Our Wealth Management Group

Twenty-seven lawyers and a Quebec notary, assisted by a number of paralegal staff, comprise our Wealth Management Group. Our Group offers individuals a full range of services required to devise and implement plans for their protection and the protection of dependent relatives, in the event of death or incapacity, taking into account relevant taxation issues and other associated costs. We offer particular expertise in advising family-owned businesses on business succession and related taxation issues. Members of our Group possess expertise in estate planning, trust and estate administration, and trust, estate and incapacity dispute resolution services (including litigation and alternative forms of dispute resolution such as mediation and arbitration).

Our Services

Estate Planning

Estate planning comprises two elements: planning for the orderly transmission of assets during the client's lifetime or after his or her death, and planning for incapacity. Our Group includes practitioners with substantial expertise in both of these facets of estate planning who can also advise on income tax issues (both domestic and offshore) and matrimonial issues where required. As well, we can advise clients who wish to plan for protection of a disabled child or other relative. Matters we can assist with include:

  • Planning for tax minimization and tax deferral on death
  • Succession planning for family businesses and investment holdings (including estate freezes, corporate re-organizations and other corporate structures)
  • Probate tax planning
  • Wills
  • Trusts
  • Appointment of incapacity representatives
  • Planning with life insurance.
  • Planning for disabled beneficiaries
  • Establishing private charitable foundations
  • Marriage contracts and cohabitation agreements

Trust & Estate Administration

Our Group offers the expertise and facilities to assist the client who acts as a trustee of a trust or as an executor or liquidator of an estate.  The duties imposed by law on a trustee, executor or liquidator can be both onerous and confusing.  A trustee, executor or liquidator who fails to understand and carry out those duties may be subject to significant personal liability.  Members of our Group have the expertise and experience to provide a full range of services to the trustee, executor or liquidator, including:

  • Securing testamentary grants
  • Liquidating and consolidating estate assets
  • Preparing / reviewing trust and estate accounts
  • Legal opinions
  • Advising trustees, executors and beneficiaries
  • Managing ongoing trusts and working with investment advisers
  • Trust and estate distributions and winding-up

Trust, Estate and Incapacity Dispute Resolution

Disputes relating to trusts, estates and incapable persons can arise for many reasons.  When such disputes do arise, our primary interest is in assisting clients to reach a satisfactory settlement through negotiation.  Where a negotiated settlement is not possible, disputes will frequently lead to litigation before the courts.

However, clients are increasingly looking for alternative dispute resolution methods which can save time and expense, preserve relationships and provide confidentiality to the interested parties.

Members of our Group can act as counsel to our clients in the context of all aspects of dispute resolution and can, where appropriate, provide services as mediator or arbitrator.  Such services can be offered in the context of the following types of disputes:

  • Contested wills
  • Trust and will interpretations
  • Variations and terminations of trusts
  • Will rectifications and variations
  • Passing of accounts
  • Dependant's support and family patrimony claims
  • Actions to remove a trustee, executor, liquidator or incapacity representative
  • Quantum meruit claims
  • Capacity disputes
  • Solicitor's negligence claims

Regional Leaders

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