Listen to this week’s episode:
On this week’s episode of the Hull & Hull Debrief:
- David Smith explores the benefits and boundaries of life insurance in Ontario estate planning, noting how life insurance can provide creditor protection and liquidity, but also the need for careful structure to avoid unintended tax or equitable consequences. READ NOW
- Mandana Niknejad reviews KMH Lawyers v. Kasanda, highlighting that a solicitor-client relationship can arise from conduct and context, even without a written retainer, while counsel carries a “heavy onus” to establish such a relationship. READ NOW
- Margarita Grup discusses how sibling rivalries and family dynamics often fuel estate disputes, emphasizing that understanding interpersonal relationships can be as critical as legal knowledge in resolving contentious cases. READ NOW
- Next, Margarita reviews Watson v. Lopes, where the court weighed moral obligations in estate planning, ultimately rejecting a common-law spouse’s dependency claim but awarding a $50,000 lump-sum under the SLRA to reflect the testator’s unmet moral duty. READ NOW
- Suzana Popovic-Montag analyzes the B.C. Court of Appeal’s latest decision on will validation, exploring how an informal document can only be given effect if it clearly demonstrates a fixed and final intention to serve as a will or amendment, rather than merely expressing a future intention to change one. READ NOW
Hull & Hull Debrief is a weekly roundtable discussing the law and updates published by Hull & Hull LLP. Published each Friday, a link to this discussion will be found in the e-mail provided to our subscribers, for a quick and easy update on issues concerning trusts, estates and capacity issues. If you have any questions or comments regarding the Hull & Hull Debrief please contact Doug Higgins, Hull & Hull LLP: dhiggins@hullandhull.com