Updated September 8, 2026 · Legally reviewed by Jaspreet Kaur Daley, Ontario Lawyer
The right wills lawyer should be licensed in Ontario, understand estate planning, ask enough questions to identify risks, explain the plan clearly, define the fee and scope in writing, and supervise a legally sound signing process.
An initial consultation can help you understand the service and the questions the lawyer asks. It is not a substitute for checking professional standing, reading the retainer and understanding the proposed scope. Use the questions below to compare the process, not just the advertised price.
1. Confirm that the lawyer is licensed and entitled to practise
Start with the Law Society of Ontario’s Lawyer and Paralegal Directory. The directory lets the public confirm a legal professional’s licence status and find current business contact information.
Do not rely only on a website, social-media profile or online advertisement. Confirm the lawyer’s full name and practising status in the directory. Be cautious if the person giving legal advice will not identify the lawyer responsible for the file.
The Law Society also provides information on finding a lawyer or paralegal and operates a referral service for Ontario residents. A referral is one way to start, but it does not replace your own assessment of whether the lawyer’s experience and service model fit your needs.
2. Ask how much of the lawyer’s work involves wills and estates
Estate planning is not a form-filling exercise. A lawyer needs to understand how Ontario succession law interacts with family circumstances, property ownership, beneficiary designations, incapacity planning and estate administration.
Ask direct questions:
- How often do you prepare wills and powers of attorney?
- Do you work with couples, blended families or business owners in situations like mine?
- Who will review my information and give the legal advice?
- Will a lawyer conduct the planning meeting and review the final documents with me?
- What issues would make my estate plan more complex than a standard will?
The lawyer should be able to explain which facts matter and when tax, corporate, family-law or cross-border advice may be required.
3. Look for a planning process, not a document menu
A careful lawyer will usually ask about more than names and addresses. Relevant topics may include:
- spouses, partners, children and other dependants
- prior relationships and support obligations
- homes, investment property and how title is held
- bank and investment accounts
- registered plans and beneficiary designations
- life insurance
- private corporations and business interests
- property in another province or country
- loans, guarantees and significant debts
- intended estate trustees, guardians and substitute decision-makers
- beneficiaries who are minors, disabled or financially vulnerable
Not every client needs an elaborate plan. The questions establish whether the situation is truly simple.
Mand Daley Law’s overview of wills and estate planning explains the role of a will in appointing an estate trustee and directing the estate. Ontario’s estate-planning information also provides a useful starting point for understanding wills, estate distribution and the consequences of dying without a will.
4. Make sure incapacity planning is part of the discussion
A will applies after death. It does not authorize someone to manage your finances or make personal-care decisions while you are alive.
Ontario recognizes a continuing power of attorney for property and a power of attorney for personal care under the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992. These documents can be as important as the will itself. They should identify appropriate decision-makers, alternates and any instructions or limits needed for the client’s circumstances.
Ask whether the quoted service includes both types of power of attorney, how the lawyer helps you choose attorneys, and whether the documents are customized. You can read more in Mand Daley Law’s guide to powers of attorney.
5. Compare scope and service, not just the headline price
Two quotes can describe very different services. One may cover a short template and leave the client to arrange signing. Another may include a planning meeting, legal advice, customized drafting, revisions, a lawyer-led review, supervised execution, affidavits and organized final copies.
Ask for the scope and total pricing in writing. Useful questions include:
- Is the fee fixed or hourly?
- Does the amount include HST and disbursements?
- How many wills and powers of attorney are included?
- Are planning and document-review meetings included?
- Are reasonable revisions included?
- Is signing included, and who supplies the witnesses?
- Is mobile signing available, and is there an additional charge?
- What could cause the fee to change?
- When is payment required?
The Law Society’s public guidance on choosing the right legal professional recommends asking about experience, how fees are charged and the likely cost. Clear pricing means the lawyer explains what the quote covers and discusses material changes.
Make a like-for-like comparison
Before deciding, write down four answers from each firm: the documents and advice included, the circumstances that may require additional work, how review and signing are handled, and what you will receive when the matter is complete.
