Family

  • January 23, 2026

    OBA civil litigation award recipients encourage mentorship in the profession

    The importance of mentorship and elevating young lawyers was a focal point of the Ontario Bar Association’s (OBA) Civil Dinner, which celebrates excellence in the bar. Both recipients of the OBA awards emphasized the vital position role models play in the profession.

  • January 23, 2026

    Can all estate administrators access legal advice given the estate?

    Estate administration is not always a linear process. In many cases, particularly where the estate is subject to litigation, the original administrator may be replaced before the administration is complete. Courts often appoint litigation administrators or estate trustees during litigation to step into the role temporarily, managing the estate until the litigation is resolved.

  • January 22, 2026

    Lawyers punished for failure to upload to Case Center

    For several years now, judges, lawyers and law clerks have been forced to pivot from paper to digital documents. In litigation, Case Center (formerly CaseLines) is the only game in town. If a party or their lawyer wants their case heard, their material must be uploaded to Case Center.

  • January 22, 2026

    What I learned about artificial intelligence in the 1990s

    My law firm had a thriving real estate practice in the 1980s. When the real estate market tanked from 1989 until about 1996, they were not happy times. We did not hire any real estate lawyers in those days.

  • January 22, 2026

    New group to take on animal welfare in Saskatchewan

    The job of protecting animals in Saskatchewan is changing hands.

  • January 22, 2026

    Prenuptial agreements and the theatre of pretence: We must finally catch up with reality

    “Marriage may be sold as a fairy tale, but divorce is where the invoice arrives.” — Modern proverb

  • January 22, 2026

    Canada’s new citizenship law is disrupting the global passport market

    In the volatile global marketplace for “Plan B” residency and secondary citizenship, a new titan has emerged — and it isn’t a Mediterranean tax haven or a Caribbean island. With the quiet implementation of Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025), on Dec. 15, 2025, Canada has effectively disrupted the multibillion-dollar “golden passport” industry, positioning the Canadian passport as the most sought-after asset in global mobility.

  • January 22, 2026

    Revocation of joint will not revocation as it pertains to surviving testator: B.C. court

    B.C.’s top court has ruled a judge was incorrect when he decided a man had died intestate because a will he wrote with his wife had been revoked before her death.

  • January 21, 2026

    Family agreements, part one: Governance of multigenerational family businesses

    The lifecycle of an owner-managed business can vary significantly. In some instances, the owner-manager may choose to sell the business or wind it up when they retire. Conversely, the owner-manager may instead choose to transition the business to the next generation, maintaining it as a family enterprise. Where the business is to be transitioned to the next generation, effective succession planning is essential. As part of such succession planning, a family shareholders’ agreement (a “family agreement”) often serves as the “family rule book.”

  • January 21, 2026

    Manitoba launches new francophone family law service hub

    In its latest bid to increase access to justice for French-speaking residents, Manitoba’s government has launched a francophone service hub for those seeking help with family law matters in that language.