Aitchison Law Office
3 lawyers · Established 1976 · Durham Region
One of 91 law firms listed in Oshawa, and one of 36 handling Real Estate Law.
About Aitchison Law Office
Aitchison Law Office is a family-run general practice firm based in Oshawa. James Aitchison earned a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor in 1974 and was called to the Ontario bar in 1976, the year the Oshawa practice began, taking on business law, estate planning, wills and estates, real estate and litigation matters. James Aitchison later served for more than 30 years as a judge of the Small Claims Court, part of Ontario's Superior Court of Justice, while still in private practice. Kelly Aitchison joined as a partner in 2000 after articling at McKenzie Lake in London, Ontario, and Laurie Aitchison joined in 2003, returning to Oshawa after being called to the California Bar and later the Ontario Bar. James Aitchison has since retired, and the firm is now run day to day by Kelly and Laurie Aitchison, with law clerks Ruth Caverly, Nicole Vespasiani and Valerie Ward rounding out the team.
Kelly Aitchison practices family law, civil litigation, tax appeals, wills and estate administration, corporate matters, employment law and municipal law, and holds an LL.M. from Osgoode Hall Law School. Laurie Aitchison's dual admission to the California Bar and the Ontario Bar carries into a practice mixing real estate, corporate work and immigration, including U.S. entry waivers and work visas for Canadians. The firm has stayed at the same Oshawa address, 419 King Street West, since 1994.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- James Aitchison earned a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor in 1974 and was called to the Ontario bar in 1976, the year the Oshawa practice opened.
- James Aitchison served for more than 30 years as a judge of the Small Claims Court, part of Ontario's Superior Court of Justice, while continuing in private practice.
- Kelly Aitchison holds an LL.M. from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University and completed the Osgoode Certificate in Law Teaching in 2025.
- Laurie Aitchison has been admitted to the California Bar since 2000 and the Ontario Bar since 2003, and remains an active member of the American Bar Association.
In the community
- Kelly Aitchison served on the Durham Region Law Association's board of directors and edited its newsletter, the DURLAW Voice, as well as its Monthly Business Report.
- Kelly Aitchison spent 9 years as a director of the Lakeridge Health Foundation, the maximum term permitted, including 7 years chairing its Governance and Nominating Committee.
- Kelly Aitchison is the supervising counsel for the Pro Bono Students Canada Will clinic at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law chapter, overseeing law students who draft wills and powers of attorney.
- Kelly Aitchison has run free Will clinics with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and given estate planning and real estate law seminars to corporations and real estate brokerages.
- Kelly Aitchison served for several years on a local Superior Court of Justice and Ontario Court of Justice committee that builds legal education programs for high school students in partnership with Durham College.
- James Aitchison volunteered with human rights organizations during a legal career that also included speaking engagements and televised debates on the rights of small business owners.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
By appointmentLawyers 3
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 1976–2003 · median 26 years in practice 3 of 3 lawyers
- Law schools
- Pepperdine University School of Law, University of Western Ontario, University of Windsor 3 of 3 lawyers
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office sits in the Executive Office complex attached to Oshawa Centre, the enclosed shopping mall at 419 King Street West that opened as a plaza in 1956 and was fully enclosed in 1968. Oshawa Centre is the largest mall in Durham Region and the largest in Ontario east of Toronto, so the building doubles as a well-known landmark for anyone in the area looking for the office.
Aitchison Law Office moved into this location in 1994 and has practiced from the same address ever since, a long run for a firm whose day-to-day work covers everything from real estate closings and business incorporations to family law, wills and estate matters for Durham Region clients.
Frequently asked questions
- I'm buying a home in Oshawa. Can Aitchison Law Office handle the closing?
- Yes. Real estate and mortgages are a core part of the practice, alongside wills, estates and business matters.
- Can the firm prepare my will and powers of attorney?
- Yes. Wills and estate administration are practice areas for both lawyers at the firm, and the firm also handles estate litigation when disputes come up.
- I'm a Canadian who needs a U.S. work visa or an entry waiver. Can the firm help?
- Yes. Laurie Aitchison is admitted to both the California Bar and the Ontario Bar and handles U.S. entry waivers and work visa applications for Canadians, along with other immigration matters.
- I disagree with a CRA reassessment. Does the firm handle tax appeals?
- Yes. Tax appeals are among the firm's practice areas, alongside civil litigation and municipal law.
- I'm starting a business in Durham Region. Can Aitchison Law Office incorporate it?
- Yes. The firm advises on business and corporate matters including incorporations, and business acquisitions and sales.
- How long has Aitchison Law Office been practicing in Oshawa?
- Since 1976, when James Aitchison was called to the Ontario bar and opened the practice. It's now run by Kelly and Laurie Aitchison, who joined the firm in 2000 and 2003.
Where to find them
419 King St West, Suite 604, Oshawa, ON L1J 2K5 · 905-433-1174
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