Best Lawyers in Canada for Trusts and Estates
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Frédéric Barriault is a member of the Corporate/Commercial group at the Montréal office. His practice is centered on trust law, estate planning, assets protection strategies and corporate restructurings for private clients. He advises individuals, families and their enterprises from various backgrounds in order to provide them with tailor-made solutions in order to meet their personal goals, estate and business succession goals and philanthropic intentions. With his exper...
William (Bill) Fowlis, KC, FCPA, FCA, TEP is a lawyer, a Chartered Professional Accountant/Chartered Accountant, and a Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP). With this complementary professional background, Bill focuses on taxation, corporate, trust, succession, and estate planning law for privately owned businesses, corporations, family enterprises and high net worth individuals. Bill is considered to be one of the top legal professionals practicing in these areas of law in Canada. His practic...
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 ...
Leanne Kuchynski is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Leanne, who practices law in London, Ontario, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Leanne is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jaclyn Gates is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Jaclyn, who practices law in Burlington, Ontario, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jaclyn is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kate Braaten is an associate in our private wealth, trusts and estates team. Her practice focuses on estates, trusts, charities and not-for profit law. Kate assists clients with preparing wills, powers of attorney and healthcare representation, as well as the documentation required to establish and fund discretionary family trusts, alter ego trusts, joint partner trusts and other trust structures. She also advises clients in the charitable and tax-exempt sector on a variety of matters, includ...
Hilary A. Leitch is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Hilary A., who practices law in London, Ontario, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Hilary A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Lauren Kason is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Lauren, 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 Lauren is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jennifer Lewis is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Jennifer, 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 Jennifer is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Lisa is a dedicated advocate for people navigating legal issues that can arise following the death or incapacity of a loved one including guardianship , power of attorney disputes , and will challenges . She works with her clients to develop pragmatic, compassionate and creative solutions to their legal problems. Lisa takes pride in providing clear and accessible guidance in confusing and emotionally difficult situations. She helps clients plan carefully to make the best decisions for their f...
Sarah joined Farris as an associate with the firm’s Private Client Services group in 2023. Her practice focuses on estate planning, estate administration, and trusts. Sarah obtained her Juris Doctor from Michigan State University College of Law in 2018. During law school, Sarah attended the Summer Law Program in The Hague, Netherlands, studying international criminal law and war crimes, and was awarded the Jurisprudence Achievement Award for the highest achieving student in Agriculture ...
Michelle Fong is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Michelle, who practices law in Edmonton, Alberta, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michelle is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Deanna Miller is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Deanna, 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 Deanna is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Ayda Tabrizi is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Ayda, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ayda is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Adam Giancola is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Adam, 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 Adam is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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.