Many people assume that when a beneficiary's inheritance is placed in trust, the trustee's job is simply to preserve the money until the beneficiary reaches a certain age. That is not always the case. A trustee's responsibility is not only to protect trust assets but also to carry out the purpo...
Executor Misconduct Can Become Very Expensive: Lessons from Das Gupta v. Das Gupta, 2026 ONSC 3310 Executors and attorneys under Powers of Attorney occupy positions of trust. They are expected to: Act honestly; Keep accurate records; Avoid conflicts of interest; Preserve estate assets; ...
One of the most common questions in estate litigation is: "If I win, will the other side have to pay all of my legal fees?" The answer is often no. Many people are surprised to learn that there is a significant difference between winning an estate dispute and obtaining full reimbursement of le...
Few estate disputes generate more conflict than joint bank accounts. Parents often add an adult child to an account for convenience, future planning, or assistance with financial management. Years later, after the parent's death, family members may disagree about who actually owns the money rema...
Many families use joint ownership as an estate planning tool. Parents may go on title to help a child obtain financing. Adult children may be added to title for convenience. Family members often assume that joint tenancy automatically determines who owns property after death. The Alberta Court ...
The legal profession is as much about adaptation as it is about expertise, and few stories highlight this better than Jeremy Chua's. A seasoned lawyer from the Philippines with over six years of corporate-commercial experience, Jeremy's path to becoming a fully qualified lawyer in Canada is a tes...
Becoming a Canadian citizen is a milestone that brings a profound sense of belonging, freedom, and opportunity. For Davud Camgoz, an articling student at MerGen Law, it is also a testament to perseverance, hard work, and unwavering commitment to his goals. His story is one of resilience and growt...
MerGen Law successfully represented our client in a significant estate litigation case, upholding the validity of a contested will.
The best time to start the process of estate planning is today! You can start by making a list of your wishes and reading through this basic guide.
Probate is a legal step that proves a will to be valid. It’s an essential step to take before distributing assets. Here’s how probate lawyers can help.
Planning your estate and creating a will requires different roles and trusted appointees. We’re here to make estate planning easier to understand.
At MerGen Law, we're proud to have a diverse team of incredible individuals. We're all here to ensure our clients are heard and fairly represented, from our lawyers to legal support staff to administrators. We want to shine the spotlight on one of our lawyers who was recently called to the bar h...
Looking for a lawyer or notary public in Calgary to advise on a personal guarantee or the Alberta Guarantees Acknowledgement Act? Our lawyers can help.
Estate of William Anthony Gordon (the “Gordon Estate”): The Alberta Court of Appeal affirmed the decision of the Alberta Court of King's Bench (the “Court”) which struck an Expert Report due to late filing and failure to file any interlocutory applications to allow for its filing By Paul LeClair...
The entertainment industry in Calgary, Alberta, is thriving and constantly evolving. With a dynamic and rapidly growing population, there are many opportunities for artists, musicians, actors, producers, and other professionals working in the entertainment sector. Therefore, alongside their t...
As a result of concerns that foreign investment in Canadian real estate was making homes less affordable for average Canadians, the Federal government responded by passing The Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act. Also, Regulations for the Act were passed on De...
The entertainment industry in Calgary, Alberta, is thriving and constantly evolving. With a dynamic and rapidly growing population, there are many opportunities for artists, musicians, actors, producers, and other professionals working in the entertainment sector. Therefore, alongside their thr...
While nobody wants to spend too long thinking about their death, knowing that your family will be protected after your passing is one of the most rewarding and reassuring things you'll ever do. Estate planning is an essential feature and a responsibility you cannot overlook. Contacting a de...
Case Summary On August 8, 2022, I appeared before the Honourable Justice M.A. Marion (Justice Marion) in Calgary morning civil chambers on behalf of my clients, the named Personal Representatives of the estate of their late mother (the Deceased), to seek the validation of the Deceased's testamen...
Here are some of the essential steps to take and documents you'll need to collect for remortgaging your home in Alberta.
Partnering with an estate planning lawyer can help protect your wealth, assets, and loved ones. Learn more in this guide by MerGen Law.
The importance of hiring a modern legal team is more profound than ever. Read this post to discover how it helps protect your business.
If you're thinking of starting a business in Canada, don't miss this post outlining some of the legal requirements to account for.
Do you need a Will, a Personal Directive, or both? This blog post discusses their important differences and when each is used.
Kevin Weeks, while acting as the Director of Government Relations & Ethics for the Alberta Mortgage Brokers Association (AMBA) from 2013 – 2019, wrote numerous articles in the context of generally where we were at then, where we are at now and what we should be thinking and planning about going forward. Oh and PS Knock Yourself Out WillRobotsTakeMyJob.com (https://willrobotstakemyjob.com/) which is based on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics database referenced as the University of Oxford and Deloitte study in the “Ride the AI Train” Part II article. See 'The Future of Employment: How susceptible are jobs to automation’ (https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf)
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