Françoise has been advising clients on civil litigation matters for over 30 years. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience. She is practical and pragmatic. Her focus is achieving resolution for the client by negotiation, mediation, arbitration and if necessary, court. Françoise’s current practice focuses on estate litigation including, power of attorney litigation, challenges to the validity of a will, contentious issues in estate administration, family maintenance and support applications on behalf of a spouse, an adult interdependent partner and dependent children, and executor duties, accounting and compensation
Françoise has recently expanded her practise to offer mediation services. In June 2021, she obtained a Certificate in mediation, having successfully completed the 36 day mediation training program offered by the Justice Institute of British Columbia. Françoise draws on her litigation experience to guide parties to an agreed resolution.
Recent reported decisions in which Françoise was legal counsel include:
Nelson Estate 2013 ABQB 77, a case involving allocation of an estate between the spouse of a second marriage and a dependent adult of the first marriage
Lopushinsky Estate (Re) 2015 ABQB 63, upheld on appeal Holowaychuk v. Lopushinsky 2016 ABCA 102, a case where a beneficiary challenges to the administration of the Estate were largely dismissed and costs on a solicitor and client basis were awarded against the beneficiary
Berry Estate (Re) 2017 ABQB 77 – a case addressing the issue of executor compensation
From Estate (Re) 2019 ABQB 988 – a case where the validity of a will was successfully challenged on the basis the deceased was suffering from delusions
