Jan 16, 2026
Zara is an exceptionally skilled estates litigator. She’s tenacious and never shies away from a challenge. Her talents have been recognized by Best Lawyers of Canada – Ones to Watch, and Post City Lawyers as one of the best estates lawyers in Toronto.
Zara has been a key member of the Casey & Moss team since she joined us as a law student nearly a decade ago. We are thrilled Zara is advancing her career with us as an equity partner, and look forward to her continued success!
Nothing contained in this post constitutes legal advice or establishes a solicitor-client relationship. If you have any questions regarding your legal rights or legal obligations, you should consult a lawyer.
Aug 27, 2025
I’ve always enjoyed learning languages. I am a native English speaker, my mother tongue is Cantonese, I have a minor undergraduate degree in French, and I took a beginner German course while on exchange in Hamburg, Germany. If I hadn’t studied law, I would have probably enjoyed studying linguistics or mastering another language! American Sign Language has long intrigued me, so this past Spring I decided to finally take the plunge and enrolled myself in the 10-week introductory ASL class held at Bob Rumball Canadian Centre of Excellence for the Deaf. I am proud to say that I passed the 1A class and will be enrolling in the 1B class next term.
Being an ASL student reminded me what it’s like to learn a new subject from scratch. I’ll readily admit that it was hard! I greatly admire my enormously patient teacher, who was never frustrated at her students even when she had to repeat herself eight times for us to finally understand what she was trying to convey.
Reflecting on this experience, I realized there were many lessons that I could take away from my ASL class and apply to my day job that could make me a better lawyer.
Sharper Observation Skills
ASL is, obviously, a visual language. What you may not know is that there are many signs that are very similar and are only distinguished by a slightly different hand shape or hand movement. Facial expressions are a crucial part of signing: eyebrow raising and lowering are used when asking questions, and mouth movements are required to accompany some signs. Body shifts are used to convey contrast or different options. So, it is important to carefully watch the signer and pay attention to their non-verbal cues that can change the meaning of their words.
Non-verbal cues are just as important in lawyering as learning ASL. Lawyers must use their observation skills to monitor whether a judge is getting impatient or losing steam during long oral submissions, or if a judge is suddenly paying more attention to a certain argument being made. We keep a close eye on the non-verbal conduct of a witness being examined – if they are being fidgety, avoiding eye contact, or other body language signals that they are uncomfortable with a question, the examiner might want to lean in on that line of questioning. Learning ASL has taught me to be a keen observationist, as visual cues are often just as important as oral cues in our profession.
Clear and Concise Communication
ASL is a very concise language. A few signs can convey a lot of meaning. Whereas the English language can contain a lot of filler words, ASL gets right to the point. It is a good reminder that effective communication can be achieved through a few carefully chosen and purposeful words, rather than long, run-on sentences with lots of legalese and flowery language. Whether that’s in written legal submissions, oral advocacy, or simply explaining legal concepts to clients, I strive to hone the skill of clear, concise, and persuasive communication in my practice.
Empathy and Patience
The most important lesson of all that I learned during my 10 weeks of ASL class is to have more empathy and patience. Learning a new language from scratch was so much fun and an academic challenge at the same time. I have much more empathy for my clients and self-represented litigants who are learning the “legal language” and navigating the legal system for the very first time. I imagine that learning a new language and being involved in litigation for the first time are similar experiences, as you are being thrown in and immersed in a brand new setting, and expected to keep up and follow along as your instructor speaks or signs rapidly in a foreign language. It is extremely intimidating.
Being a student of ASL has reminded me that I, as a lawyer, need to slow down, remember that my clients may not understand everything I’m saying, explain concepts in digestible and plain language (and to explain it again if they need it repeated), and encourage my clients to ask questions. I endeavour to be as patient, understanding, and kind to my clients as my wonderful ASL teacher was to me and my fellow students.
Zara Wong
Nothing contained in this post constitutes legal advice or establishes a solicitor-client relationship. If you have any questions regarding your legal rights or legal obligations, you should consult a lawyer.
Dec 3, 2024
Billionaire and philanthropist Warren Buffet is one of the most successful businessmen of all time. In 2006, the “Oracle of Omaha” pledged to give away 99% of his wealth to charitable foundations and has asked other billionaires to commit to donating at least 50% of their wealth to charity.
Recently, Buffett penned a letter regarding some changes to how his wealth will be distributed after his death. His original plan was for his three children to act as trustees to distribute his money after his death. But, because Buffett’s three children are now 71, 69, and 66, he recognized that it might take longer than his children’s lifetimes to distribute his massive fortune.
Thus, Buffett appointed three successor trustees, all younger in age than his children, to take over the distribution of his wealth in the event that his children die before they can disburse all of his assets.
While I could write several blog posts on the duties and responsibilities of trustees and successor trustees, that is not the focus of today’s post. What I found most interesting in Buffett’s letter was his commentary on parents making wills and involving their children in that process.
