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Kathleen is the regional group manager for the Ottawa Disputes Group (commercial litigation and construction). She practises as a commercial litigator and an estate litigator.
She is experienced in all aspects of estate and incapacity litigation (guardianship applications, applications seeking removal of trustees, applications to pass accounts, will challenges, etc.). Kathleen has acted as counsel for trustees and for beneficiaries. She has extensive mediation experience, both as counsel and as mediator in estates matters.
As the lead of BLG's Team North, Kathleen works with a team of lawyers from across the country who practice in all areas of law and are familiar with the unique needs of Northern-based clients. Kathleen also has expertise in disputes for matters in Nunavut and has several Nunavut-based clients.
Expérience
Experience
Represents clients in all aspects of estate litigation and civil litigation.
Appears before numerous courts in Ontario and administrative tribunals including the License Appeal Tribunal.
Appears before the Nunavut Court of Justice.
Represents clients in all aspects of estate litigation and civil litigation.
Appears before numerous courts in Ontario and administrative tribunals including the License Appeal Tribunal.
Appears before the Nunavut Court of Justice.
Presentations & Publications
Publication
Speaker/Author, “Break On Through (To The Other Side): Thresholds in Estates Law", CCLA litigators conference, November 2025
Présentation
Speaker, “When the Estate Sues - The Litigator’s Perspective When Attacking the Drafting Solicitor and the Solicitor’s Perspective on How Best to Meet the Standard of Care", Cambridge Forum for senior estates practitioners (2nd Gen), November 2025
Présentation
Co-Chair/Presenter, “Estates and Trusts Summit: Litigation (Day One)", Law Society of Ontario, October 2025
Présentation
Speaker/Author, “Trust Law Across Canada – A Review of Recent Trends", STEP Canada National Conference, June 2025
Présentation
Chair, “Dinner with Your Honourable Ottawa Estates Judges", OBA, June 2025
Publication
Co-Author, "Bringing Principles into Tune with Practice: Pour- Over Wills, Secret Trusts, and Fixing Trust Mistakes," STEP Inside, October 2024
Publication
Co-Author, "Pour things (Recent Developments in Canada Regarding Pour-Over Provisions in Wills)," Published in STEP Journal, Trust Quarterly Review, June 2024
OBA: Fireside Chat with Your Honourable Ottawa Estates Judges, February 25, 2021
Présentation
Co-Chair, Estate Accounting and Passing of Accounts, Law Society of Ontario, January 26, 2021
Présentation
Chair, "Dinner with your Honourable Estates Judges," Canadian Bar Association, June 13, 2019.
Présentation
Chair, "Dinner with your Honourable Estates Judges," Ontario Bar Association, May 31, 2018.
Présentation
Chair, "Dinner with your Honourable Estates Judges," Ontario Bar Association, May 31, 2018.
Présentation
Speaker, "2017 Estate and Attorney Issues - Year in Review," Lunch and Learn Series, February 15, 2018
Présentation
Co-Chair/Author/Speaker, "Estate Accounting 2018," The Law Society of Ontario, January 15, 2018
Présentation
Author/Speaker, "Litigating Dead or Alive: The differences between estate and civil litigation," CCLA Civil Litigation Conference, November 17-18, 2017
Publication
Author/Speaker, "Litigating Dead or Alive: The differences between estate and civil litigation," CCLA Civil Litigation Conference, November 17-18, 2017.
Présentation
Speaker, "Expert Witnesses in Estate and Trust Litigation," Will Challenge Advocacy for Estate Litigators, The Advocates' Society, September 28, 2017
Présentation
Speaker, "Expert Witnesses In Estate And Trust Litigation," Will Challenge Advocacy For Estate Litigators, The Advocates' Society, September 28, 2017.
