Michael Laplante

Today, family trees in Ontario contain more branches than ever; step parents, half siblings and children of second marriages are all parties that may consider themselves to have an interest in the same estate or trust. As more people find themselves dealing with the matter of establishing Power of Attorney for aging parents or settling the wills and estates of parents who have died, it becomes clear that careful preparation is necessary to avoid possible disputes. Sometimes, the help of an Ontario will and estate lawyer may be required to bring resolution to the situation.

On behalf of the lawyers and staff at Ferguson Barristers, we want to thank everyone who worked with us to make 2016 a wonderful year. Have a safe and joyous holiday season with best wishes for the new year.

Fall in Ontario means it is time to ditch the summer sports and get ready for football and hockey season. While there’s always an element of risk in any sport, nothing is scarier than a young player losing consciousness after hitting his or her head on the ice, field...

Being a homeowner comes with a wide variety of responsibilities, including the upkeep and ongoing maintenance of your property. With the arrival of cooler weather, it’s especially important to begin clearing clutter, removing hazards and making repairs to the exterior...

Tonight, neighbourhoods will be transformed into magical, moonlit places for an evening of fun and fantasy. Witches, ghosts and goblins will be prowling the streets in search of some sweet treats and spook, while being greeted at doorsteps by grinning jack-o’-lanterns...

The Court of Appeal’s recent decision in a complex case involving a group lottery pool emphasizes the importance of keeping transaction and communication records in order to trace who contributed to which group purchases. A person may be entitled to winnings even if he/she has stopped participating in a group lottery pool, as long as he/she can provide evidence of contributing to the winning lottery ticket.

A recent Ontario court decision reinforces how important it is for a person injured in an accident to attempt to gather identifying information of any possible defendants or witnesses at the scene of the accident or as soon after as possible. If you’ve suffered an injury in an accident, even if it seems minor, there are steps you should take to protect yourself.

“Can I challenge the validity of a will?” In this economy, individuals are becoming even more reliant on the estates of their family members for financial support in retirement. It is devastating to lose a family member and this devastation can become worse if the...