Lisa C. Sticht-Maksymec

Lisa Sticht-Maksymec’s practice encompasses all aspects of estate planning, estate administration, power of attorney/guardianship administration, estate litigation and applications for guardianship for incapable adults.

As a senior member of the Wills and Estates Practice, her approach explores both legal and practical solutions to matters that are inevitably personal, sensitive and emotional.

Estate planning

Lisa provides clients with broad estate planning advice and prepares comprehensive Wills, testamentary trusts of all kinds, inter vivos trusts, powers of attorney for property, powers of attorney for personal care, living Wills, Wills Agreements and related documents needed to implement comprehensive estate plans, tailored to each client’s unique needs.

Years of experience with estate administration and estate litigation, enable Lisa to identify practical solutions to clients’ estate planning needs, to advise about the best ways to plan for the efficient administration of their estates, and to avoid costly family disputes at the estate planning stage.

She works with high net-worth individuals, families, spouses in blended families, and successful business owners and entrepreneurs who are looking for efficient ways to transfer their wealth to the next generation. Lisa also works closely with families who have children with disabilities to protect ODSP eligibility.

Estate administration

Executors and trustees seek Lisa’s advice and guidance about their duties and responsibilities in the administration of estates and trusts, from applications for certificate of appointment of estate trustee (with or without a Will), to resolving claims against estates, passing accounts and winding up estates. Her experience extends to administering estates with foreign beneficiaries and foreign assets.

Furthermore, she advises and guides beneficiaries who want to better understand their rights and interests. She assists executors or attorneys for property in accounting matters and, where necessary, in bringing applications for formally pass accounts before the court. She also regularly advises attorneys and guardians about their duties and responsibilities.

Providing advice both before and after clients are appointed by the court, Lisa assists individuals and trusts companies in becoming guardians for property and for personal care of incapable adults. Likewise, she assists attorneys and guardians to account to the Public Guardian and Trustee and to obtain judicial discharge. Her extensive experience has been recognized by the Ontario Public Guardian and Trustee’s Office, as she has been appointed on several matters as section 3 counsel under the Substitute Decisions Act to represent persons whose capacity is in issue in legal proceedings.

Estate litigation

Acting for executors, trustees, attorneys for property, attorneys for personal care, guardians and disgruntled beneficiaries, Lisa appears regularly at the Superior Court of Justice on motions and applications and represents clients in mandatory and voluntary mediation.

She represents clients in a variety of estate litigation matters, including contested passings of account, challenges to the validity of Wills, removal of executors or trustees, dependent relief claims, obtaining orders for assistance and directions from the court, proving lost Wills and contested guardianship applications.