Advising Trustees, Beneficiaries and Others 2026


Course Date: June 4, 2026

Full Course Materials
Total: 5h 26min
Total Ethics: 1h
Course Introduction and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:10)
 
Nadia Myerthall Program Lawyer, CLEBC, Vancouver
Fiona Hunter
Horne Coupar LLP, Victoria
 
Being a TrusteeWhat's Involved (9:10 – 10:10)
 
  • basics
  • responsibilities, duties, risks
  • terms of trust
  • letter of wishes and ancillary documents
  • reporting requirements
  • unusual situations
Nikki Hildebrand  Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, Vancouver
 
Trustee Decisions, or the "Rock and the Hard Place" (10:10 – 11:10)
 
  • discretionary decisions and the "proper purpose" doctrine
  • seeking advice and directions (and judicial blessings)
  • trustee liability and exoneration
  • resignation and discharge: what's involved?
Scott Kerwin  Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
 
BREAK (11:10 – 11:25)
 
Advising Trustees Regarding Beneficiaries (11:25 – 12:25)
 
  • identifying and locating
  • disclosing the terms of the trust and the duty to account
  • planning for incapable beneficiaries
Braeden J. Rahn  Geoffrey W. White Law Corporation & Clark Wilson LLP, Kelowna & Vancouver
 
LUNCH (12:25 – 1:05)
 
Various Tax Issues (1:05 – 2:00)
 
  • death of settlor in alter ego trust/settlor and spouse in joint partner trust 
  • trust reporting rules
  • foreign beneficiaries and compliance certificates
  • new anti-flipping rules
  • change of control
Caroline Deane  Horne Coupar LLP, Victoria
 
Trust Planning for Blended Families (2:00 – 2:50)
 
  • wills variation considerations
  • spouse trusts and control considerations
  • funding and liquidity considerations
  • implementable versus defensible plans
Nicco Bautista  Lumina Law, Vancouver
 
BREAK (2:50 – 3:05)
 
Advising on Charitable Giving in Trusts (3:05 – 3:55)
 
  • compare benefits of donations in will or beneficiary designation and inter vivos trusts
  • charitable remainder trusts
  • public and private foundations
Sarah Fitzpatrick  Miller Thomson LLP, Vancouver
 
Concluding Remarks (3:55 – 4:00)
 
Fiona Hunter Horne Coupar LLP, Victoria