Background

Danielle Joel is a partner in our Toronto office. She was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1999. Danielle's law degree is from Dalhousie University and she has a Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) from Carleton University.

Areas of Practice

• Danielle practises in the area of civil litigation with a specialization in estate, trust and incapacity litigation.
• Within her specialized area, Danielle has a wide range of experience with guardianship applications, will challenges and interpretations, passings of accounts, disputes involving breach of trust and fiduciary duties, fraud, support claims, and disputes arising from the use of powers of attorney. Danielle is experienced in dealing with complex estates, including multiple wills and corporate issues including claims of oppression. Danielle deals with the Office of the Children's Lawyer and the Ontario Public Guardian and Trustee.
• Danielle is also part of the commercial litigation group and is experienced in fraud, commercial leasing, contract, professional liability and other commercial disputes.

Rankings and Recognitions

• Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Canada 2012 (Trusts and Estates)

Professional Experience

• Danielle has represented a range of clients from institutional clients, Estate Trustees (executors), beneficiaries and charities.
• Author of updated chapter in The Practice Guide to Ontario Estate Administration (5th edition)
• Recent cases include:
  • Vano Estate, Re ; 54 E.T.R. (3d) 280 (Sup. Ct.) (Dec 7), 2009 CarswellOnt 7651 (WL).
  • Hallman v. Pure Spousal Trust (Trustee of); 80 C.P.C. (6 th) 139 (Sup. Ct.) (Sept. 29), 52 E.T.R. (3d) 29, 2009 CarswellOnt 5795 (WL).
  • Evanoff Estate, Re;; 98 O.R. (3d) 251 (Sup. Ct.) (Aug. 31), 80 C.P.C. (6 th) 174; 2009 CarswellOnt 5073 (WL).
  • Salvador v. Marshall ; 79 C.P.C. (6 th) 158 (Sup. Ct.) (May 21), 2009 CarswellOnt 2809 (WL), 2009 ConLII 25140.
  • Robertson v. Robertson; 2008 CarswellOnt 6103; (Sup. Ct.) (Oct 9) (WL).
  • Vincent v. Vincent, 26 B.L.R. (4 th) 116 (Sup. Ct.) (Nov. 2), [2006] O.J. No. 4840 (QL).
  • Oshawa Group Ltd. V. Mason Homes, 47 C.L.R. (3d) 159 (C.A.) (Oct. 13), [2005] O.J. No. 4344 (QL).
  • Canadian Red Cross Society (Re), [2005] O.T.C. 858 (Sup. Ct.) (Sept 30), [2005] O.J. No. 4177
  • Canadian Red Cross Society(Re), 46 C.B.R. (4 th) 239 (Sep. 23) (C.A.), [2003] O.J. No. 3727 (Q.L.)
  • Cook Nook Hazelton Lanes Ltd. V. Trudeau Corp. 1889 Inc. 48 C.P.C. (5 th) 330; (Sup. Ct.) (Sep 3), 2003 CarswellOnt 3266 (WL).

Professional and Community Activities

• Member at large of the OBA Estates & Trust Section Executive
• Speaker at various continuing legal education conferences including the OBA and Advocates' Society, on professional skills and Estate litigation topics.
• Member of the Advocates' Society.
• Member of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners).