We help clients who dispute or contest the validity of wills, estates, trusts and joint tenancy transfers. We also represent people who have been disinherited.
Estate litigation is an emotionally charged area of law. We take the time to understand how stressful estate disputes are to our clients and their families, and what is at stake for them.
We also have a group of lawyers who help clients prepare wills and trusts, and who work with them on estate planning and wealth preservation. Their primary goal is to create vehicles that transfer a maximum amount of wealth to beneficiaries with a minimum amount of delay.
Clients with estate disputes in other regions benefit from our membership in the TAGLaw network of law firms. We can help you find a reliable, reputable lawyer in another province, state or country who is familiar with local case law and legislation.
Services
- Committeeship applications.
- Wills Variation Orders.
- Estate disputes relating to family businesses.
- Contesting executor or trust accounting.
- Interpretation of wills.
- Connecting clients to wills and estates lawyers in other jurisdictions.
- Helping clients in other jurisdictions who must deal with elder law or estate issues in Ontario.
Typical Situations
- The surviving spouse in a second-marriage is the sole beneficiary of a large estate. The deceased wife was estranged from her two adult children, but they feel entitled to a portion of the inheritance.
- A charity is left an enormous sum of money in a benefactor’s will. Arrangements had been made to launch a charitable service in the donor’s honour. The other beneficiaries dispute the amount gifted to the charity, especially those involving securities.
- A businessman leaves his entire estate to his male children, even though he has three daughters and three sons. This comes as a surprise to his daughters, who took care of him in his old age, and who were involved in running the family business.