Estate lawyers need to know the various relationships in the life of a deceased and which may give rise to obligations on the estate. In addition, in giving advice to survivors, estate lawyers need to know the basics of family law, particularly property division under the Family Property Act, so that the surviving spouse or adult interdependent partner does not miss out on a potential claim. This on-demand program discusses the interplay between family law and wills and estates law. This on-demand program was originally presented as an in-person program titled The Next Level: Elevating Your Practice in Estate Litigation on April 25, 2024.  Total running time is 56 minutes.

Though the importance of dower rights has perhaps declined, as most married couples own their matrimonial home in joint tenancy, these rights continue to wield power and can have a variety of unintended and long-lasting consequences when the landowning spouse dies. This paper addresses the purpose of dower, the bundle of dower rights, ownership of land and dower, homesteads, consents and releases, life estates and their values, dispensing with consent, and practical problems. It also provides tips for a drafting solicitor. This paper is part of a collection presented at LESA’s 2025 Refresher: Wills and Estates in Victoria, BC on April 10-12, 2025.

This paper discusses the interplay between family law and wills and estates law. This paper is part of a collection presented at LESA’s The Next Level: Elevating Your Practice in Estate Litigation program in Edmonton on April 25, 2024.