Events and Conferences

2025

• March 20 – 22, 2025
  Margaret O’Sullivan participated in a panel discussion titled “It’s Complicated: Multijurisdictional Incapacity,” at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), in Palm Springs, California.

• January 22 – 24, 2025
  Margaret O’Sullivan attended the Private Client Global Strategy Forum 2025, to be held at the picturesque Gleneagles Hotel, in Auchterarder, Scotland.

  Sessions on the 2025 agenda included: “Global Mobility: Jurisdiction Shopping,” “Millennial Millionaires: Intergenerational Wealth Transfer,” and “The Year After: Where Globalization is Producing Winners and Losers.”

2024

• November 18, 2024
  Margaret O’Sullivan spoke at STEP Toronto on “Difficult Conversations in Estate Planning and How to Handle Them.”
• 
  November 13-16, 2024
  Margaret O’Sullivan attended the Private Client International Forum, in Cernobbio, Italy. This is the signature annual conference, organized by Private Client Global Elite, for leading international private client lawyers from around the world discussing the most topical and pressing issues facing private clients through working sessions and panel discussions (by invitation only).
• October 27-29, 2024
  Margaret O’Sullivan attended the Cambridge Forum for Senior Estates and Trusts Practitioners, Langdon Hall, Cambridge, Ontario (by invitation only).
• October 23 – 25, 2024
  Margaret O’Sullivan attended the Private Client Global Elite: Minds of the Future, The Cotswolds, U.K. Exploring future trends and directions in private client work including in the context of the global economy.

• October 6-8, 2024
  O’Sullivan Estate Lawyers LLP was proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the inaugural STEP Canada-USA Cross-Border Conference in Chicago.

  The conference featured 32 leading specialists discussing the latest trends and developments in cross-border estate planning and wealth management in Canada and the US. Enrolment was limited to 200 in-person attendees.

• October 3, 2024
  Margaret O’Sullivan spoke on the estate planning needs of women at the Women’s Financial Mastery Series hosted by Nicola Wealth in Toronto. She also took questions on: marriage contracts and co-habitation agreements; wills and multiple wills; cross-border considerations; gifting to adult children; and family trusts. Private event.
• June 20-21, 2024
  Margaret O’Sullivan spoke at the Transcontinental Trusts Bermuda Conference.

• May 19 – 23, 2024
  Margaret O’Sullivan chaired a panel discussion on cross-border incapacity issues at the International Academy of Trust and Estate Law held in Mayakoba, Mexico.

• March 27, 2024
  The O’Sullivan Team presented a 1-hour webinar, “It’s Complicated: Estate Planning and Administration for the Modern Family,” through London, U.K.-based legal publisher Mondaq.

  This webinar identified key issues advisers and their clients need to know about including: cultural intelligence and multijurisdictional expertise; challenges of blended families; evolving definitions of “parent,” “child,” “issue,” and “spouse”; obstacles and conflicts when wills and trusts cross borders; and gender identity and fluidity and its impact on estate planning and drafting.

  To view either the webinar recording or the PowerPoint presentation, click on our “Webinars and Video” page, under the Resources tab.

2023

• December 12, 2023
  Blair Botsford spoke, via webinar, on the topic “Multijurisdictional Planning and Administration for Minors,” at STEP Spotlight Cross-Border Estates Event.

• November 27 – 29, 2023
  Margaret O’Sullivan spoke on “Modern Estate Planning for Modern Families” at the STEP Bermuda Annual Conference.

• November 23, 2023
  Blair Botsford spoke at the Ontario Bar Association’s (OBA) Trusts and Estates Section, via webinar, on the topic “Estate Planning and Administration for Unique Assets.”

• November 22, 2023
  Blair Botsford spoke at the GTA Accountants & Finance Network (GTAAFN), via webinar, on the topic “Estate Planning and Administration for Persons with Disabilities: Tips, Traps and Common Ground.”

• November 15 – 17, 2023
  Margaret O’Sullivan attended the Private Client Forum hosted by Legal Week in Cernobbio, Italy.

• November 2, 2023
  Blair Botsford spoke at STEP Bermuda on the topic “Updates from Canada, Private Trust Corporations and Foundation Companies.”

• October 12 – 13, 2023
  Margaret O’Sullivan attended the Private Client Exchange hosted by Legal Week in Vence, France.

• Thursday, May 11 – Saturday, May 13, 2023
  Margaret O’Sullivan spoke on “Modern Estate Planning for Modern Families” at the STEP Caribbean Conference, held in Panama City, Panama.
• Thursday, March 23, 2023
  The O’Sullivan Team hosted an international webinar for members of Mondaq, on “Navigating the Cross-Border Highway: A Roadmap for Canada-U.S. Estate Planning and Administration.”
• March 2-4, 2023
  Margaret O’Sullivan attended the Annual Meeting of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) in New Orleans, U.S.
• Thursday & Friday, January 19-20, 2023
  Margaret O’Sullivan was a speaker on “An Update from Canada” on Canadian developments in estate planning for private clients and family offices at the STEP Cayman Conference – International Wealth Structuring Forum, Grand Cayman.

