Zachary is a solicitor and litigator, practicing in a broad, but complementary, spectrum of practice areas generally with a view to protecting and transferring wealth, and dealing the consequences of an individual’s death. Zachary also has a fertility and surrogacy law practice, helping intended parents, donors and surrogates navigate Canada’s legal regime with respect to IVF and other assisted human reproductive technologies.
Estate and Trust Solicitor Services
Zachary assists clients in preparing estate and incapacity plans and in the administration of estates of deceased individuals. His estate planning clients range from young professionals looking to establish their first foundational estate plan, to retired individuals looking to ensure that their estate plans are probate fee minimizing, tax efficient, and litigation resistant. His estate administration clients range from first-time executors, to professional fiduciaries and trust companies. In all cases, he is able to simplify complex legal principles to ensure that the decisions his clients make are well-informed.
> Estate and Trust Planning Services
| Estate planning advice and drafting of wills and trusts | Incapacity planning advice and drafting of enduring powers of attorney, representation agreements, nominations of committee, and advance directives |
| Estate and incapacity planning for persons with disabilities, or for persons who wish to name persons with disabilities as beneficiaries (i.e.: disability or “Henson” trust planning) | Estate planning for persons or couples utilizing assisted human reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and/or surrogacy, and documenting ownership, advanced consent and future use of human genetic material (sperm, ova and/or embryos) |
| Estate planning for persons with digital assets, including cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens, as these assets often require special considerations | Mutual Wills Agreements, and estate planning for “blended families”, particularly where there is a high risk of litigation |
> Estate and Trust Administration Services (including Probate)
| Obtaining estate grants, including grants of probate (when there is a will) and grants of administration (when there is no will) | Advising executors and trustees on the administration of estate and trust assets |
| Advising executors and trustees regarding their duties and obligations to beneficiaries | Dealing with foreign grants of probate, including estate grant resealing, and the administration of local and foreign assets (including complex multi-jurisdictional estate administrations) |
| Advising beneficiaries (or potential beneficiaries) of their rights in regard to a will, trust or estate | Advising executors, trustees, and beneficiaries regarding the passing of accounts and executor/trustee compensation |
| The administration of estates of individuals who are presumed to be dead | The administration of estates involving the posthumous conception or birth of a descendant (for example, a child born via surrogacy after the death of a parent) |
Estate and Trust Litigator Services
Whether it is a client’s first time going through the litigation process or the tenth, it can be an intimidating, confusing and emotionally draining experience. Zachary recognizes that his clients want practical, cost-effective advice and solutions tailored to their unique needs, and he is committed to finding creative and appropriate solutions to resolve legal disputes. His competitive edge and ability to distill complex legal concepts into clear, step-by-step solutions give clients the confidence they need when dealing with stressful situations. Zachary’s analytical mindset allows him to effectively evaluate large amounts of data and handle all aspects of the litigation process.
| Wills variation claims (to address disinheritance or unfair distributions, and to amend wills that failed to include disability or “Henson” trusts for beneficiaries who are persons with disabilities | Will invalidity claims, including by reason of undue influence or incapacity of the will-maker |
| Abuse of powers of attorney claims | Executor and trustee compensation disputes |
| Contested and uncontested passing of executor and trustee accounts and compensation applications | Removal of executor and trustee applications |
| Unjust enrichment claims | Breach of trust claims |
| Interpretation of wills applications | Cremation, burial and other human remains disputes |
| Presumption of death applications (where a missing person is presumed dead, even though no body/remains has been found) | Estate promise claims |
Elder Law and Adult Guardianship/Committeeship Services
| Incapacity planning advice and drafting of section 7 representation agreements (for those with reduced capacity/cognitive impairment), and advance directives | Contested and uncontested committeeship applications |
| Committeeship applications for persons outside of British Columbia, but with assets inside of British Columbia | Elder financial abuse/abuse of powers of attorney claims |
| Legal capacity assessments, with or without coordinated medical capacity assessments | Advising on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) |
Family Law, including Fertility and Surrogacy Law Services
| Advice and drafting of family law agreements, including cohabitation agreements and marital agreements (colloquially known as “pre-nuptial agreements”)* | Advice and planning for persons utilizing assisted human reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and/or surrogacy |
| Advice regarding and drafting of Ova (Egg) and Sperm Donation Agreements | Advice regarding and drafting of Surrogacy Agreements |
| Advice and planning for persons documenting ownership, consent for use, and donation of, human reproductive material (ova, sperm and/or embryos) | Parentage of children, including in the context of multi-parent or polyamourous family structures |
| *Including for polyamourous or non-traditional family structures |
Charities and Not-For-Profits
| Advising charities and not-for-profits named as beneficiaries in wills on estate administration matters | Advising on donations received from estates |
| Advising on disputes over executor compensation and wills variation claims | Advising on compliance with regulations and procedures in estate administration |
| Advising on and bringing cy-près applications |
Awards & Distinctions
- Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory®, Estate & Personal Tax Planning – Estate Litigation and Estate & Tax Planning, 2025
- Best Lawyers® in Canada, Trusts and Estates, 2025-2026
- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Private Client Awards finalist for Contentious Trusts and Estates Team of the Year 2021