Présentation
Speaker, "Digital and Other Interesting Assets: POA and Executor Considerations," STEP Canada (Ottawa Branch), September 26, 2017
Présentation
Speaker, "Estate and Attorney Planning," Law Society of Nunavut, September 18, 2017
Présentation
Speaker, "Power of Attorney for Property: Legal Issues," OANHSS, March 23, 2017
Présentation
Speaker, "2016 Estate and Attorney Issues - Year in Review," Lunch and Learn Series, January 12, 2017
Présentation
Author/Speaker, "Advising the Estate Trustee: To Probate or Not to Probate?" Practice Gems: The Administration of Estates 2016, Law Society of Upper Canada, September 20, 2016
Présentation
Speaker, "Succession Planning for Your Legal Practice," Practice Gems: Probate Essentials 2016, Law Society of Upper Canada, September 20, 2016
Présentation
Speaker, "2015 Estate and Attorney Issues - Year in Review," Lunch and Learn Series, January 20, 2016.
Publication
Author/Speaker, "Rule 2.1 - The cure to the Vexatious Litigant Disease?," 18th Annual Estates and Trusts Summit, Law Society of Upper Canada, October, 2015.
Publication
Author/Speaker, "To Remove or Not to Remove, that is the Question (Removal of Trustees)," 17th Annual Estates and Trusts Summit, Law Society of Upper Canada, November, 2014.
Publication
Author, "Penman (Litigation Guardian of) v. Penman 2014 ONCA 83: Court of Appeal delivers warning to Trustees who abdicate their duties," September 2014 STEP Canada Ottawa Branch Newsletter
Publication
Author, "Penman (Litigation Guardian of) v. Penman 2014 ONCA 83: Court of Appeal delivers warning to Trustees who abdicate their duties," STEP Canada Ottawa Branch Newsletter, September 2014
Publication
Author/Speaker, “Tips and Traps of Lawyers Acting as Estate Trustees,” Ottawa Estate Planning Council, April 1, 2014
Publication
Author/Speaker, “Jurisdiction of the Court on a Contested Passing of Accounts,” The Law Society of Upper Canada, Estate Accounting 2014, February 25, 2014.
Publication
Author/Speaker, "Can You Wear Two Hats Without Two Heads? - Risks and Rewards of Lawyers Acting as Estate Trustees," CCLA 19TH East Region Solicitors Conference 2013, May 3, 2013.
Beyond Our Walls
Professional Involvement
Member, Steering Committee, Cambridge Forum for Senior Estates & Trusts Practitioners – 2nd Generation
Member, Awards Committee, County of Carleton Law Association
Trustee, Board of Trustees, Booth University College
Member, Law Society of Ontario
Member, Canadian Bar Association and Ontario Bar Association
Member, OBA Trusts and Estates Law Section Executive
Member, Law Society of Nunavut
Member, County of Carleton Law Association
Member, Society of Trust and Estates Practitioners
Member, Organizing Committee, STEP Canada National Conference
Community Involvement
Member, Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory National Advisory Board
Youth Programs Coordinator, Salvation Army Ottawa Citadel
Past Chair, Board of Governors, Ottawa Grace Manor
Past Member, Camp Quality Eastern Ontario (camp for children living with cancer)
Awards & Recognition
Recognized in the 2026 edition (and since 2019) of The Best Lawyers in Canada (Trusts and Estates and Corporate & Commercial Litigation).
Recognized in the 2026 edition (and since 2021) of Chambers Canada - Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business (General Business Law (Northern Canada and Arctic)).
Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2021) of Benchmark Canada as a "Litigation Star" (Commercial; Estate)
Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2017) of The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Estate & Personal Tax Planning - Estate Litigation). Also recognized in the 2019 edition for Commercial Litigation.
Recognized in the 2025 edition of Benchmark Canada as a "Litigation Star" (Commercial; Estate).
Recipient of the 2025 CCLA Gordon F. Henderson Award.
Bar Admission & Education
Nunavut, 2010
Ontario, 2002
Workplace Mental Health Leadership Certificate, Faculty of Health Sciences,
Université Queen’s, 2018
Program on Negotiation: Mediating Disputes Course,
Executive Program, faculté de droit de Harvard, June 2018
Accelerated Leadership Program,
Faculté de droit de Harvard, March 2018
Business Leadership for Women Lawyers Program, Rotman School of Management,
Université de Toronto, 2016