Morris-Shannon Law Office
1 lawyer · Established 1880 · Wellington County (Guelph)
One of 8 law firms listed in Fergus, and one of 4 handling Real Estate Law.
About Morris-Shannon Law Office
Morris-Shannon Law Office is a general practice in Elora, a village in Centre Wellington in Wellington County, Ontario. A law practice has run in the village since the 1880s, and the firm counts more than 140 years of continuous practice in Elora. John E. Morris opened an office in the village in 1974 and practised until 2020, and Sarah E. Shannon has carried the office forward since. Most of the day-to-day work is real estate, and the firm also handles wills, powers of attorney, estates, and business and incorporation matters.
Services are offered in both English and French, which reflects the current lawyer's degree in French Studies from the University of Guelph and a law degree from the University of Ottawa. The firm's real estate work isn't limited to houses. It runs the full range, from village homes and cottages to vacant land, farms, and commercial and industrial property. The office also acts as a notary public for out-of-province and out-of-country documents and prepares travel authorization letters for minors. A team of law clerks supports the practice, and the office keeps regular weekday hours on Geddes Street in downtown Elora.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- The office traces a continuous line of lawyers in Elora back to Henry Wissler in the 1880s, which the firm counts as more than 140 years of practice in the village.
- John E. Morris opened the John E. Morris Law Office in Elora in 1974 and practised there until 2020, when Sarah E. Shannon carried the office forward.
- The current lawyer holds a Bachelor of Arts in French Studies from the University of Guelph and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Ottawa, and joined the firm as an associate in 2011.
In the community
- The firm's founder helped establish the Elora Business Improvement Area and served as its founding chairperson.
- The founder was a member of the Elora Lions Club and served on the boards of the Centre Wellington Community Foundation, the Wellington Law Association, and Trellis Mental Health.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessibleWho handles what
The neighbourhood
The office sits on Geddes Street in the heart of downtown Elora, a village known for its 19th-century limestone architecture and its setting above the Grand River. Elora grew up around the river and the Elora Gorge, and mid-1800s stone storefronts still line the downtown core. That character shapes the work, and it's part of why a real estate practice here deals with older village homes, riverside cottages, and the surrounding farms of Centre Wellington as much as with new builds. The village is part of Centre Wellington township in Wellington County, about twenty kilometres north of Guelph, and it shares the township with the neighbouring town of Fergus.
Frequently asked questions
- Can Morris-Shannon Law Office help me buy or sell a home in Elora?
- Yes. Real estate is the main focus of the practice, and it covers residential purchases, sales, and financing. The office also handles cottages, vacant land, development land, farms, and commercial and industrial property.
- Can the firm prepare my will and powers of attorney?
- Yes. The office drafts wills and powers of attorney and tailors them to your situation. It also handles estate administration, including support for executors, court paperwork, tax questions, and settling accounts with beneficiaries.
- Does the office offer legal services in French?
- Yes. Morris-Shannon Law Office provides services in both English and French.
- I'm starting a business near Elora. Can the firm incorporate it?
- Yes. The office helps with incorporations, business contracts, purchase and sale agreements, and keeping corporate records current, and it works with businesses from startup through growth.
- How long has there been a law office in Elora?
- The practice traces a continuous line of lawyers in Elora back to the 1880s, which the firm counts as more than 140 years. John E. Morris ran the office from 1974 to 2020, and Sarah E. Shannon has carried it on since.
- Where is the office and what are its hours?
- The office is at 149 Geddes Street in downtown Elora. It's open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Where to find them
149 Geddes Street, Elora, ON N0B 1S0 · 519-846-5366
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