Working in Estates law, I have seen countless matters where a person has died without a Will (“intestate”), or their Will was written decades prior to their passing. As such, their Will (or lack thereof) does not accurately reflect their assets upon their death, nor their wishes for the management and distribution of their assets.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “a person with Alzheimer’s may become suspicious of those around them, even accusing others of theft, infidelity or other improper behaviour”. [1]  Yet, in power of attorney disputes, siblings are often unwilling to consider that the parent’s suspicions about their sibling might be unfounded.

Opening a lawyer’s invoice can feel unfamiliar, with new terms, decimal hours, and detailed line items. This guide is designed to walk you through your invoice so you can review it with confidence and clarity.

For Estates litigators, the date of the Deceased person’s death is perhaps the key piece of information we need to get from a potential client. That date is relevant for many purposes, but the most significant is that it starts a limitation period running. Under section 38(3) of the Trustee Act, most potential claims against a Deceased person become statute barred – in other words, they expire – two years from the date of the death.

When someone you know passes away, there is more to manage than just the impact of their loss. There is a legal process that determines how their finances are handled, debts are paid, and inheritances are distributed. It can feel overwhelming if you’re not familiar with the terminology or steps involved. This guide breaks down the fundamentals of estates in Ontario in way that is easy to understand.

A recent decision from the Toronto Estates List has brought into focus the challenges of acting as Section 3 counsel. In Groves v. Groves, 2026 ONSC 1206 (“Groves”), the applicants, Lori Groves and Mark Groves, sought guardianship over their father, John Groves (“John”), and an Order allowing them to apprehend John from his residence where he lived with the respondent, Lourdes Palmer.

Now that many court appearances can be done virtually, lawyers have more flexibility in the files they can take on. In the past, a simple 15-minute scheduling appearance could mean hours of travel, so we had to be cautious about accepting matters in distant jurisdictions.

In Smith v. Bechtel, 2026 ONSC 975, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice considered whether an unsigned draft will prepared by a lawyer could be treated as a valid will under s. 21.1 of the Succession Law Reform Act. The case highlights an issue that sometimes arises when someone begins the process of making a will but dies before it is formally signed.

A judgment has been awarded to you, but the money hasn’t arrived, yet. We’ve discussed the option of Garnishment in my previous blog. You probably have also heard of a Writ of Seizure and Sale, but how to start the process?

In law school, we learn how to read a set of facts, find the legal issues, the applicable legal tests, and apply them to answer some hypothetical question. What we do not learn, at least not in detail, is how to prepare for court in practical ways, aside from knowing the law. This is where the articling experience comes in.