Buffett suggested that parents should have their children, once mature, read their wills before they are executed. He wrote:
Be sure each child understands both the logic for your decisions and the responsibilities they will encounter upon your death. If any have questions or suggestions, listen carefully and adopt those found sensible. You don’t want your children asking “Why?” in respect to testamentary decisions when you are no longer able to respond.
He continued:
I change my will every couple of years – often only in very minor ways – and keep things simple. Over the years, Charlie [Munger] and I saw many families driven apart after the posthumous dictates of the will left beneficiaries confused and sometimes angry. Jealousies, along with actual or imagined slights during childhood, became magnified, particularly when sons were favored over daughters, either in monetary ways or by positions of importance.
Charlie and I also witnessed a few cases where a wealthy parent’s will that was fully discussed before death helped the family become closer. What could be more satisfying?
I think Buffett’s suggestions are well-intentioned and can benefit families that are not dysfunctional or fractured in the first place. It is almost always a good idea to express your testamentary wishes to your family members and educate them on the details of your estate before you pass away. Not only so they aren’t shocked about what they are entitled to receive (or not) under your will or what your estate assets comprise of (or not) when the estate is being distributed, but also so that your loved ones are prepared for the duties and responsibilities associated with the estate administration, e.g. as named estate trustee or trustee of testamentary trusts. Parents may wish to deliver a letter to their children setting out their wishes and reasons behind them, à la Warren Buffett, or they may wish to have a family meeting or series of family meetings to discuss their estate plan and answer their loved ones’ questions.
This process may not work where existing dynamics between the testator (often the elderly parent) and the person expecting to inherit are imbalanced. Where there are concerns about the elderly parent’s safety or wellbeing if their testamentary wishes are disclosed, this process may not be advisable.
As an estates litigator, I see complex family dynamics play out in very real (and time-consuming and expensive) ways after a testator’s death. Whenever possible and practicable, a frank and open discussion about a parent’s estate plan and testamentary wishes can go a long way to avoid costly litigation and keep family relationships intact after the parent’s death.
Zara Wong
Nothing contained in this post constitutes legal advice or establishes a solicitor-client relationship. If you have any questions regarding your legal rights or legal obligations, you should consult a lawyer.
Aug 30, 2024
We are proud announce that Casey & Moss LLP partners Angela Casey, Angelique Moss, Cara Zacks, and Laura Cardiff have been recognized in the 2025 Edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada™.
Additionally, we are thrilled to congratulate Zara Wong and Adam Giancola on their well-deserved achievement of being named in the 2025 Edition of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada™.
We are extremely honoured to be recognized by Best Lawyers since 2017!
Apr 26, 2024
In my previous blog about probate, we discussed what “probate” or a “Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee” is, and the different residency and security requirements for probate in Ontario, depending on whether the deceased person had a Will. Sometimes, clients will come to us having already obtained probate or been appointed as estate trustee in a jurisdiction outside of Ontario, then discovering that the deceased owned a bank or investment account in Ontario and needing Ontario probate to get that asset liquidated. In today’s global landscape, we are encountering these situations with increasing frequency.
Where the deceased did not have an Ontario Will, the Estates Act provides that estate trustees can apply for a “Resealing of Appointment of Estate Trustee” or an “Ancillary Appointment of Estate Trustee” in Ontario. Resealings and ancillary appointments have the same effect of recognizing the foreign grant of probate in Ontario as if it were originally granted by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. In other words, a resealing or ancillary appointment will provide the estate trustee with authority to act on behalf of the estate in Ontario and administer the Ontario assets. The difference between the two is where the original grant of probate was obtained.
Where the applicant was appointed as estate trustee by a court (a) outside of Ontario but within Canada, or (b) outside of Canada but in a Commonwealth country, they should seek a Resealing of Appointment of Estate Trustee. The applicant does not have to be an Ontario resident, and their foreign estate trustee appointment could have been made with or without a Will. A bond is required unless the original grant of probate was made with a Will and the applicant is a resident of Canada or elsewhere in the Commonwealth. The amount of the bond may be dispensed with or its amount reduced by the court in special circumstances.
If the applicant was appointed as estate trustee by a court that is not part of the Commonwealth, they should seek an Ancillary Appointment of Estate Trustee. The applicant does not have to be a resident of Ontario. A bond is required unless the applicant is a resident of Canada or the elsewhere in the Commonwealth. The amount of the bond may be dispensed with or its amount reduced by the court in special circumstances.
If you find yourself unsure about what kind of probate to apply for or which forms to submit, feel free to reach out to our team and schedule a consultation with us.
Zara Wong
Nothing contained in this post constitutes legal advice or establishes a solicitor-client relationship. If you have any questions regarding your legal rights or legal obligations, you should consult a lawyer.
