Best Lawyers in Canada for Trusts and Estates

Pierre-Paul Persico is a partner in the tax group at our Montreal office. With extensive experience in tax law, he provides advice and representation in several key areas, including corporate reorganizations and estates, trust creation and estate planning, including post-mortem strategies. Pierre-Paul's prominent ability to give strategic tax advice has attracted his diverse client base, which includes businesses, professionals and high-net-worth individuals. With his in-depth understanding o...

Matthew Stroh is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate and Commercial Litigation and Trusts and Estates. Matthew, 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 Matthew is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

As the managing partner of one of Western Canada’s largest law firms, Emily’s leadership and strategic vision ensures that Clark Wilson delivers excellent service to our clients across Canada and around the globe. She is consistently recognized by her peers across the country as a Best Lawyer® in Canada for Trusts and Estates, and is a repeatedly recommended lawyer by Lexpert. Emily has been lead litigation counsel on cases at all levels of Court. She has acted as counsel in c...

Ms. Caroline Harnois is a member of the Family Law, Personal Law and Estate Law team. Her practice is focused on all aspects of family and estate law, which comprises private international family law, including international child abduction. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Harnois worked as a lawyer with the Children, Person and Family Law team at The Hague Conference on Private International Law in the Netherlands, where she developed an expertise in extraterritorial conflicts and the applica...

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...

Curtis is a partner at Carbert Waite LLP, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and Co-Chair of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Practice. Curtis has extensive experience in a wide variety of commercial litigation and arbitration matters, including international arbitration and litigation, defamation, and estate litigation. His clients include multinational corporations, energy companies, construction companies, family-run businesses, and individuals. He also acts for US and...

Dwight Dee, TEP, has a business law and estates and trusts practice with a focus on private client services. Dwight works with individuals and families in the areas of estate and incapacity planning, trusts, succession planning, and elder law matters. Dwight also has extensive experience in all aspects of business law. Dwight regularly assists clients with the preparation of wills, enduring powers of attorneys, family trusts, alter ego and joint spousal trusts, and healthcare representation a...

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...

Emily Hubling assists clients in fulfilling their unique estate-planning and wealth management objectives, through the use of Wills, Powers of Attorney, Trusts, and Domestic Contracts. Emily works closely with clients’ advisors to provide a holistic approach to planning. Emily also has experience in advising estate trustees in administering a range of complex estate matters, including intestacies, cross-border matters, and contested estates. Emily is an active member of the Toronto Esta...

Chris, a Partner in the Business Law Group at Watson Goepel, has been recognized since 2025 Best Lawyers awards for his exceptional work in Trusts and Estates. His extensive practice includes all aspects of estate planning, such as probate and administration applications, wills, powers of attorney, representation agreements, and committee ship applications. Chris is also adept at establishing and managing various types of trusts, including alter ego trusts, joint spousal trusts, and disabilit...

Amy acts as litigation counsel on highly complex estate and trust matters, and in contested committeeship matters. She is also a mediator, assisting other counsel and parties in resolving all manner of estate and trust litigation. Amy’s strong legal skills are balanced with her empathetic but practical approach to what are oftentimes highly emotionally charged files. She excels at identifying opportunities and obtaining results for our clients. Amy’s clients include: Executors &am...

Ray Adlington is an experienced lawyer well versed in all areas of tax law. He has a robust practice with particular focus on corporate tax, commodity tax, and tax dispute resolution with the Canada Revenue Agency on behalf of taxpayers. Ray is a past four-year member of the joint Canadian Bar Association – CPA Canada Joint Committee on Taxation tasked with advising the Department of Finance (Canada) on tax policy and legislative drafting matters. He acts as counsel to private and publi...

Dane specializes in corporate and personal tax planning, along with estate planning, administration and negotiation. Prior to joining Felesky Flynn, Dane practiced employment law at an Alberta-based firm. He holds his Bachelor of Laws with distinction from the University of Alberta. Dane has been ranked as a featured Leading Lawyer in both Corporate Tax and Estate & Personal Tax Planning – Estate & Tax Planning by Canadian Lexpert®. An astute listener, Dane finds great fulfi...

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...

David is proud to represent the fourth generation of Mills to practice at the firm since its founding in 1884. He is a great-grandson of Alexander Mills, K.C., one of the founders of the firm, grandson of Ralph S. Mills, Q.C., and a son of J. Paul Mills, K.C. David served his articles with Mills & Mills LLP, joined the firm following his call to the Bar and became a Partner in 2006. David’s practice is focused on estate law. As an estate lawyer, David provides a comprehensive range ...

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...