Best Lawyers in Canada for Trusts and Estates

David Stevens is partner in the business law department in the Gowling WLG Toronto office. David is a tax lawyer, focussing on corporate and international tax planning, personal and private company tax planning, trust taxation, charities and not-for-profits, and mining. David's clients include high net worth individuals and their families, regsitered charities, not-for-profit organizations, and trust companies. David advises clients on business succession planning, estate planning and estate ...

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...

Rick Breen is a highly-experienced lawyer assisting his clients with practical advice on structuring their corporate and personal matters. He has worked with owner managers to establish, grow and ultimately transition businesses for over 20 years. Additionally, Rick’s experience with personal planning allows him to ensure the personal affairs of his clients are in order. Rick provides pragmatic advice and counsel in acting for owner managers and their families to address risk and planni...

Scott Boucher focuses his practice on commercial litigation, with particular emphasis on trusts and estate disputes, as well as insolvency and restructuring matters. He advises clients on a broad range of issues, including wills variation and validity claims, elder law and capacity matters, receiverships, CCAA and bankruptcy proceedings, foreclosures, and contract, corporate, and property disputes. He has appeared before the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the British Columbia Court of App...

Mr. Barry H. Shapiro is a partner in our Business Law and Estates, Wills and Trusts groups. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, business and corporate law, real estate, and wills and estates. He is frequently asked to advise clients on various matters relating to their businesses or personal estate planning.

David Chernos is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Alternative Dispute Resolution, Corporate and Commercial Litigation and Trusts and Estates. David practices law in Toronto, Ontario Best Lawyers has recognized David Chernos since 2012. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which David Chernos is held by other lawyers.

Hiva is an associate lawyer in Fasken's Vancouver office, practicing in the Wills and Estate Group. Hiva's experience includes: preparation of wills, testamentary trust agreements, powers of attorney, and representation agreements; preparation of alter ego, joint partner, and disability trusts; preparation of family agreements (pre-nuptial and cohabitation agreements); estate administration services, including application to obtain grant of probate or administration; and providing legal advic...

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...

A. Brent Kerr KC is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. A. Brent practices law in Vancouver, British Columbia Best Lawyers has recognized A. Brent Kerr KC since 2020. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which A. Brent Kerr KC is held by other lawyers.

Lucy E. Main advises Canadian and international clients on a wide range of estate and trust matters, including drafting estate planning documents, establishing private charitable foundations for individuals and families, helping with the administration of estates, assisting in the setting up and maintenance of trusts and providing support to litigators in contentious matters. In 2016 she was awarded the Hoffstein Book Prize by the Ontario Bar Association (OBA) for her contributions to these 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...

Marc-Olivier Plante is a member of our tax team. His practice encompasses all tax aspects of mergers and acquisitions, corporate financing, business reorganizations and international transactions. He also handles matters relating to estate planning and transfers of family businesses. Mr. Plante also assists a wide array of taxpayers in disputes with the tax authorities, particularly in income tax and consumer tax matters. He also advises taxpayers in connection with voluntary disclosures and ...

Alexandra V. Mayeski is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Trusts and Estates. Alexandra V. practices law in Toronto, Ontario Best Lawyers has recognized Alexandra V. Mayeski since 2024. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Alexandra V. Mayeski is held by other lawyers.

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...

Stephanie Daniels is a Partner in the Tax and Private Wealth Group at Farris LLP in Vancouver, British Columbia. Since her call to the bar in 2004, she has practised in the areas of Tax Law, Trusts and Estates, wealth management, and estate planning. Stephanie advises individuals, families, business owners, and private wealth clients on tax-efficient estate plans and corporate structures, including wills, estate freezes, trusts, and corporate reorganizations. Stephanie also advises charitable...

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...