End-of-Life Decision Making: MAiD and Estate Planning
Lawyers and medical professionals involved in end-of-life decision-making face significant challenges, including navigating the evolving landscape of medically assisted deaths (MAiD), addressing sensitive family dynamics, and ensuring legal compliance in estate planning. They must stay up-to-date on rapidly changing legislation, assess client capacity during emotionally charged moments, and manage conflicts that arise between family members and substitute decision-makers. Ensuring that client wishes are legally sound and ethically upheld adds further complexity to this critical area of law.
This program equips legal professionals with the tools to address these concerns head-on. Participants will learn to interpret evolving MAID legislation, assess capacity under various legal standards, and manage intricate family disputes with confidence. The course highlights interdisciplinary collaboration with medical professionals and palliative care teams, providing practical guidance on drafting powers of attorney and other key legal documents. By the end of the program, lawyers will be better prepared to advise clients on end-of-life matters, ensuring their wishes are respected in both legal and ethical terms.
Melanie’s experience extends to corporate/commercial litigation, and she also serves as a third-party mediator in complex estates disputes. In addition to her practice, Melanie is a frequent speaker and writer on estates and trusts topics, presenting at programs for professional bodies such as the Law Society of Ontario, the Ontario Bar Association, and The Advocates' Society. She has served as editor and contributor to Key Developments in Trusts and Estates Law, published annually by Canada Law Book. Melanie is active in the community, serving as a director of the Benefaction Foundation and as a past advisor to the Toronto Council on Aging.
Nicholas Andre, Sullivan Estate Lawyers LLP
Shelly Birenbaum, Shelley R. Birenbaum Professional Corporation
Dr. Elie Isenberg-Grzeda, Assistant Professor, Consultation/Liaison Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Brittany Miller, Goddard Gamage LLP
Margaret O'Sullivan, Managing Partner, O’Sullivan Estate Lawyers LLP
Dr. Damian Rzeznikiewiz, Member of Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers
Melanie Yach, Aird & Berlis LLP
Ziad Yehia, Founding Partner, Cooligan Yehia LLP
