Quebec directory

Wills, Estates & Trusts Law Firms in Montréal, Quebec

138 law firms.

What does a wills and estates notary in Montréal do?

In Quebec, most wills and estate work is handled by a notaire (notary), not a lawyer. A Montréal wills and estates notary drafts your will, keeps the original safely on file, and later guides the person settling your estate through each legal step. This is non-contentious work: preparing the will, opening the succession, and handling the paperwork that transfers property to your heirs. If a succession is contested, that dispute goes before an avocat in the Cour supérieure at the Palais de justice de Montréal, 1 rue Notre-Dame Est.

What's the difference between a notarial will and other wills in Quebec?

Quebec law recognizes three forms of will: the notarial will, the holograph will, and the will made in the presence of witnesses. A notarial will takes effect without court verification, because a notary draws it up, signs it with you, and keeps the original. A holograph will or a will made before witnesses works differently. After death it must be probated, which Quebec calls verification, either by a notary or by the Superior Court, before anyone can act on it. That extra step takes time and adds cost, which is one reason many people choose the notarial form.

Who settles a Quebec estate, and how?

The person who settles a Quebec estate is called the liquidator, a role once known as the testamentary executor. The liquidator identifies the heirs, prepares an inventory, pays the debts, and then distributes what's left according to the will. If there's no will, the estate passes according to the rules in the Civil Code of Québec. A notary can run the required will searches, confirm the liquidator's authority, and prepare the declaration of transmission that moves a house or condo into the heirs' names. Own a home in Westmount or a condo in Pointe-Claire? That transfer runs through a notary.

How do you choose a wills and estates firm in Montréal?

Start with a notary who handles successions day to day, ask whether they'll keep your original will in safekeeping, and confirm how they coordinate with an avocat if a dispute goes to court. Ask for the cost of the work in writing before you sign. Montréal firms serve the whole island, from downtown out to Kirkland, Dorval, and Dollard-Des Ormeaux, so there's usually one near you. You can confirm any notary's standing on the Chambre des notaires du Québec. Browse the wills, estates & trusts firms in Montréal below.

Agnieszka Swierzbinska, Avocat

1 lawyer · Est. 2015

This is a solo law practice in downtown Montréal run by Agnieszka Swierzbinska, who has been a member of the Barreau du Québec since December 2015 and of the Law Society of Ontario since 2019. The firm is a general pr…

Business & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsFamily LawFamily LawImmigration LawImmigration Law

Alepin Gauthier Avocats

4 lawyers · Est. 1978

Alepin Gauthier is a family-run law firm based in Laval, Quebec, founded in 1978 by François Alepin. It has grown to more than 120 team members across four Quebec offices (Laval, Vieux-Montréal, downtown Montreal, and…

Business & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawFamily LawFamily LawBankruptcy & InsolvencyBankruptcy & InsolvencyCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Alexandre Ethier Avocats is a Montreal boutique law firm with more than a decade of experience in civil litigation and business law, serving both individuals and companies. Led by Alexandre Ethier, the firm handles co…

Civil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionBusiness & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawEmployment & Labour LawEmployment & Labour LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & Trusts

Allan J. Gold

1 lawyer

Allan J. Gold is a Westmount, Quebec solo law practice focused on elder law, civil law, and commercial-corporate matters, run by attorney Allan J. Gold, who has practised law in Quebec since the mid-1970s. The practic…

Wills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsBusiness & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Allen Madelin Avocats (AMLEX) is a Montreal law firm on boulevard Saint-Laurent offering family law, estates law, civil law, business law, employment law, and real estate law services. The firm has been recognized as …

Family LawFamily LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionBusiness & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate Law

Altro LLP

9 lawyers · Est. 1988

Altro LLP is a cross-border tax and estate planning firm founded in 1988 that serves Canadian and American clients from offices in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver as well as several U.S. Sun Belt states. Its…

Tax LawTax LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsReal Estate LawReal Estate LawBusiness & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate Law

BabaLégal is a notarial practice based in Montreal, Quebec, offering real estate transactions, estate settlement, wills and powers of attorney, uncontested procedures such as marriages and civil unions, and business a…

Real Estate LawReal Estate LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsBusiness & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate Law

Barrette & Associés

4 lawyers · Est. 1990

Barrette & Associés is a law firm based in the Lachine borough of Montreal, with a second office in Vaudreuil-Dorion. Founded in 1990, the firm practices business and commercial law, civil litigation, estates, real es…

Business & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsReal Estate LawReal Estate Law

Bélanger Barkati Notaires

3 lawyers · Est. 1975

Bélanger Barkati Notaires is a boutique notarial practice in Old Montreal specializing in real estate and co-ownership law, including divided, undivided, and share co-ownership, along with wills, powers of attorney, a…

