Lawyers

Wills

The purpose of a Will is to ensure that after your death your property passes to the persons and in the manner that you wish.  If you die without a Will (intestate), then you are relying on the pre-determined statutory mechanism set out in Part 10 of the Estate Administration Act to dispose of your property on your death.  In such a case your property may not go to the persons or in the manner that you wish.  A properly drafted Will can also help reduce the potential for family disputes over your possessions and clearly sets out who you wish to inherit your property.

For these reasons, we feel that everyone that can have a Will should have one, and as such our solicitors are well versed in drafting Wills ranging from the straightforward to those Wills tailored for considerably more complex estates.

Trusts

The trust is one of the most flexible and useful tools available to assist individuals in their personal and business affairs.  We regularly advise clients on the many uses of private trusts in the estate planning context, including the various tax advantages and wealth preservation incentives for using them.  Our solicitors are equipped with the expertise to advise our clients regarding various types of trusts with varying degrees of complexity.

Estate Planning and Wealth Preservation

Often the accumulation of property and significant wealth go hand in hand with complex legal and tax issues.  Our solicitors have the expertise to assist our clients to create and implement customized estate plans that are consistent with their unique goals and values, all the while maximizing tax-efficiency and minimizing risk.

Powers of Attorney, Representation Agreements, Living Wills

In addition to a Will, other legal documents may be appropriate in order to implement a complete estate plan.  Powers of attorney and representation agreements, for example, can be useful tools in planning for the possibility that you may one day be legally incapable of handling your own affairs or making your own health care decisions.  Our solicitors are skilled in drafting these documents but, perhaps more importantly, they will take the time to canvass whether such additional tools are right for you and your estate planning goals.

Estate Litigation, Committeeship Applications, Etc.

While we strive to help our clients ensure that an appropriate estate plan is in place before problems arise, it is not always possible to anticipate matters that may have an impact on an individual estate.  In addition to our solicitor services in this area, our firm’s litigation team is able to assist our clients in estate disputes, committeeship applications, and other estate-related matters.  Please visit our Estate Litigation page for more information.