Shiona Nickel

First Year of Call

Areas of Practice
Estates & Trusts

Description
Shiona practices in trust and estate planning and administration. Shiona assists our clients with the preparation of Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, and Representation Agreements. She also helps clients obtain grants of probate and grants of administration.

During her youth, Shiona worked alongside her father, a self-employed construction contractor, where she learned first-hand that success is born from hard work. She appreciates the value of money and the importance of strategic planning to ensure that individuals and their loved ones reap the rewards of their efforts. Shiona recognizes that clients not only want comprehensive advice but also cost-effective solutions, and she is committed to delivering on both fronts.

Prior to law school, Shiona worked as a litigation paralegal. Here, she learned not only the importance of preparing legal documents with precision to avoid legal battles but also technical skills that helped her work faster and save clients’ money.

Shiona’s own family experiences have given her insight into the challenges families face when dealing with estate matters. Shiona’s grandparents suffered from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and she observed her parents care for them and serve as executors, powers of attorney, and representatives for health care. She appreciates that estate matters can be challenging on several levels, as they are fraught with many emotionally charged issues like death, taxes, family dynamics, and money. Shiona takes pride in helping alleviate our clients’ burdens of dealing with legal matters that arise before and after death. She gives clients peace of mind knowing that their legal affairs will be taken care of while they grieve.

Shiona’s strong work ethic, compassion, and commitment to excellent client service make her a passionate and tenacious advocate for those we serve.

Services

Preparation of wills Estate planning
Assisting with the establishment and administration of trusts (including family trusts, alter ego trusts, joint partner trusts, disability trusts, pet trusts, and testamentary trusts) Obtaining grants of probate and administration
Preparation of powers of attorney, representation agreements, and advance directives Assisting with estate administration matters including passing of accounts and distributions to beneficiaries