2022

• Tuesday, November 8, 2022
  Margaret O’Sullivan participated in a panel discussion on a virtual webinar focused on “How are lawyers evolving their estate practices to deliver results?” Topics covered during the webinar included: meeting evolving client needs and innovation beyond people, process and technology. This event was part of the Canadian Legal Innovation Forum Fall Webinar Series.
• November 7, 2022
  Stephanie Battista spoke on “Wills, Estates and Powers of Attorney” at this year’s Association of Law Officers of the Crown (ALOC)/ Government of Ontario Educational Conference, in Niagara Falls.
• Sunday, October 23 to – Tuesday, October 25, 2022
  Margaret O’Sullivan led a session, organized by the Cambridge Forum, that explored challenging issues around family trusts. The session was held at Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Ontario.
• Tuesday, September 27, 2022
  Margaret O’Sullivan was on an international panel to discuss the issues and challenges that families regularly face in appointing an executor of a cross-border estate and address the significance of adequate estate planning. Hosted by STEP’s Cross-Border Special Interest Group.
• Thursday, September 22, 2022
  A member of the O’Sullivan team once again co-chaired the Administration of Estates continuing professional development (CPD) program intended for lawyers organized by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO).
• Thursday, September 15, 2022
  Marly Peikes spoke on the topic “Practical Advice for Tackling Challenging Planning Issues” at “Wills and Estate Planning: A Primer,” organized by the Ontario Bar Association (OBA).
• Wednesday, July 13 to Friday, July 15, 2022
  Margaret O’Sullivan was invited to be both a Member of the Advisory Board and a Presenter at the Private Client Forum Americas, in Mayakoba, Mexico.

• Wednesday, July 6 to Friday, July 8, 2022
  Margaret spoke on the topic “The Cross-Border Advisor: Globalization, Populism and Backlash,” at the STEP Global Congress in London, England.

• Wednesday, February 2, 2022
  A member of the O’Sullivan team spoke on the topic “Navigating the Challenges of Cross-Border Families” at the Ontario Bar Association’s (OBA) 47th Annual Institute series, titled “SERVING THE FAMILY: Unpacking the Intersecting Issues in Family, Estates and Real Estate Law.“

• Tuesday, January 18, 2022
  Margaret was a speaker at “A Conversation with Experienced Estate Planners,” hosted by the Ontario Bar Association (OBA).

2021

• Tuesday, November 23, 2021
  Margaret and the O’Sullivan team presented a webinar, “Will and Power of Attorney Planning Considerations for Clients with U.S. Connections,” to advisors of Nicola Wealth Management. Private event.
• Tuesday,  November 9 & Wednesday, November 10, 2021
  Margaret spoke on “Cross-border Estate Planning Considerations” on November 9, at the Institute Across Borders: Legal Issues and Best Practices for Ontario Lawyers Around the World, organized by the Ontario Bar Association (OBA).
• Thursday, October 21, 2021
  Estates and Trusts Summit
  Law Society of Ontario (LSO)
  A member of the O’Sullivan team spoke on “Exercising a Custody and Guardianship Clause in a Will” with a focus on guardianship of property appointments for minor children, at the 24^th Estates and Trusts Summit, a 2-day conference organized by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO).
• Friday, September 24, 2021
  Margaret O’Sullivan presented “Powers of Attorney: The Hurdles Associated With the Practical Use of a Power of Attorney in Today’s World” at the Elder Law Online Symposium, organized by the Canadian Bar Association (CBA).
• Thursday, September 23, 2021,
  Administration of Estates Law
  Society of Ontario (LSO)
  A member of the O’Sullivan team co-chaired a half-day program “Administration of Estates,” a continuing professional development program (CPD) intended for lawyers and organized by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO). 
  Stephanie Battista, of O’Sullivan Estate Lawyers, also spoke at the event on “Jointly Held Assets.”
• Wednesday, June 2, 2021
  STEP Worldwide
  Margaret O’Sullivan designed and moderated an international webinar titled “Civil Law and Common Law: A Comparison of Estate Administration on Death” on Wednesday, June 2, 2021. This event was hosted by the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Worldwide, for lawyers practising in Estates and Trusts Law internationally.
• Tuesday, March 2, 2021
  International Planning Committee
  American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
  Margaret O’Sullivan presented on the topic “Canada’s Death Tax Regime: How Does it Work? How Might it Change?” at the international Estate Planning Committee, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
• Wednesday, February 10, 2021
  Global Elite panel, invitation-only event.
  Margaret O’Sullivan spoke at the Global Elite panel on February 10th, 2021. The panel discussed the pandemic’s impact on the perception of wealth, and shone a spotlight on the topic of a wealth tax (or its lack thereof) across several jurisdictions. Margaret was representing Canada; other panelists were from UK, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland.
• Wednesday, February 3 and Thursday, February 4, 2021, virtual event
  Annual Institute Series, Ontario Bar Association (OBA)
  A member of the O’Sullivan team spoke on the topic of “Business Succession Part 2: Critical Issues in Implementation and Administration” at the conference titled “SERVING THE FAMILY: Critical Insights on the Issues Impacting Families in Corporate, Estates and Family Law,” part of the Annual Institute Series, now it its 46th year, organized by the Ontario Bar Association (OBA).

