Best Lawyers in Canada for Trusts and Estates
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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...
Brian Cohen is a partner and lawyer in Gowling WLG’s global Private Client Services Group. Based in Toronto, he assists clients in the areas of estate planning, trusts and personal taxation, with a focus on advising high net worth individuals on succession planning alternatives. Brian also advises donors, charitable organizations, public and private foundations, and not-for-profit organizations regarding the tax implications of formation, registration, governance and planned giving stra...
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 ...
Craig is a partner in our Trusts & Estates and Litigation Groups and is certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a Specialist in Estates and Trusts Law. His practice includes all aspects of estate, trust, capacity, fiduciary and power of attorney disputes and litigation for clients consisting of individuals, trust companies, government agencies and other organizations. Craig provides counsel on, amongst other things, the rights and obligations of estate trustees, estate trustees du...
A lawyer with exceptional leadership skills, Marie-Pier Baril stands out for her entrepreneurial spirit and her intimate knowledge of the Québec SME community. She advises an impressive portfolio of clients in the Greater Québec City area and the Centre-du-Québec region in corporate and business law. When faced with complex situations, she works tirelessly to unite the forces of multiple shareholders to achieve a common objective. With a particular focus on corporate gove...
David M. Lobl is a partner and litigation lawyer in Gowling WLG’s global Private Client Services Group. Based in Toronto, his practice is focused on litigious estate, trust and capacity matters, including estate administration, fiduciary, estate and capacity litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Recognized for his trusts and estates expertise by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and Best Lawyers in Canada, David represents trust companies, government agencies, guardians of p...
Kelsey Sherriff has a general commercial litigation practice with a focus on class actions and estate and trust litigation. Kelsey also has experience in administrative and regulatory health law. Kelsey acts as defence counsel in a wide variety of class actions including environmental, products liability and price fixing cases. In her estate litigation practice, Kelsey acts for executors on probate matters and for individuals and charities on issues concerning the validity of wills and variat...
Crista provides sophisticated and practical legal guidance for clients and their families as they navigate life’s transitions. Her creative solutions address both legal and personal matters, leaving her clients feeling confident, informed, and in control of their futures. The leader of the firm’s estate, trust and taxation practice groups, Crista is a trusted advisor in matters of estate planning, administration, trusts and estate litigation. She was recognized in 2020 as one of C...
Pia Hundal is a partner in Miller Thomson LLP's Litigation and Dispute Resolution group, with a practice that focuses on estate and trust litigation, including will challenges, will interpretation, passing of accounts applications, dependent’s support claims, power of attorney disputes, guardianships, trust litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Pia also acts as a mediator in estates disputes. Prior to joining Miller Thomson LLP, Pia practiced family law, estates and civil litig...
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...
David H. Sohmer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. David H., who practices law in Montréal, Quebec, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Howard’s practice focuses on estate litigation, in-person and online mediation and arbitration of estates disputes, and all aspects of estate planning and administration. In addition to a busy estate litigation and mediation practice, Howard advises on wills and powers of attorney to middle and high net-worth individuals. Howard is passionate about the law. He has been Adjunct Professor of the Estates and Estate Litigation courses at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto since 1992, and ha...
Jonathan Lancaster’s litigation practice is focused on corporate commercial litigation, commercial real estate litigation, lease arbitrations, banking law, product liability litigation, professional negligence and estate litigation. Jonathan has a broad commercial real estate and estate litigation practice. Acting successfully as counsel in Ontario cases, Jonathan has advised on a broad array of real estate litigation issues, including mortgagee and tenant rights/priorities, rights of f...
Jan Goddard entered law school with an interest in working with elderly persons and their legal issues, but over 30 years ago the term ‘elder law’ did not even exist. So Jan made her own path to the law practice she has today. Along the way, she served for 10 years as counsel at the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee in Ontario, obtained a certificate in gerontology from Ryerson University and a mediation certificate from Osgoode Hall Law School, and founded and developed t...
Antonio Iacovelli is an experienced litigator whose practice is focused on successions (estates) and trusts law, as well as construction law. He joined Miller Thomson’s Montreal office in 2007 after having articled there. Antonio is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), a global professional association for practitioners in the field of trusts and estates whose members are recognized as experts in their field, with proven qualifications and experience. A...
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.