Canadian Lawyer

w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 7 47 Legacy Tax + Trust Lawyers [Vancouver] legacylawyers.com Schnurr Kirsh Oelbaum Tator LLP [Toronto, Durham Region] estatelitigation.net Four of this boutique's seven founding principals still prac- tise at its Vancouver office 15 years after its 2000 launch. Of the three who have departed, two were appointed to the bench of the British Columbia Supreme Court and one recently retired. The firm has grown to 20 lawyers, with a focus on tax, trust and succession planning (including some cross-border U.S. planning) for individuals and family- owned businesses, estate litigation, tax litigation, estate administration and acting for charities and not-for-profit organizations. On voter says that "we've worked for decades with several lawyers at this firm. They have the tax planning, tax, estate administration and wills drafting talent at a variety of levels of expertise and decent hourly rates." Established in 1992, this estate litigation boutique's law- yers specialize in estate, trust and guardianship litigation, and have chaired conferences, taught and authored two texts in estate law, Estate Litigation and The Annotated Ontario Estates Statutes. The firm acts as counsel to lawyers throughout Canada. The firm's lawyers conduct mediation in all areas of estate and power of attorney disputes. In addition to its Toronto office, the firm has recently expand- ed and now has an office in Durham Region. "Consistently great — smart and conscientious lawyers with practical advice," says one respondent. Hull & Hull LLP [Toronto] hullanhull.com Hull & Hull began when the late Rodney Hull and his son Ian hung their shingle in the early 1990s. Rodney received the Ontario Bar Association wills and trusts section's award of excellence in 2005 and the Law Society Medal in 2007. The firm, now led by Ian and managing partner Suzana Popovic-Montag, lists 16 lawyers under its banner. One respondent says the firm has a "good reputation and [is] on the cutting edge of the practice." WEL Partners [Toronto] welpartners.com This litigation boutique was founded by Kimberly Whaley in 2005. In 2016, the firm added a second partner, Lionel Tupman, and now includes a total of 12 lawyers, an articling student, two accounting law clerks as well as a team of litigation support and management personnel. WEL Partners, the new firm name, derived from Whaley Estate Litigation Partners, focuses on opinion, dispute resolution, litigation and mediation of estate, trust and related matters including guardianship, capacity, power of attorney, fiduciary representation and accounting, end-of-life decisions and elder law pro- ceedings throughout Ontario. "Excellent results, talented staff, on top of current issues, contributor to education and willing to go the extra step," says one voter. An award is only as good as the work it represents. Honoured to be named one of Canada's Top 5 Wills, Trusts & Estates boutiques, as voted b y Canadian Lawyer magazine. balesbeall.com ntitled-4 1 2016-12-12 8:33 AM

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