2020

• Tuesday, December 1, 2020, 16:30 GMT  (11:30am EST)
  STEP Worldwide Special Interest Group (SIG) Spotlight Week (paid registration required)
  Live webcast: “A Comparative Review of the Use of Will Substitutes.”
  Margaret O’Sullivan will moderate this session which will include panelists Lionel Smith, law professor at McGill University (expert in common law, estate planning and trusts), and Dr. Gregor Christandl, LL.M. (Yale), associate professor at the University of Innsbruck (expert in civil law and estate planning). The live webcast is part of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) Worldwide Spotlight Sessions.More information:  STEP Worldwide
• Monday, November 9, 2020, virtual event
  The LIFE Institute
  A member of the O’Sullivan team presented on estate planning to about 50 members of The LIFE Institute. The LIFE Institute delivers high quality educational programs for older adults covering a wide variety of subjects in the Arts, Humanities, Sciences, Technology and Contemporary Issues. The LIFE Institute is an affiliate of the Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University. More information:  The LIFE Institute
• Tuesday, October 27, 2020, virtual event (paid registration required)
  STEP Canada 2020 Speaker Series
  “Incapacity at Home and Abroad:  Jurisdictional Challenges”
  Margaret O’Sullivan will be one of three panelists who will explore the challenges that can arise from the perspective of both civil-law jurisdictions, such as France, Portugal, and Mexico, and common-law jurisdictions, such as Florida, California, and Arizona.
  More information:  STEP Canada
• LIVE WEBINAR: It’s Complicated: Solutions for Planning and Administering an Estate with Foreign ConnectionsWednesday, September 23, 2020
  10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EDT
  Learn More
• Margaret attended American College of Trust and Estate Counsel Annual Meeting in Boca Raton, Florida on March 4 -8, 2020.
• Margaret spoke at Global Legal Week Private Client Forum Americas Forum to be held in in Riviera Maya, Mexico on February 5-7, 2020

2019

• A member of the O’Sullivan team spoke at the Senior Estate & Trust Practitioners’ Forum, Cambridge, Ontario on November 4, 2019 “Cross-Border Problems, You Know You Got ‘Em”, and on November 5, 2019 “Predator and Prey: When an Estate Planner Become a Meal for a Hungry Litigator”
• Margaret spoke at the OBA Trusts & Estates Section Program on November 11, 2019 on a panel of senior estate planning lawyers to discuss best practices in the area of estate planning
• Marly spoke at the OBA Make a Will Month at the Eglinton Square library on November 12, 2019.
• Margaret spoke at the STEP Cross-Border Estates program “Multiple Taxation on Death”, London, U.K. on November 22, 2019
• O’Sullivan Estate Lawyers hosted a webinar on the topic Protecting a Child’s Inheritance on October 24, 2019. View the webinar and presentation slides
• O’Sullivan Estate Lawyers has been named a winner for the award of Boutique Firm of the Year for the 2019/20 STEP Private Client Awards was held in London U.K. on September 25, 2019 where Margaret and Susannah attended.
• A member of the O’Sullivan team presented at the OBA Elder Law Passport Series on Capacity: Client Capacity in a Legal Retainer on September 18, 2019
• O’Sullivan Estate Lawyers were Gold Sponsors at the 2019 STEP Canada Conference on June 6-7, 2019
• A member of the O’Sullivan team presented at Manulife’s Tax & Estate Planning team’s technical session on June 4, 2019.
• Margaret attended the annual conference of the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law, May 20-23, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan
• Margaret spoke on current Canadian estate planning issues at the STEP International Tax and Estate Planning Forum: Around the Globe in Laguna Beach, CA on May 9-10, 2019
• Margaret spoke on current Canadian estate planning issues at Global Legal Week Private Client Forum Americas 2019 at Newport Beach, CA, on March 27-29, 2019
• A member of the O’Sullivan team spoke at the Professional Accountants PD Network on February 5, 2019, on executor and trustee responsibilities and compensation
• A member of the O’Sullivan team co-chaired The Annotated Will 2019 program at the Law Society of Ontario on January 16, 2019.

