Jillian C. Bowman Jillian’s areas of practice include Family Law, Child Protection as well as Wills and Estate Administration. Jillian assists her clients with matters such as separation, divorce, custody and access, child support, spousal support and child protection matters. Jillian can also assist you with your estate planning and drafting of your wills and/or powers of attorney.Jillian was called to the bar in 2015. She obtained her BA from York University and her LLB from the University of Sussex law school. Prior to law school, Jillian worked as a certified Law Clerk in family law, which inspired her to further her legal education.Jillian is a children’s lawyer with the Office of the Children’s Lawyer and represents children in court cases involving custody, access and, child protection.Jillian is passionate about family law and committed to playing an active role in the Simcoe County community as well as the legal community. Jillian is on the Board of Directors for Youth Haven, an organization dedicated to inspiring youth to reach their full potential with the support of their community. She is the former Vice President of the Simcoe County Family Law Lawyers Association and a volunteer with Barrie Lawyers feed the Hungry and Season’s Centre for All Children. Her enthusiasm for the Law, helping others, personal and inner growth is second to none. By Fauzan SiddiquiApril 3, 2023October 18, 2023
Dale Lediard Dale Lediard joined Devry Smith Frank LLP (“DSF”) as a result of the merger of our firms in 2022. He has been practicing law since 2009 and understands that ultimately what clients want from their lawyer is peace of mind. Peace of mind that their legal matter will be handled professionally and efficiently. Dale works closely with his clients to develop the best solutions to their legal issues at the most competitive cost. He has practiced the areas of Family Law, Employment Law, Wills & Estates (administration & litigation), Real Estate, Civil Litigation, Construction Lien Litigation, and Personal Injury. Dale completed his undergraduate degree in Physical & Health Education at the University of Toronto, obtained a Certificate in Project Management at the Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and completed his law degree at Osgoode Hall Law School. After completing his articles at a prominent downtown Toronto law firm, he returned with his family to the Midland/Penetanguishene area where he was born and raised. Since returning in 2009, Dale has been helping clients in the Simcoe County area in a variety of matters. Dale is a board member for the local charity, We Are The Villagers, and a former member of the Physician Recruitment Steering Committee. He enjoys spending his spare time with his two daughters and participating in a variety of outdoor activities including boating, motorcycling, mountain biking, and tennis. By Fauzan SiddiquiSeptember 27, 2022April 17, 2023
Colleen Dermody Colleen Dermody joined Devry Smith Frank LLP (‘DSF’) as an associate lawyer in our real estate and wills and estates groups practicing from our Haliburton location. She holds a BPHE (Hons) and MPA from Queen’s University along with a JD from the University of Windsor. She was called to the Bar in 2022. Prior to DSF, Colleen summered and articled for a global law firm in Toronto where she gained extensive experience in litigation. She also assisted with drafting contracts, legal memoranda and submissions along with conducting extensive research on her case files. At DSF, Colleen’s practice involves a variety of real estate matters with particular emphasis on residential purchase and sale transactions, including cottage properties. Colleen’s wills and estates practice encompasses all aspects of estate planning and administration. Colleen believes it is important to get to know her clients so she can provide tailored advice in order to help them navigate the complicated estate division process during a time of grief. Colleen was also involved with many charitable and pro-bono organizations over the years including wills clinics, migrant farmworker clinics, Indigenous Initiatives and the Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund. She believes that the law can be used as a tool to gain equitable access to justice. Outside her work, Colleen is a certified fitness trainer with an interest in mountaineering and various other outdoor sports. She loves exploring all the natural beauty Haliburton has to offer. Colleen is a member of the Ontario Bar Association. By Fauzan SiddiquiMay 20, 2022March 1, 2023
Vanessa Romanino Vanessa joined Woitzik Polsinelli LLP in 2016 and is now a part of Devry Smith Frank LLP post the merger of our firms in Whitby. Prior to joining the team, Vanessa practiced in the area of electronic discovery as a contract lawyer for many large Firms in Downtown Toronto. Vanessa maintains these skills in consistently advocating for our clients and their needs. As a partner in our Wills and Estates Group, Vanessa primarily focuses on all aspects of estate planning and administration. Vanessa’s professional knowledge, sensible approach, and ability to understand difficult and emotional situations, enable her to assist our clients in all aspects of their estate matters and provide the best possible legal representation. These matters include wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and estate applications to the Court. Vanessa additionally practices and assists in our Residential Real Estate and Corporate Law Groups. As an English major, Vanessa has shown a keen interest in contract review and drafting. In her spare time, Vanessa enjoys being outdoors, travelling, trying new restaurants, and sports. Growing up, Vanessa was a competitive swimmer for The City of Markham and continues to stay actively involved in the Community, and is happy to have found a firm whose values align with her own. By Fauzan SiddiquiOctober 19, 2021January 3, 2024
