Wills, Trusts & Estates
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September 12, 2025
Business succession: Laughing about death, taxes and other sad stuff
My wife, Maureen McKay, is the love of my life, so it is only natural that I want to be sure that she will be well taken care of when I pop off. And since I am now 70 years old and she is quite a bit younger than I am, it only makes sense that I would try to put some things in order to make it easier for her to go shopping when I nod off for the last time.
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September 11, 2025
When caregiver of an incapable elderly person goes ‘rogue’
Lawyers dealing with elder issues face an uncomfortable dynamic when those responsible for seniors take advantage.
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September 10, 2025
New OBA president hopes to bring ‘more conversational experience’ to position
The Ontario Bar Association (OBA) has a new leader at its helm. Katy Commisso took over the top job from former president Kathryn Manning at the beginning of September after serving a term as the first vice-president of the OBA, which is the professional association for Ontario's lawyers, judges and law students. She will serve for the 2025-26 term. Commisso, a native of Burlington, Ont., said she did not grow up wanting to be a lawyer.
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September 09, 2025
Aviva estopped from denying coverage in boating accident after delay in raising coverage concerns
The Federal Court rejected an insurer’s bid to avoid defending and paying claims from a fatal boating accident, ruling that it was estopped from denying coverage after delaying and taking steps that prejudiced the insured’s access to evidence.
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September 03, 2025
Legal experts & advocates push PM Carney for urgent action to secure Canada’s ‘digital sovereignty’
Legal experts, advocacy organizations and prominent Canadians are asking Ottawa to urgently legislate and implement measures to counter the digital risks to Canada’s autonomy and democracy posed by artificial intelligence (AI), foreign interference and U.S. tech giants’ dominance of domestic digital infrastructure.
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September 03, 2025
A cautionary tale for farm succession planning
The Court of Appeal for Ontario’s recent decision in Metske v. Metske, 2025 ONCA 418 provides an important lesson to farming families and their professional advisers: good intentions and family loyalty, while laudable, are no substitute for clear, enforceable agreements. The decision narrows the scope of proprietary estoppel in the agricultural context and underlines the commercial reality that a succession plan must be both documented and financially achievable.
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September 02, 2025
LSM annual report a ‘comprehensive’ look at fiscal year, road ahead: president
As Manitoba’s law society takes stock of its most recent fiscal year, the regulator’s new president aims to continue the work of minding lawyers’ well-being as part of a new strategic plan. Law Society of Manitoba (LSM) president Kyle Dear recently sat down with Law360 Canada to discuss the recent release of the law society’s 2025 annual report — a 31-page snapshot of the regulator’s latest fiscal year, which ran from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.
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August 27, 2025
O’Sullivan adds 2 new estate lawyers
O’Sullivan Estate Lawyers LLP has added two trust and estate lawyers: Josh Cohen and Namratha Sankar.
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August 26, 2025
Was father’s money for children to buy house a gift or loan?
Despite the recent market decline in Ontario, the high cost of real estate often pushes families to join together to fund down payments. In such circumstances, the legal consequences of commingling family funds may blur the lines between generosity and expectation.
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August 25, 2025
Increased judicial intervention to correct unfairness at key tribunals
Ontario’s administrative tribunals are facing increased scrutiny by the courts for unfairness in dismissing claims brought by tenants, landlords, employees, car accident victims and people who believe they have experienced discrimination or are seeking disability benefits.