2018

• A member of the O’Sullivan team attended the Estates & Trusts Practitioners’ Forum on November 4 – 6, 2018
• Margaret attended the Senior Trust and Estate Practitioners’ Forum on October 14-16, 2018
• A member of the O’Sullivan team spoke on Estate Administration Issues Arising in Challenging Situations at the Estates and Trusts Summit for the Law Society of Ontario on October 11, 2018
• Margaret spoke at an estate planning seminar at Pal Insurance on October 11, 2018
• A member of the O’Sullivan team spoke at STEP Toronto on Dealing with Challenges in Will and Trust Administration on October 10, 2018
• A member of the O’Sullivan team attended the STEP Global Congress in Vancouver on September 13-14, 2018.
• Margaret was the Chair of the Program Committee and chaired the 2018 STEP Global Congress in Vancouver on September 13-14, 2018
• A member of the O’Sullivan team spoke at The South Leaside Group on June 4, 2018
• Margaret spoke on choice of law issues in succession matters at the STEP Canada Annual Conference on May 29, 2018
• A member of the O’Sullivan team spoke on Estate Planning and Update on the Land Transfer Tax in Ontario at the 2018 STEP Canada Annual Conference in Toronto on May 29, 2018
• Margaret spoke on family wealth transfers at BloombergSen Women’s event on May 1, 2018
• Margaret spoke on estate planning at Georgian Triangle Lifelong Learning on April 20, 2018
• Susannah spoke on Estate and Tax Planning for Canadians with U.S. Connections at Manulife on March 28, 2018
• Margaret attended the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas on March 8 – 11, 2018
• A member of the O’Sullivan team presented at STEP Toronto Program: Legal & Case Law Update on January 17, 2018
• A member of the O’Sullivan team co-chaired the Law Society of Ontario Annotated Will program on January 15, 2018

2017

• Margaret co-planned the program and spoke at STEP Cross-Border Estates– Mental & Incapacity Sessions in London, U.K. on November 30, 2017 on incapacity planning across borders
• Margaret spoke at an Estate Planning Breakfast Workshop at Pal Insurance on November 14, 2017
• A member of the O’Sullivan team attended the Estate and Trusts Practitioner’s Forum on November 5-7, 2017
• Margaret attended the Fall Meeting of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Nashville, October 12-22, 2017
• Margaret spoke on Technology and Private Client Practice at the Cidel Provence Estate Planning Conference, September 5-14, 2017
• Margaret spoke at the 2017 STEP Canada National Conference on “Discretionary Trusts – Practical Concerns”, Toronto, June 12 – 13, 2017
• O’Sullivan Estate Lawyers spoke on Canada-U.S. Cross Border Estate Planning Issues, National Bank Toronto, June 7, 2017
• A member of the O’Sullivan team spoke at a CIBC Trust Seminar on appointing a U.S. resident/citizen as an executor or trustee and special issues for Canadian executors of estates with U.S. assets, Toronto, May 30, 2017
• A member of the O’Sullivan team spoke at the Ontario Bar Association seminar on Real Property in the Trusts and Estates Context, Toronto, April 25, 2017
• Margaret spoke on a panel at STEP Toronto, “Estate Planning for Global Families“, Toronto, April 12, 2017
• Margaret spoke at Private Client Forum Americas, “Technologic: Technological Liberation and the Transparency of Trust”, Mayan Riviera, Mexico, February 15-17, 2017
• Margaret spoke at Gluskin Sheff + Associates Inc., Private Client Lunch Seminar, February 9, 2017
• A member of the O’Sullivan team co-chaired the Law Society of Ontario, The Annotated Will 2017, Toronto, January 12, 2017

2016

• Margaret spoke at the 2016 CBA Wills, Estates and Trusts Fundamentals for Estate Practitioners program on “Conflicts of Laws”, Toronto, October 26, 2016
• Margaret spoke at the Canadian Tax Foundation, 2016 Ontario Tax Conference on “Multijurisdictional Estate Planning”, Toronto, October 25, 2016
• Margaret spoke at the Law Society of Ontario Practice Gems: The Administration of Estates program, “Issues Arising Where There Are Foreign Beneficiaries or Legal Representatives of an Estate”, Toronto, September 20, 2016
• Margaret spoke at the 2016 STEP Canada National Conference on a panel “The Impact of the European Regulation on Succession in Canada”, Toronto, June 10, 2016
• Margaret spoke at the Osgoode Professional Development, Certificate in Elder Law program, “Advance Care Planning / Drafting Powers of Attorney for Personal Care and Interpreting Powers of Attorney for Personal Care – Views from Both Sides”, Toronto, May 10, 2016
• A member of the O’Sullivan team spoke at the Commons Institute webcast program: Advanced Topics in Wills and Estates Law 2016, Toronto, February 11, 2016