Esther Abecassis Esther Abecassis joined Devry Smith Frank LLP (DSF) in 2021 as an associate lawyer in our wills and estates and corporate groups. She is a graduate of Western University where she earned both her B.A. and J.D and was soon called to the bar in 2019. Esther began her legal career at a mid-sized downtown firm as a member of the corporate and tax law groups. She then joined a boutique corporate law firm where she developed her skills in business law, estate planning, and real estate. Esther specializes in private wealth management, estate litigation, and business law with extensive experience in dealing with large and complex estate matters. Her clients value her understanding of complex legal issues and her ability to provide individual client-focused solutions. Additionally, Esther also specializes in guardianship matters, providing expert counsel and representation to clients seeking to establish or modify guardianships. With a deep understanding of the intricate legal processes involved, she has successfully advocated for the rights and best interests of vulnerable individuals, ensuring their well-being and protection. Esther is fluent in Spanish and her interests include camping, travelling, cooking different cuisines and swimming. She is also a Broadway enthusiast having attended over 50 different plays. By Fauzan SiddiquiFebruary 16, 2021November 20, 2023
Michael E. Reed After a successful career of over 50 years, Michael Reed has retired from the practice of law. DSF remains committed to delivering quality legal services to Michael’s clients, and we are pleased to announce that Jillian Bowman, Tracey Rynard, and Laura Rosati, will be representing Michael’s clients going forward. Michael Reed has practiced in Barrie since 1972, building a large clientele base consisting of second and third-generation individuals. An extensive portion of his practice involves residential real estate covering new homes, condominiums, re-sales and refinancing, as well as commercial real estate and leasing. Michael also practices in the area of wills, powers of attorney, estate planning for disabled individuals (Henson Trusts), and the utilization of trusts, estate planning, and administration of estates. The corporate portion of Michael’s practice consists of some 400 companies, including some of Simcoe County’s largest private corporations and farming enterprises. Included in this area of law are acquisitions, mergers, re-organizations, amalgamations of businesses, purchase and sale of businesses by way of asset transactions and/or sale share transactions, and partnership agreements. Other projects include subdivision development and severances for corporate and individual clients. Having obtained his Master of Laws in Alternative Dispute Resolution from Osgoode Hall Law School, Michael has conducted several mediation sessions to resolve commercial disputes. Michael has been a highly active member of the community through his involvement with Simcoe Community Services, Junior Achievement, Masons, Shriners, Minor Baseball Association, and Barrie Integrated Baseball Association. By Fauzan SiddiquiMay 28, 2020January 23, 2024 No comments yet
Tracey Rynard Tracey joined Devry Smith Frank’s Barrie office on October 16th, 2017. Prior to joining DSF, Tracey achieved her B.A. in Psychology from McMaster University, B.A. in Political Science from the University of Toronto and J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the Bar in 2004 and practised law at a Bay Street law firm prior to moving to a large regional firm in Barrie where she worked for 7 years before opening a boutique law firm where she has worked for the last 4 years. Tracey brings exceptional wills, trusts and estate planning, estate litigation, consent and capacity law, not-for-profit and charity law, and general corporate law expertise to DSF. Tracey spends her limited free time outside of the office being both a hockey mom and a swim mom for her two daughters. Occasionally, she has interests of her own such as reading, running and hockey. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the North Simcoe Girls Hockey Association and participates in pro bono work in the area of elder abuse. By Fauzan SiddiquiMay 27, 2020September 5, 2023 No comments yet
William J. Smith William (Bill) Smith was called to the bar in 1980 after receiving a Bachelor Of Arts degree from Glendon College, and his LL.B. from the University of Toronto Law School. Bill has practiced corporate and commercial law with the firm since then., Bill’s experience is varied and extensive. He has had a broad exposure to virtually every aspect of corporate and commercial practice including incorporations, partnerships, joint venture agreements, shareholders’ and creditors’ rights and remedies, as well as business mergers, acquisitions, financing and debt restructuring. Bill’s skills include structuring, negotiating, and the preparation of required documentation, as well as liaising among directors, shareholders, financial advisors and institutions. As an experienced corporate and commercial practitioner, Bill is often involved in litigation matters on behalf of his clients. His depth of experience enables him to combine expert legal advice with sensitivity to the firm’s clients’ business needs and environment