McElderry & Morris
Automatically compiled listing. Details may contain errors.3 lawyers · Established 1921 · Wellington County (Guelph)
One of 49 law firms listed in Guelph, and one of 14 handling Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution.
About McElderry & Morris
McElderry & Morris is a Guelph law practice that helps people, families and businesses with civil litigation, personal injury, family law, real estate, corporate and commercial work, and wills and estates. The team aims to give clients solutions that are timely and accurate. The firm has been serving Guelph and the wider southwestern Ontario area for more than a hundred years.
Three lawyers practise here today. Sergio J. Manera was called to the bar in 1981 and has been with the firm since 1993, with a practice spanning real estate, business law, estates and estate planning. Patrick G. Morris, called in 1988, has been practising for over 35 years and has extensive litigation experience across personal injury, family and civil cases. Gregory G. Matthews, called in 2002 and with the firm since 2003, advises on corporate, real estate and estate planning work.
Patrick G. Morris is a lifelong Guelph resident, and Sergio J. Manera was born and raised in the city. Gregory G. Matthews also holds an MBA from St. Mary's University, earned in 1996.
The office is at 84 Woolwich Street in downtown Guelph, open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointments are booked by phone or email, and fees can be paid by cash, cheque, Interac, Visa or MasterCard.
History
The McElderry in the name is John Harris McElderry, born in Guelph in 1891. Drafted into the 1st Tank Battalion in 1918, during the First World War, McElderry was discharged the following year and called to the bar soon afterward. After two years of practice in Toronto, McElderry opened a law office in Guelph in 1921. The practice moved into 84 Woolwich Street in the 1950s, and that's still where the firm works today. McElderry remained part of the firm until 1973, the year of McElderry's death.
Patrick John Morris, born in Peel Township in 1923, studied at the Ontario Agricultural College before graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1949. After early practice in St. Catharines, Fergus and Kitchener, Morris came to Guelph in 1954 and joined McElderry, and that partnership is where McElderry & Morris began. Morris retired from the firm in 2007.
Two more lawyers joined in the 1960s. Jerry W. Matthews joined in 1963 and stayed until retiring in 1993, and G. Hayes Murphy came aboard in 1966 and remained until a 2018 retirement. Sergio J. Manera arrived in 1993. Later, the next generation stepped in: the sons of Patrick John Morris and Jerry W. Matthews, Patrick G. Morris and Gregory G. Matthews, are both members of the firm today, and Gregory is the second Matthews to practise there.
Practice areas
Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Business & Corporate Law
Family Law
Personal Injury
Real Estate Law
Wills, Estates & Trusts
Civil litigation
Patrick G. Morris makes up the civil litigation team, which takes on matters from collection of accounts, construction and insurance disputes to employment and wrongful dismissal claims, estate litigation and municipal law. The practice is built around strategic advice aimed at economical, lasting results, and Morris has also taken part in mediation and arbitration.
Personal injury
Personal injury is one of the firm's practice areas and part of its litigation work. It's handled by Patrick G. Morris, whose extensive litigation experience includes personal injury.
Family law
Family files run through Patrick G. Morris and include simple divorces, separation agreements, and marriage contracts and cohabitation agreements, so the firm can help with issues that have already happened, are happening now or may come up later.
Our guide: How to Get a Divorce in Ontario
Residential and commercial real estate
All three lawyers do real estate work, from a first home or a condo to commercial property sales. The practice also covers mortgages and refinancing, resales, and residential and commercial leases and rental agreements.
Corporate and commercial
Sergio J. Manera and Gregory G. Matthews look after the firm's business clients, whatever their size. That work includes buying or selling a business or its assets, lending and financing, corporate reorganizations, and keeping corporate records current.
Wills and estates
Every lawyer at the firm works in wills and estates. Services include drafting wills, powers of attorney for both property and personal care, personal estate planning and probate applications.
Good to know
Accessible parking
Free parking
By appointmentMilestones & recognition
- John Harris McElderry, the McElderry of McElderry & Morris, was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1958.
In the community
- Sergio J. Manera helps raise funds for a range of Guelph charities and has helped organize local sports in the city, from golf and tennis to soccer and volleyball.
- Patrick G. Morris is a past member of the board of directors of St. Joseph's Hospital and has coached minor sports, especially basketball.
Affiliations & connections
- The Advocates' Society: Patrick G. Morris of McElderry & Morris is a member of The Advocates' Society.
Lawyers 3
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 1981–2002 · median 38 years in practice 3 of 3 lawyers
- Law schools
- Osgoode Hall Law School (2), Western University 3 of 3 lawyers
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
McElderry & Morris works from 84 Woolwich Street in downtown Guelph. Woolwich Street is also home to the Former Wellington County Court House, at number 74, built between 1841 and 1843. The building is protected by an Ontario Heritage Trust easement agreement and carries one of the Trust's plaques. The same address is home to the County of Wellington's Administration Centre.
Frequently asked questions
- I have accessibility needs. Can McElderry & Morris set aside parking and help me find its accessible entrance?
- McElderry & Morris asks clients who need accessibility help to call ahead of their visit. The firm is likely able to provide a parking spot and directions to its accessible entrance.
- Where do I park for an appointment at McElderry & Morris, since the lot beside 84 Woolwich isn't theirs?
- McElderry & Morris doesn't own the lot around its building, so those spaces aren't for clients. Street parking downtown is free for up to two hours on most streets during business hours, but parking is limited, so it's worth leaving a little extra time to find a spot.
- Which courts has McElderry & Morris appeared in for litigation clients?
- McElderry & Morris lawyer Patrick G. Morris has represented clients at every level of court in Ontario, including the Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice, the Divisional Court and the Ontario Court of Appeal.
- Can McElderry & Morris help with a construction lien claim in Guelph?
- McElderry & Morris handles construction law, including construction liens, as part of its civil litigation practice.
- Can McElderry & Morris help my business with corporate estate planning or succession planning?
- McElderry & Morris offers both corporate estate planning and succession planning through its wills and estates group, alongside personal estate planning.
- Does McElderry & Morris handle cottage or rural property purchases?
- McElderry & Morris lawyer Gregory G. Matthews has handled many real estate deals, including purchases and sales of rural properties and cottages as well as homes and condos.
Where to find them
84 Woolwich Street, P.O. Box 875, Guelph, Ontario N1H 6M6 · 519-822-8150
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