David
Partner

David M Smith

David M. Smith joined Rodney Hull, Q.C. and Ian M. Hull in their estate litigation counsel practice in September 1997.

In August 1998, Rodney and Ian, together with David as associate, founded Hull & Hull LLP. In January 2006, David became a partner. David also maintains a mediation practice through Hull Estate Mediation Inc.

David was an instructor at the Ontario Bar Admission Course (Estates and Trusts) from 1998 to 2005. He is a frequent guest lecturer for both Law Society of Upper Canada and Ontario Bar Association programs. David has had numerous decisions reported in Estate and Trusts Reports and has authored numerous papers.

David has an LL.B from Queen’s University and an Honours B.A. from the University of Western Ontario. He was called to the bar in 1994. He completed the Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop at Osgoode Hall Law School in 1998.

David is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, the Ontario Bar Association Trusts and Estates Section and the Toronto Lawyers Association. He was chosen by LawDay as one of the top 60 estate and trust lawyers in Canada for the year 2009. He is also included in The Best Lawyers in Canada (2009) in the area of Trusts and Estates.

Career & Education

    Education

  • Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop

    Osgoode Hall Law School, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  • LL.B.

    Queen’s University, Faculty of Law, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

  • B.A. (Hons.)

    University of Western Ontario
    Membership & Affliations

  • Member, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners

  • Member, Ontario Bar Association, Trusts and Estates Section

  • Member, Toronto Lawyers Association

    Achievements

  • The Top 60 Leading Lawyers in Canada, Estates and Trusts, LawDay, 2009

  • The Best Lawyers in Canada, Trusts and Estates, 2009

  • LEXPERT ranked lawyer 2013–2014

  • Best Lawyers International

Publication & Teachings

    Publications

  • “Estate Litigation: Pleading, Preparing and Proving Your Clients’ Case” 2003

  • “Beneficiary Planning 2002 – Gifts from beyond the Grave” RRSP & RRIF Designations, 2002

  • “Revocation of Beneficiary Designations – Tips and Traps” Will Power, CCH, September 2002

  • “Issues in Executor’s Compensation” Will Power, CCH, May 1998

    Classes & Seminars

  • Instructor, Ontario Bar Admission Course (Estates and Trusts), 1998–2005

  • Frequent Guest Lecturer, Law Society of Upper Canada

  • Frequent Guest Lecturer, Ontario Bar Association Programs

Recent Posts
October 03, 2024 Fixing Executor’s Compensation

Estate Trustees are entitled to compensation. This entitlement comes from statute (s. 61(1) of the Trustee Act (“Act”): “A trustee, ...

September 12, 2024 Foreign Divorce and Intestate Succession

Intestate Succession in Ontario provides for a preferential share of the estate to the surviving spouse. If there are no ...

September 05, 2024 Witnessed Holograph Wills are still Holograph Wills

Holograph Wills by definition are exclusively written in the handwriting of the testator and signed at the end. They do ...