Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel
1 lawyer · Established 1879 · Niagara Region
One of 16 law firms listed in Welland, and one of 10 handling Real Estate Law.
Virtual appointments
Virtual appointmentsAbout Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel
Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel is a sole-practitioner law firm in Welland, Ontario, continuing a legal practice that traces back to January 1879, when Richard Harcourt and T.D. Cowper opened an office in the city. Harcourt went on to serve as Ontario's Minister of Finance and Minister of Education, while Cowper served as Crown Attorney for Welland County from 1892 until 1936. The firm's name and its lawyers have changed many times over the decades since, arriving at its current form under sole practitioner William Melnychuk.
Melnychuk earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Criminology from the University of Western Ontario in 2010, then studied law at the University of Newcastle Law School in New South Wales, Australia, and was called to the bar there in 2015 before being called to the Ontario bar in June 2017. The practice today covers real estate, family law, wills and estates, estate litigation, and guardianship and capacity matters, with appearances at the Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice, and the Ontario Court of Appeal. The office at 170 Division Street offers both in-person and virtual appointments to clients across Welland and the wider Niagara Region.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- The practice traces back to January 1879, when Richard Harcourt and T.D. Cowper opened a law office in Welland.
- Cofounder Richard Harcourt later served as Ontario's Minister of Finance and Minister of Education.
- Cofounder T.D. Cowper served as Crown Attorney for Welland County from 1892 until 1936.
- William Melnychuk was called as a lawyer in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia in 2015, then called to the Ontario Bar in June 2017.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
Free parking
Virtual appointments
In-person servicesWho handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office is on Division Street in downtown Welland, a city that grew up around the Welland Canal and is known locally as the Mural City for the dozens of large murals painted across downtown buildings depicting that canal and industrial history. Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel's own roots in Welland, a law practice operating continuously since 1879, run nearly as deep as the canal town's own story, and the firm still works out of the same downtown core that grew up alongside it.
Frequently asked questions
- What areas of law does Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel handle?
- Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel handles real estate, family law, wills and estates, estate litigation, and guardianship and capacity matters from a single Welland office.
- Can Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel help me buy or sell a home in Welland?
- Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel handles the legal side of home purchases, sales, mortgages, and refinances, and offers both in-person and virtual appointments for closings.
- My spouse and I are separating. Can the firm draft a separation agreement?
- Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel prepares separation agreements, cohabitation agreements, and marriage contracts, and also handles parenting arrangements and property settlement when a relationship ends.
- Does Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel take Legal Aid Ontario certificates for family law cases?
- Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel's William Melnychuk is listed on Legal Aid Ontario's own roster for family law and child protection work, so legal aid certificates can be arranged for eligible clients.
- I need a will and power of attorney. Can the firm prepare those for me?
- Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel prepares wills, powers of attorney, probate applications, and estate administration and planning, and also handles estate litigation such as will challenges and dependant support claims.
- How long has Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel been practicing in Welland, and where is the office?
- Houghton, Sloniowski & Stengel continues a Welland law practice that dates back to January 1879, and today it operates from 170 Division Street, open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. by appointment.
Where to find them
170 Division Street, Welland, Ontario L3B 4A2 · 905-734-4577
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Criminal DefenceListing compiled from the firm’s public website in September 2026. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