Bernadette Dietrich is a partner and chair of the Trusts and Estates Planning section of our Tax Group in Toronto. She practises in the areas of personal tax, estate planning and succession, trusts, estate litigation, estate administration, substitute decision-making and charities matters. Ms. Dietrich's clients include financial institutions, financial planning firms, corporate trustees, owner managers, family businesses, charitable organizations and individual clients. She regularly advises clients in respect of complex estate planning and the use of trusts in commercial and personal contexts. Ms. Dietrich is also experienced in all aspects of estate litigation (including trust variations, will contestations, dependant's support proceedings and applications for advice and direction), issues arising out of substitute decision-making and charitable organizations. She has been an instructor in the Estate Administration Course for the Institute of Law Clerks of Ontario and an advisor to the Institute. Ms. Dietrich was also an instructor for the Law Society of Upper Canada, Bar Admission Course in the Estate Planning and Administration Section for more than 10 years. She is the past-chair of the OBA Trusts and Estates Section and is a former editor of the Section's Deadbeat publication. Ms. Dietrich is a member of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) and an editor of its "STEP Inside" publication, and a member of the Toronto Estates Practitioners Group and the Estate Planning Council. She is a frequent speaker and writer on her areas of expertise. She has chaired or participated in numerous continuing legal education seminars for members of the legal profession, industry groups and others. Ms. Dietrich is also invited to speak frequently to clients and others on current issues and cases. Ms. Dietrich writes regularly for professional publications on issues of interest. She is a co-author of Widdifield on Executors and Trustees. In 2012, Ms. Dietrich is listed as one of The Best Lawyers in Canada in the field of Trusts and Estates. She also appears in the 2011 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, a guide to the leading law firms and practitioners in Canada, as a leading lawyer in the area of estate and personal tax planning. She received her LLB from the University of Ottawa in 1986 and her BA (Hons.) from the University of Waterloo. Ms. Dietrich was called to the Ontario bar in 1988. |