Gowling WLG expands global private client services team with addition of three new partners

23 February 2017

Gowling WLG has expanded its global Private Client Services Group with the addition of Archie Rabinowitz, Brian Cohen and David Lobl as partners.

The three new Toronto-based partners join Gowling WLG from Dentons Canada LLP and practise as an estate planning, estate administration and estate litigation team.

"Archie, Brian and David are top-ranked lawyers with extensive experience and deep expertise in estate and succession planning, estate administration, and fiduciary, estate and capacity litigation," said Peter Lukasiewicz, CEO of Gowling WLG Canada. "They will broaden and strengthen our already significant capabilities in areas that are of critical importance to many Canadian and international private clients and family-owned businesses."

Archie Rabinowitz is a senior litigator with extensive trial and appellate experience in fiduciary litigation. He represents trust companies, government agencies and individuals in contested matters involving the validity of wills, passing of accounts, estate claims, breach of trust actions and interpretation of wills. His practice also involves working with the Canada Revenue Agency on rectification/repairs to defective wills and trusts, and with LawPRO as preferred counsel on professional negligence claims arising out of estate matters.

Consistently recognized as a leading lawyer in directories such as Chambers Canada, Best Lawyers in Canada and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Rabinowitz is a past recipient of the Ontario Bar Association's Award of Excellence in Trusts and Estates, as well as its Widdifield Award. He speaks and publishes frequently on the subject of estates and trusts law, and is co-chair of the Law Society of Upper Canada's prestigious Annual Summit on Trusts and Estates.

Brian Cohen advises high net worth individuals on succession and estate planning, trusts, and personal taxation. He also counsels donors and charitable and not-for-profit organizations on the tax implications of formation, registration, governance and planned giving strategies. Cohen also works closely with the estate litigation team on trust and personal tax related estate litigation matters.

Cohen is a past recipient of the OBA's Hoffstein Book Prize in Trusts and Estates. A frequent speaker and writer on estates and trusts, as well as personal taxation, he is the current co-chair of the STEP Canada National Conference. Cohen is listed as a leading lawyer in Chambers Canada, Chambers High Net Worth Guide, Best Lawyers in Canada, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and the Acritas Stars database.

David Lobl's practice focuses on litigious estate, trust and capacity matters - including estate administration, fiduciary, estate and capacity litigation and alternative dispute resolution. In working with trust companies, government agencies and individuals, Lobl handles contested matters involving the validity of wills, estate claims, breach of trust actions, and dependent support and undue influence claims. Lobl has extensive trial and appellate experience at all levels of courts in Ontario.

As preferred counsel for LawPRO, Lobl also acts in a variety of professional negligence matters with respect to estate and trust law, including defending solicitor negligence claims and working with the Canada Revenue Agency on rectification/repairs to defective wills and trusts. Lobl is recognized as a leading practitioner by Best Lawyers in Canada.

In addition to the arrival of Rabinowitz, Cohen and Lobl, Gowling WLG also recently welcomed private client specialist Greg Shannon, QC in Calgary. The partners join an established team of top-ranked lawyers that includes national co-leaders Greg Lindsey and David Stevens, along with local office leaders Carole Chouinard (Ottawa), Laura Gheorghiu (Montréal), Robert Hagerman and Steve Will (Calgary), Rose Johnson (Waterloo Region) and Brent Kerr (Vancouver).

Gowling WLG's Private Client Services Group offers a diverse range of services in business succession planning, private company and personal taxation, estate planning, trusts, estate administration, and estate litigation and mediation.