Ecclestone, Hamer, Poisson, Neuwald & Freeman
5 lawyers · Established 1939 · City of Toronto, Durham Region
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 579 handling Family Law.
About Ecclestone, Hamer, Poisson, Neuwald & Freeman
Ecclestone, Hamer, Poisson, Neuwald & Freeman, known as EHPNF, is a small law firm headquartered in the Sterling Tower on Bay Street in downtown Toronto, with a second office in Whitby that extends its reach into Durham Region. The firm practices family law, wills and estates, real estate, business law, civil litigation, and employment law. Its current partnership includes Tom Hamer, Michael Freeman, and Simon Valleau, working alongside associates Andrew Chudnovsky and Chelsea Hollidge.
EHPNF traces its roots to 1939, when Alfred Ecclestone was called to the Bar of the Law Society of Upper Canada and joined the Toronto office of Andrew Shuyler, a practice with origins before the First World War. The modern firm took shape in 1981 as Ecclestone, Chykaliuk, Allan & Hamer, and it adopted its current five-name style in 1999. Simon Valleau spent a decade as a sole practitioner in family, criminal, employment, construction, and corporate-commercial law before joining EHPNF in 2001 and becoming a partner in 2007.
One of the firm's litigation partners taught for five years at Canada's National Ballet School before entering Osgoode Hall Law School in 1985, and later served as litigation counsel for the Toronto Police Association from 1998 to 2012. That range of backgrounds runs through the firm, which describes its own approach as favouring frank, realistic advice over a single, one-dimensional fix.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- The firm's roots trace to 1939, when Alfred Ecclestone was called to the Bar of the Law Society of Upper Canada and joined the office of Andrew Shuyler, a Toronto practice with origins before the First World War.
- The modern partnership was formed in 1981 as Ecclestone, Chykaliuk, Allan & Hamer and adopted its current name, Ecclestone, Hamer, Poisson, Neuwald & Freeman, in 1999.
- A partner at the firm graduated with distinction from the University of Ottawa Law School in 1989 and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1991.
- A partner at the firm was appointed a Dispute Resolution Officer in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Family Court, in Oshawa in February 2010, a position held for ten years.
In the community
- A partner at the firm is a former board member of Collaborative Practice Durham Region and a past president and former board member of the Ontario Association of Collaborative Professionals.
- A partner at the firm served as an instructor in Family Law and Practice Skills at the Bar Admission Course from 1993 to 2008, and acted as litigation counsel for the Toronto Police Association from 1998 to 2012.
- A partner at the firm is a former member of the Office of the Children's Lawyer Panel and is a certified Family Law Mediator-Arbitrator.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
By appointmentLawyers 5
Andrew Chudnovsky
Associate
Business & Corporate LawCivil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Chelsea Hollidge
Associate
Family LawWills, Estates & Trusts
J. Thomas Hamer
Partner
Wills, Estates & TrustsFamily Law
Michael N. Freeman
Partner
Family LawCivil Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Simon Philip Valleau
Partner
Real Estate LawBusiness & Corporate Law
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 1979–2025 · median 35 years in practice 5 of 5 lawyers
- Law schools
- Osgoode Hall Law School, Queen's University Belfast, University of Ottawa, University of York 4 of 5 lawyers
Who handles what
Offices 2
The neighbourhood
EHPNF's head office is in the Sterling Tower at 372 Bay Street in downtown Toronto, where the firm's family law, wills and estates, real estate, business, and litigation lawyers all work out of a single office suite reached through one main reception line rather than an automated phone tree.
A second office in Whitby extends the firm's reach into Durham Region, a natural fit for a firm where one partner spent a decade as a Dispute Resolution Officer with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Family Court, in nearby Oshawa.
Frequently asked questions
- Does EHPNF handle the purchase, sale, or refinancing of a home, cottage, or rural property?
- Yes. The firm's real estate practice covers residential and commercial purchases, sales, and refinancing, and it has also written specifically about the extra due diligence involved in rural and recreational properties, such as private water and septic systems, tanked fuel, and wood heating certification.
- Can EHPNF help with a separation, divorce, or child custody matter?
- Yes. The firm's family law practice covers domestic contracts, custody and access, parenting plans, child and spousal support, and property division, using negotiation, mediation, and alternative dispute resolution before going to court if needed.
- I'm starting or selling a business, can EHPNF help?
- Yes. The firm's business law practice covers incorporation and organization, share and asset sales, shareholder and partnership agreements, and corporate maintenance for small and medium sized businesses.
- Can EHPNF represent me in an employment dispute or after a termination?
- Yes. The firm acts for both employers and employees on employment and consulting contracts, workplace negotiations, and termination and severance matters, and can represent clients before the Human Rights Tribunal.
- Does EHPNF prepare wills and powers of attorney, and help administer an estate?
- Yes. The firm drafts wills, including dual wills, spousal wills, and Henson trusts for disabled beneficiaries, prepares powers of attorney for property and personal care, and guides executors through probate and estate administration.
- Where is EHPNF located, and how long has the firm served the Toronto area?
- The main office is in the Sterling Tower at 372 Bay Street in downtown Toronto, with a second office in Whitby. The firm's roots go back to 1939, and it has practiced under its current name since 1999.
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