Best Lawyers in Canada for Trusts and Estates

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...

When lawyers and financial advisors have complicated estate and guardianship problems, they call Margaret. Specialized work in complex, high-conflict family estate and guardianship situations, international estate administration matters, and difficult estate planning scenarios are Margaret’s chosen practice area. As an advocate, client counsel and as a mediator, Margaret is a problem solver, using all of the available tools to achieve solutions that work. When necessary, she is ready, a...

Paul is passionate about helping his clients “make life less taxing". A partner with Taylor McCaffrey LLP and a member of the firm’s tax law group, Paul’s practice is focused on taxation and related corporate/commercial matters including owner-manager tax issues and trust and estate planning. Active in his profession, Paul maintains membership in the Canadian Tax Foundation and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and is the past chair of the Tax Subsection of the M...

Susan Fincher-Stoll is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Susan, who practices law in London, Ontario, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Susan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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.

Rebecca Studin is a partner at de VRIES LITIGATION LLP. Before joining the firm, Rebecca practised estates and commercial litigation at a full-service international law firm in Toronto. Rebecca acts for clients in respect of a broad range of estates matters, including will challenges, will interpretation and rectification applications, contested guardianship and power of attorney disputes, complex probate applications, and contested passings of accounts. Rebecca obtained her law degree from O...

Jonathan Ng is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Jonathan, who practices law in Calgary, Alberta, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jonathan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

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...

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...

Lou-Anne Farrell joined Harrison Pensa as Counsel in 2022 to help build our Estate Litigation practice. She has been practicing in the Estate Litigation field for over 35 years. Her practice includes will challenges, spousal and dependent’s claims, removal of executors and contested estate audits, as well as Power of Attorney litigation, capacity litigation, the appointment of guardians, and Breach of Trust claims. Her expertise in this field is recognized locally and throughout the pro...

Victoria Winter is a partner in the firm’s Trusts and Estate Planning Group and a Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) as designated by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). Victoria practises in the areas of estate planning and succession including the preparation of Wills, Powers of Attorney and Trusts (domestic, international, Henson), corporate reorganizations, business succession planning, advising clients on methods in which to minimize income tax and estate adminis...

Mark Sawyer articled with Dunphy Best Blocksom LLP in 2003 and became a partner in 2010. Mark’s practice focuses on the business and commercial aspects of the law, as well real estate and estate planning. Mark works with many privately held businesses, advising them on their corporate, financing, contract and shareholder matters. Mark provides advice as well on the incorporation of new businesses and the sale and purchase of existing companies. He also acts for clients who are buying, s...

David R. Schlesinger is a top lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Tax Law and Trusts and Estates. David R., 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 David R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. David has extensive experience advising clients on taxation matters in: corporate reorganizations, mergers a...

Heela Donsky Walker is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Heela Donsky, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Heela Donsky is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Aaron Edgar is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Aaron, 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 Aaron is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.