and to meet client’s specific needs in the most expeditious and cost-efficient manner. Bill advises clients on employer and employee rights, termination and wrongful dismissal matters, fiduciary duties and non-competition issues. Bill works closely with other professional advisors including accountants and tax and financial advisors in assisting his clients to minimize their tax exposure and is familiar with vehicles such as tax-free rollovers, co-tenancies, trusts and estate freezes. Bill takes an active role in co-ordinating all aspects of his clients’ legal service needs by ensuring that, when necessary, appropriate specialized expertise is obtained, either from within the firm or through an established referral network, in areas such as securities law, intellectual property, labour law, income, commodity or other taxes, or international business transactions. Bill is a member of the ADR Institute of Ontario. By Fauzan SiddiquiMay 27, 2020September 5, 2023 No comments yet
Wayne H. Wolfe Wayne is a graduate of Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, where he was a Herbert Sharpe scholar throughout his undergraduate career. He obtained his law degree from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and articled at DSF. He was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1988. Wayne practices in the areas of real estate, wills, estate planning, and estate administration. He is also a registered trademark agent. His real estate clients include both individuals and business and corporate clients. His work for individuals encompasses a broad range of residential, recreational, rural and investment properties. His commercial real estate practice includes partnerships, joint ventures, condominiums, co-ops, leaseholds, land leases, and real estate development. He has extensive experience with acquisitions and dispositions, easements, applications for variances, encroachment agreements Land Titles applications, plans of subdivision, and a wide variety of financing arrangements including private financings, institutional mortgages, debentures, etc. Wayne has worked for institutional lenders in connection with small business loans and other secured financings. Wayne’s estate practice includes estate planning, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, estate administration, estate litigation and substitute decision making. He has been involved in a wide variety of estate and tax planning structures, including inter vivos and testamentary trusts, alter ego trusts, Henson trusts, insurance trusts, as well as tax planned business reorganizations for estate planning and estate freeze purposes. Wayne has acted as an estate trustee in a number of estates and has also acted as attorney for property and for personal care for a number of individuals. Wayne works with financial and other professional advisers, institutional trustees and corporate executors, to coordinate the development and implementation of estate plans and the administration of both inter vivos and testamentary estates for his clients. Wayne has spoken on the subjects of wills, estate planning and real estate at a number of seminars. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and The Law Society of Ontario and has been approved by the Lawyer’s Professional Indemnity Corporation as Title Plus qualified. He is also a member of the Ontario Real Estate Lawyers Association. By Fauzan SiddiquiMay 22, 2020September 5, 2023 No comments yet
Timothy Deeth Joining Devry Smith Frank LLP (DSF) in 2014 was very much a homecoming for Tim. Following his call to the bar in 1975, Tim practised with (what was then) McClintock, Devry & Pierce for 11 years before leaving to start his own firm. Throughout his career, Tim’s practice was focused mainly on Family, Real Estate and Wills and Estates Law and he has vast experience in all three of these areas of law. He has appeared as counsel in family law matters in all levels of courts throughout Ontario. Tim particularly enjoys meeting and dealing with clients on a one-on-one basis and always welcomes the opportunity to get to know new clients and help them with their problems, whether it be navigating through a difficult separation or divorce, assisting with the administration of an estate, advising clients on Estate Planning issues and preparing their Wills, or witnessing the excitement of clients in their purchase of a new home. As a resident of Don Mills for 40 years, Tim has also been very active in the Don Mills Civitan Club, a community and social service club which, among its numerous projects, operates the hockey programme at the Don Mills Civitan arena for over 500 participants a year ranging in age from seven to 18. In the past, Tim has been a panel member of the Office of the Children’s Lawyer (formerly the Official Guardian’s Office), has sat as a Dispute Resolution Officer (a pilot project in the Scarborough Family Court), and has provided volunteer services at the Agincourt Community Services Association. He has been a member of the Consent and Capacity panel of lawyers each of whom must be specifically designated and approved to appear before the Consent and Capacity Board. Tim graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1973, and after articling with (what was then) McClintock, Devry & Pierce, joined the firm upon his call to the bar in 1975 and practiced with them until 1986 when he opened his own law firm. He is happily married to his wife, raised four children and has two grandchildren. In December, 2013, Tim received his black belt in Karate. By Fauzan SiddiquiMay 20, 2020December 6, 2021 No comments yet