Mark any unanswered item before comparing fees. This helps distinguish a clear scope from an assumption and keeps the comparison focused on the work your family needs.
6. Ask how the lawyer handles couples
Many spouses want coordinated or mirror wills. The lawyer still acts for two individual clients, each of whom must understand the plan and give voluntary instructions.
Before retaining the lawyer, ask:
- Will the lawyer meet with both partners together?
- Can either partner speak with the lawyer privately if needed?
- How does confidentiality work between jointly represented spouses?
- What happens if the partners give conflicting instructions?
- Is each partner free to choose different estate trustees, gifts or terms?
These questions are especially important for blended families, second marriages, unequal assets or concerns about pressure. A competent process should not assume that one spouse speaks for the other.
7. Understand how signing will be completed
Ontario’s Succession Law Reform Act contains the formal rules for making a will. A conventional witnessed will is signed or acknowledged in the presence of two witnesses who are present at the same time, and both witnesses sign in the will-maker’s presence.
Ontario permits witnessing through audio-visual communication technology when statutory requirements are met. At least one witness must be a Law Society licensee, and the legislation permits counterpart signing in that process. This is more structured than placing an electronic signature on a document.
Ask who will organize the witnesses, where signing will occur, what identification is required and what proof of execution will be prepared. Raise mobility, hospitalization or travel issues early.
8. Ask what you will receive and where originals will be kept
At the end of the matter, you should know:
- which documents were signed
- where each original will and power of attorney will be stored
- who should receive copies
- how to contact the firm if a change is needed
- whether the firm keeps originals or returns them to the client
The Law Society’s guidance on locating wills and legal documents notes that some lawyers store original wills and powers of attorney, but they are not required to do so. Storage practices vary. Whatever the arrangement, tell the estate trustee where the original will can be found without giving the document to someone who should not control it.
9. Pay attention to clarity and responsiveness
The lawyer should explain recommendations in language you understand.
Good signs include:
- questions that are specific to your family and assets
- clear explanations of choices and trade-offs
- written confirmation of the work and fee
- realistic timelines
- a reliable way to contact the firm
- a final review that checks names, appointments and distribution terms
Be cautious about vague answers, pressure to sign immediately, unexplained legal terms, advice based on only one spouse’s instructions, or witnessing treated as an afterthought.
10. Use reviews carefully
Reviews can show whether a firm communicates promptly, explains its process and treats clients respectfully. They cannot prove that a legal document is correct. Read several reviews, then verify the lawyer through the Law Society directory and ask your own questions.
Does the lawyer need to be in Mississauga?
Not necessarily. Some planning and review meetings can be conducted by phone or video. A local lawyer may still be convenient for signing and future updates.
Ask whether the firm offers:
- phone or video planning meetings
- office signing by appointment
- mobile signing in Mississauga, Brampton or Oakville
- clear weekday availability and response times
- support for later updates
Convenience should follow competence and a sound process.
What should you bring to the first meeting?
You do not need exact account balances. A practical starting list includes:
- full legal names and family relationships
- a general asset and debt summary
- how major assets are owned
- corporate or partnership information
- existing wills, powers of attorney and domestic contracts
- your preferred estate trustees, attorneys and alternates
- questions about children, stepchildren or vulnerable beneficiaries
The Law Society’s guide to preparing to meet a lawyer recommends gathering relevant papers, explaining the situation openly and preparing to discuss fees.
Our Ontario Will and Power of Attorney appointment checklist explains what is useful for an initial call and what to organize for the detailed planning meeting.
A short consultation should give you a clear next step
You should leave the initial conversation knowing whether the firm handles your type of planning, what documents are recommended, how the process works, what the service costs and what information is needed from you.
Mand Daley Law offers lawyer-guided estate planning for individuals and couples in Mississauga and surrounding communities. The Family Protection Plan combines coordinated wills and powers of attorney for couples who fit the plan’s scope. A consultation can identify whether that package is suitable or a tailored plan is required.
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This article provides general legal information for Ontario residents. It is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. The right estate plan depends on your family, assets, obligations and goals.