Latest roster combined technical skill with compassion for grieving clients
Canadian Lawyer has revealed the fourth edition of the country’s best law firms for wills, trusts, and estates, which have demonstrated high standards of excellence while supporting families through grief and conflict and serving as reliable anchors for their peers.
Canada’s legal leaders in wills, trusts, and estates law stood out in 2025–26 and exceeded expectations amid a time of unprecedented complexity and change within the practice area. They demonstrated the following qualities:
- deep experience in planning, litigation, administration, and tax issues
- capability in managing straightforward matters and complex conflicts alike
- client-focused advocacy, combining technical strength with compassion
- ability to deliver practical, problem-solving advice
- professional leadership through mentorship, education, and knowledge-sharing
- a trusted reputation and community connections
- influence extending beyond their own caseloads
The winning cohort for 2025–26 includes Carver Estate Law & Litigation, Fern Law, Goddard Gamage LLP, Horne Coupar LLP, Hull & Hull LLP, and WEL Partners.
Benjamin P. Carver, principal lawyer of Carver Estate Law & Litigation, notes a trend toward estate cases winding up before the courts.
“Estate disputes are deeply personal, and because we concentrate on this area of law specifically, we are immersed in it every day and bring real passion to our advocacy,” Carver says.
“We are litigators, so we love going to court, but rushing off to court is not the solution to every problem,” adds Kristine Anderson, Fern Law’s founder.
Many cite WEL Partners’ website as a source of information on estate litigation. The firm is as committed to educating its peers and the broader public as it is to advocacy.
“Publishing is highly encouraged and strongly valued in our firm,” Bryan Gilmartin, a partner at WEL Partners, tells Canadian Lawyer. “It keeps all of our lawyers on top of key developments in the practice area and also promotes our practice.”
Meanwhile, Hull & Hull shares that it is increasingly utilizing artificial intelligence and digital tools, while ensuring that it employs safeguards that promote client trust.
“It has become abundantly clear that the future of law must embrace AI, and it should,” says Suzana Popovic-Montag, Hull & Hull LLP’s managing partner. “The efficiencies it brings into our workflows allow us the opportunity to provide greater client service and focus more on what we as lawyers do best.”
How we chose winning firms
The 2025–26 results reflect various perspectives within the Canadian legal and professional community, with voters including practising lawyers, trust officers, advisors, and other professionals intricately connected with estate matters.
The voting process covered 30 nominees – firms whose work primarily stemmed from wills, trusts, and estates law. Voters ranked the top boutiques from a preliminary list and could nominate a firm not on the list.
The outcome considered reader votes using a weighted points system, Lexpert peer survey results, comments from senior members of the bar, and regional diversity considerations.
Canadian Lawyer congratulates the top 10 wills, trusts, and estates law boutiques for 2025–26. See more information on all the winning firms.
