The promise of venture philanthropy is seductive. It aspires to harness entrepreneurial energy for the public good – to meld business methods with generosity to give back and create change. That was the hope when I helped invent charitable stock options in 1999. Charitable options are a Canadian capital market…
Today’s Post by Brianna Fable-Watson, Articling Student at Gowling WLG | Gowling WLG Ontario courts continue to emphasize that the authority granted to attorneys for personal care is legally constrained and subject to competing statutory rights, particularly in long-term care settings. The decision in Orr v Orr, 2025 ONSC 4986…
If you’ve scanned financial services sales materials recently, it seems longevity is a hot topic. How do you actually plan for longevity? As with most things, this is easier to talk about than do. In this article, let’s explore one aspect of lifestyle planning – mobility. A recent article on…
Much has been written on All About Estates about “missing” elements in an estate administration – missing assets, missing heirs, and even missing estate trustees. In the case of missing heirs, the executors have an obligation to take reasonable steps to locate the beneficiaries of the estate. Executors cannot simply…
A recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision reinforced a simple but important rule: lawyers generally owe duties only to their clients – not to third parties who may be affected by their work. The case of Stingelin Estate v. Woods, 2026 ONCA 240 arose out of a family dispute over…
It is common to suggest shareholders enter into a shareholders’ agreement, where each shareholder assumes certain rights and obligations relating to the business of the corporation. The shareholders’ agreement typically includes provisions dealing with the management of the business and future transfers of shares upon death or other circumstances. Unfortunately, once the…
Days before the February 2022 Russian invasion in Ukraine, Darcy Brockbank (“Darcy” or the “Estate”, respectively) travelled to Kiev. On February 25, 2022, Darcy died unexpectedly from a heart attack. He was survived by his mother, Josephine Brockbank (“Josephine”), and two brothers: Joel Brockbank (“Joel”) and Stuart Brockbank (“Stuart”). On…
A colleague recently mentioned that he and his siblings were shocked when his mom suffered a stroke without warning. One minute, she was an active 70-year-old in good health, and the next, he and his siblings were suddenly responsible for her care and finances. His mother had signed Power of…
This blog post was written by Mohena Singh, Associate at Fasken LLP. Cross-border capacity and guardianship issues are becoming increasingly common as families, assets, and caregiving arrangements span jurisdictions. In Abitbol v. Abitbol, 2026 ONSC 1636, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice confirmed that a foreign guardianship order issued outside…
A court’s authority to make certain orders or decisions is not always founded in legislation or established case law. In the right circumstances, the court may find its authority from its inherent jurisdiction to do certain things, such as preventing abuse of process, controlling procedure, or protecting vulnerable parties. One…