Keystone Legal acts in contested estates and advises executors, trustees and beneficiaries across Alberta. The litigation side of the practice covers challenges to wills, the removal of executors, passing of accounts, claims by spouses and dependants for support from an estate, disputes over joint assets and transfers made before death, and farm succession disputes. The administration side takes an executor from the first steps after a death to final distribution, and takes over administrations that have stalled. Contested matters proceed at the Court of King’s Bench in Calgary, where counsel appears in person, and in Edmonton through agent counsel acting on the firm’s instructions. Advice and administration are available anywhere in Alberta, with meetings in Cochrane or Calgary on request.
The work may involve locating and valuing the assets, dealing with financial institutions, preparing the application to the Court and keeping the beneficiaries informed as the administration proceeds. Keeping the beneficiaries informed, and accounting to them as the law requires, often prevents a dispute from arising.
The practice is virtual, so meetings take place by video, telephone and email, with in-person meetings available on request in Cochrane or in Calgary.
Contested estate matters, including will challenges, applications to remove an executor and claims by beneficiaries, proceed at the Calgary Courts Centre, where counsel appears in person.
