Wills, Trusts & Estates
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November 26, 2024
Anti-money laundering fines reached record level in past year, says FINTRAC annual report
Fines issued against Canadian financial institutions, businesses and individuals for violating anti-money laundering laws and regulations reached a record $26.1 million during the 2023-24 fiscal year, according to Canada’s anti-money laundering watchdog.
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November 26, 2024
Secure your legacy: The importance of ‘Make-a-Will Month’
November is “Make-a-Will Month” — an opportunity to highlight the critical importance of having a will. With almost half of Canadians lacking a will, it is vital to raise awareness about how this document can protect families and ensure that wishes are respected after death, especially for individuals with significant wealth or other complexities.
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November 26, 2024
Law360 Canada Pulse survey: stress remains significant issue for lawyers
A recent survey of the legal profession is showing high levels of satisfaction with things like collegiality and collaboration at their firms and opportunities for advancement, but there is one issue that continues to remain a problem and has no easy fix — stress.
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November 25, 2024
Legislation needs updating in wake of cremation mix-up: lawyer
A Nova Scotia lawyer hopes the exoneration of a local funeral director in a case where the wrong body was cremated serves as a “wake-up call” for the province to update its “vague” rules governing the profession.
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November 25, 2024
Law360 Canada Pulse survey: majority of lawyers say they are satisfied with their jobs
A recent survey of lawyers is indicating overall satisfaction with many aspects of the profession, despite some lingering concerns about things like stress and compensation.
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November 21, 2024
Legislation needed to provide fiduciaries access to digital assets: Law reform report
According to Statistics Canada, more Canadians than ever before are adopting “a smarter and more connected lifestyle,” with Internet use amongst Canadians over the age of 14 in 2022 reaching 95 per cent.
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November 20, 2024
Ontario charitable corporations: Payments to directors, connected persons
Directors of charitable corporations operating in Ontario are subject to strict requirements to act without personal benefit — meaning they cannot be paid for serving as directors or for other services unless authorized by court order or pursuant to Ontario Regulation 4/01 under the Charities Accounting Act (the Regulation).
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November 19, 2024
Public has low confidence in criminal courts; believes politics influences SCC appointments: poll
If public confidence is a litmus test for the health of the justice system, a new national poll suggests Canada’s courts have room to improve.
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November 18, 2024
Why digital legacy planning should now be part of every estate plan
We’ve all seen the Facebook profiles of departed friends that appear on our timelines, floating by like digital zombies. Although social media platforms like Facebook have introduced procedures such as memorialization and legacy contact to manage the accounts of deceased or incapacitated users, many remain in cyber-limbo due to a lack of a proactive digital legacy plan, as any estate planning lawyer will tell you.
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November 15, 2024
AI in the courtroom: Canadian Judicial Council’s new guidelines
With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, Canadian courts are under increasing pressure to address its impact. While some view AI as a possible threat to the rule of law and democracy within Canada’s justice system, AI also holds promise for enhancing court operations, reducing workloads, supporting judicial functions and improving access to justice.