Best Lawyers Near You in Toronto, Ontario for Trusts and Estates
Kristine founded Fern Law in 2023 and brings over 20 years of experience to her practice. She focuses on trusts and estate litigation as well as estate planning and the intersection of these two areas with family law. Kristine delivers effective and creative advice on estate matters, dependant support claims, power of attorney disputes and guardianship applications. In family law matters, Kristine focuses on elderly persons with capacity issues that may require advice and representation. Kris...
Ambie Edgar-Chana is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Ambie, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ambie is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Justin is the Principal of de VRIES LITIGATION LLP. Justin was a partner at Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP (now Dentons LLP) and a partner and counsel at Hull & Hull LLP. He is the founder of allaboutestates.ca; a popular collaborative blog on estate and trust matters. Justin is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), the Advocates’ Society, the Estate Planning Council of Toronto, and the Estate Planners’ Council of Halton. He has consistently been named ...
Kelly Charlebois is a tenacious advocate who specializes in estates and trusts litigation. She persuasively and effectively advances her clients’ interests and achieves positive and cost-effective results for them in a broad range of areas. Kelly's clients praise her strategic approach to handling their files. Kelly has particular expertise in matters relating to estates, trusts, and fiduciary and capacity-related proceedings. Kelly has successfully represented individuals, institutions...
Jacob began his legal career at one of the world’s largest law firms, practicing in the areas of estate and commercial litigation. He then focused exclusively on estate litigation at a well-known boutique firm, eventually becoming a partner, before joining Donovan Kochman LLP. Jacob has acted as section 3 counsel and appeared before various levels of court, including the Superior Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal for Ontario. He is a knowledgeable and tenacious advocate who striv...
Noah Kochman is a founding partner at Donovan Kochman LLP. His practice is focused on estates and trusts litigation as well as commercial litigation matters in Ontario. He regularly represents clients before the Court in power of attorney disputes, dependant support claims, will challenges, and other complex estates and trusts disputes. He is a fierce advocate for his clients in the courtroom, a skilled negotiator, and a thoughtful advisor. Noah's professional peers voted to recognize Noah as...
M. Elena Hoffstein, FEA, has a practice focused in all areas of estate planning, family business succession planning, corporate reorganization both pre and post mortem planning. She also advises on cross border and international matters, will, trusts and marriage contracts. Elena is also a recognized leader in charity law advising both charities and donors on effective legislative, tax and regulatory matters and on tax effective charitable gifting. Elena frequently advises clients on family b...
Lorne Greenspoon is a top lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Lorne, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which A. Lorne is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. A. Lorne Greenspoon is a Partner in the Tax & Wills & Estates Group at Robins Appleby LLP. With over 40 years’ ex...
Alex specializes in matters related to capacity, guardianship, and power of attorney. He has often been appointed as counsel for individuals alleged to be incapable in high-conflict capacity-related disputes, showcasing his dedication to the rights of vulnerable individuals. Alex serves as the co-CPD liaison for the Elder Law Section and is a member-at-large of the OBA Trusts and Estates Section Executives of the Ontario Bar Association. Additionally, he is an active member of the Mental Heal...
Angela is a fierce advocate for people affected by death and diminished mental capacity. Her professional peers voted to recognize her as one of Canada’s leading lawyers for estate litigation in Lexpert magazine. Her clients appreciate Angela’s ability to tell their story in a compelling way, and her “committed, supportive work” on their behalf. Her clients include trust companies, charities, government agencies, the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, individuals a...
Diane A. Vieira is a partner at de VRIES LITIGATION LLP. Prior to joining de VRIES LITIGATION LLP, Diane articled at the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee where she gained experience in estate, charity and capacity law. Diane’s practice areas include will challenges, guardianship applications, power of attorney proceedings, passing of accounts applications, administrations of complex estates, and dependant support claims. Diane obtained her law degree from Queen’s Universi...
Daniel Paperny is a Partner and co-lead of the Estate Litigation practice group at Loopstra Nixon LLP. He practices exclusively in the areas of wills, estates, trusts, powers of attorney, guardianship, and capacity related litigation. Daniel has practiced estate litigation since his call to the Bar in 2015 and has developed an expertise in the area. Daniel is passionate about estate litigation and recognizes the importance of this time in the lives of his clients. By utilizing technical skill...
Joanna is a partner at de VRIES LITIGATION LLP with extensive experience in estates, trusts, and capacity litigation. Joanna has a keen interest in issues regarding will challenges, dependant’s support, and power of attorney disputes. She has appeared before the Ontario Superior Court and the Ontario Court of Appeal. Joanna obtained her law degree from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University after completing a Bachelor of Arts degree at McGill University. Joanna was called to...
Frank Walwyn is known for his resourceful approach to litigating some of the most challenging business cases in Canada and the Caribbean. Frank is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and is repeatedly named as one of Canada’s top lawyers in the area of Corporate and Commercial Litigation in The Best Lawyers in Canada , Who’s Who Legal , Benchmark Canada, the Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys , and The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory , am...
As a senior partner and past lead of the Social Impact Group at Miller Thomson, Susan Manwaring is a recognized expert advising social enterprises, charities and non-profits in her practice. Susan is considered a trailblazing thought leader in the charitable sector and is regularly called upon to advise charities and non-profit organizations on compliance and taxation matters under the Income Tax Act, as well as other relevant provincial tax regulations. Susan was a member of the Canadian Rev...
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.