Private Wealth
We act on estate planning, business succession, asset management and dispute resolution relating to these areas. Our lawyers work closely with individuals and families in their legal, financial and personal affairs to ensure that they can achieve their goals in a streamlined and efficient manner, while complying with the applicable provincial, national and extra-territorial laws. Our services in this area include:
Family Businesses and Succession Planning
We assist our clients to plan for and manage inter-generational transfers of family enterprises. Since these are family enterprises, successful planning strategies require sensitivity to the personal needs and desires of families, as well as compliance with applicable laws. Often an important consideration in this planning is ensuring to maximize protection available in law for the family’s wealth from third party claims.
Trusts, Wills and Estates
We provide estate-planning and trust services from simple wills to more complex tax-effective succession plans, trusts, estate freezes and powers of attorney. Our lawyers assist with the administration of estates and in this regard we frequently act as executors and estate trustees.
Trusts, Estates and Capacity Litigation
We represent our clients in private arbitrations, mediations and court proceedings related to trusts, estates and capacity issues. We have extensive experience in variations of trust, will challenges, passings of accounts, guardianships and all kinds of dependant’s relief matters.
Estates Litigation
Among the firm’s many significant cases in this area are the following:
- We acted on the case that established the scope of will challenges as an inquisitorial process in Ontario. Neuberger v. York, 2016 (ONCA 191)
- We acted in a matter which established the limits for a court order compelling a capacity assessment for an elderly person. Beretta v. Beretta, 2014 (ONSC 7178).
- We acted in a matter which upheld the will and codicil of a widow with declining capacity and significant business interests. Orfus Estate v. The Samuel and Bessie Orfus Family Foundation, 2013 (ONCA 314).