Real Estate LawReal Estate LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Bélanger, Brunet

1 lawyer · Est. 1954

Bélanger, Brunet is a Montreal law firm established in 1954, handling family law, criminal law, employment law, business law, civil and real estate law, administrative law, and bankruptcy and insolvency matters for bo…

Family LawFamily LawCriminal DefenceCriminal DefenceEmployment & Labour LawEmployment & Labour LawBusiness & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate Law

Belleau Lapointe

7 lawyers

Belleau Lapointe is a Montréal boutique litigation firm recognized nationally for its work in class actions, along with civil and commercial litigation. Its lawyers handle shareholder disputes, estate litigation, real…

Class ActionsClass ActionsCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionBusiness & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & Trusts

Benabou Avocat

1 lawyer

Benabou Avocat is a downtown Montreal law firm practising commercial law, real estate law, civil law and litigation, estate and family law, tax litigation, intellectual property and employment law. Its lawyer is also …

Business & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawReal Estate LawReal Estate LawCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & Trusts

Bessette Avocats

11 lawyers

Bessette Avocats is a boutique Montreal law firm advising businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals, both in negotiations and litigation. Its practice spans civil and commercial litigation, employment law, business…

Civil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionEmployment & Labour LawEmployment & Labour LawBusiness & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawFamily LawFamily Law

BMKAVOCAT

1 lawyer

BMKAVOCAT is a Saint-Laurent, Quebec law practice led by Béatrice Mawaba, focused on immigration and refugee law, with additional services in civil, criminal, family, business, and succession law. The firm offers bili…

Immigration LawImmigration LawBusiness & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawFamily LawFamily LawCriminal DefenceCriminal Defence

BML avocats inc.

6 lawyers · Est. 1985

BML avocats inc. is a boutique labour and employment law firm founded in 1985, based in Gatineau with a second office in Montréal. In response to client demand, the firm also offers a range of civil and family law ser…

Employment & Labour LawEmployment & Labour LawFamily LawFamily LawCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & Trusts

Bonin & Lelievre is a Quebec notarial practice offering real estate, family, estates, corporate and trust services. One notaire is also a tax specialist with a masters in taxation and teaching experience, and the othe…

Real Estate LawReal Estate LawFamily LawFamily LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsBusiness & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate Law

Bourassa Notaires

11 lawyers · Est. 2013

Bourassa Notaires is a Quebec notarial practice offering personalized legal services since 2013, with locations across the province. Its team of notaires and legal technicians handles real estate law, wills and estate…

Real Estate LawReal Estate LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsBusiness & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawFamily LawFamily Law

Bourdon Avocats

2 lawyers · Est. 1984

Bourdon Avocats is a Montreal family law firm founded in 1984, offering mediation, negotiation, collaborative law, and litigation services for divorce, separation, custody, child and spousal support, and division of p…

Family LawFamily LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsReal Estate LawReal Estate Law

Brigitte Brabant is a solo Montreal law practice focused on health law and ethics and the law of vulnerable persons. The practice advises and represents individuals in matters involving care orders, protective supervi…

Health LawHealth LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & Trusts

Bronfen Legal

1 lawyer

Bronfen Legal is a Montreal family law practice run by Shaina Bronfen, offering collaborative divorce, family mediation and family litigation. The firm helps couples resolve divorce, custody and estate disputes, favou…

Family LawFamily LawCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & Trusts

Cain Lamarre

277 lawyers · Est. 1877

Cain Lamarre is a full-service Québec law firm founded in 1877, with about 300 legal professionals across 15 offices spanning the province, from Montréal and Québec City to the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Abitibi-Témisca…

Business & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawConstruction LawConstruction LawEmployment & Labour LawEmployment & Labour LawFamily LawFamily Law

Charness, Charness & Charness LLP

11 lawyers · Est. 1925

Charness, Charness & Charness LLP is a Montreal boutique law firm founded in 1925, now in its fourth generation of Charness family lawyers. It practises civil and commercial litigation, creditors' rights and debt coll…

Civil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionCivil Litigation & Dispute ResolutionInsurance LawInsurance LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & Trusts

Christine El Nouni is an independent notary practicing privately in Quebec since 2020. Her practice focuses on estate planning, marriage contracts, and civil wedding officiation.

Wills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & TrustsFamily LawFamily LawNotary & Commissioner ServicesNotary & Commissioner Services

CorpMed Legal

1 lawyer

CorpMed Legal is a Canadian law firm that focuses on tax, corporate and commercial law for healthcare professionals and small to medium-sized businesses. It offers incorporation, estate planning and general corporate …

Business & Corporate LawBusiness & Corporate LawTax LawTax LawWills, Estates & TrustsWills, Estates & Trusts