planned wills, multiple wills, alter ego and joint partner trus...
Estate planning and administration can often put individuals in positions where they are required to make difficult decisions. Michael is passionate about helping individuals work through their options by simplifying complex legal principles to ensure that the decisions they do make are well-informed ones. Michael can also analyze all sides of a sensitive situation to identify effective options for advancing our clients’ interests. Services Trusts Wills Business succession Estate and Tr...
Rose’s deep and abiding care for her clients and their families is a hallmark of her practice. Rose is brings more than 15 years of experience to her practice, which is primarily focused on assisting families and businesses with their planning, succession and reorganization, estate, and business needs. She strives to make life’s inevitabilities, death and taxes, less daunting a topic for clients while being alert to the complications these raise from a legal, family, tax, probate ...
Kelsey Sherriff has a general commercial litigation practice with a focus on administrative and regulatory health law, wills and estates, and class actions. Kelsey has a diverse litigation practice that includes the following: Trust and estate litigation and dispute resolution: Kelsey acts for executors on probate matters and for individuals and charities on issues concerning the validity of wills and variation claims. In addition, Kelsey acts for clients assisting with the care of adults, in...
Amanda Stacey is a partner on our private client and social impact teams. Amanda provides advice in the areas of wealth management, estate planning, charity, and not-for-profit law. She advises clients on wills, trusts, powers of attorney, family business succession planning, and corporate re-organizations. Amanda also advises on the establishment, tax compliance, governance, and regulation of charities and not-for-profit organizations. She also assists financial institutions with issues pert...
David Thompson received a B.Comm (1979) and LLB (1983) from the University of British Columbia. He was called to the bar in 1984 and has practiced exclusively in taxation matters since 1985. David is a registered trust and estate practitioner certified by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. David was a governor of the Canadian Tax Foundation. David is noted as a leading Canadian tax lawyer based on peer-review ratings in Lexpert and in Martindale Hubell. He is noted as a leading Ca...
Ingrid Tsui is a Partner at the firm and a member of the Corporate/Commercial Practice Group. Ingrid works as general counsel to a number of local and international businesses on a wide variety of their legal needs, from startup, to operations and growth and ultimately to sale. She also regularly advises on the implementation of corporate reorganization and restructuring. Ingrid is the leader of our Wills, Estates + Trusts Practice Group. She assists individuals in their unique estate plannin...
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 ...
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...
Laura West is engaged in a general practice in the areas of wealth management, estates, trusts, charity and not-for-profit law. She advises clients on wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare representation agreements, charitable giving, family business succession planning, corporate re-organizations and estate administration, as well as the establishment, governance and regulation of charities and non-profit organizations. Ms. West has taught wills and estate planning at the University ...
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...
Amanda Winters is a Partner in our Family and Estate Litigation groups. She represents clients in both family and estate matters, and has a particular interest in matters where these two areas of law intersect. Amanda takes a results-oriented approach to litigation, including negotiating or mediating settlements when in her clients’ interests. She has represented clients at all levels of court in British Columbia, as well as courts in other Canadian jurisdictions. Amanda appears frequen...
Nikki Hildebrand is a member of our private wealth, trusts and estates team. She assists clients with a variety of matters, including estate planning, trusts, incapacity planning and estate administration. Ms. Hildebrand was called to the bar in 2015 after summering and articling with us. During law school she was an active volunteer with Pro Bono Students Canada, and before law school worked as a manager in a large BC corporation.
“ Stephen’s assistance given so generously, so promptly, and so efficiently helped us to establish a fund which will assist those suffering severe hardship as a result of the coronavirus ” – Pro Bono Client & Retired Justice (2020) Stephen is a lawyer who specializes in charities, tax, trusts, wills, estates, and corporate law. He is a member of the Bars of British Columbia and Ontario. Families, business owners, entrepreneurs, and boards come to Stephen for clear ...
Janis Ko is a trusts and estate litigation lawyer in Fasken’s Vancouver office. Janis has over a decade of experience in estate litigation and is passionate about this area of law. Over the years, Janis has assisted numerous clients in a variety of complex estate litigation cases dealing with matters such as wills variation, contested spousal status, unjust enrichment, undue influence, and lack of capacity. Outside of the practice of law, Janis loves spending time outdoors, biking or hi...
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.