Holly Cunliffe
Holly Cunliffe is a litigation lawyer in Gowling WLG's Private Client Services Group. Holly represents individuals, trust companies and fiduciaries with litigious estate, trust and capacity matters. She is preferred counsel for LawPRO on matters of professional negligence with respect to estate and trust issues, and sits on the executive committee for the Ontario Bar Association’s Elder Law section.
Harnessing her broad experience in this complex and highly emotionally charged area of the law, Holly seeks to resolve estate, trust and capacity disputes efficiently and with compassion. Holly assists clients with a range of court proceedings, such as will challenges, applications to pass attorney and trustee accounts, dependent support claims, rectification and interpretation of wills and trusts, variations of trust deeds, power of attorney and capacity disputes, estate and trust administration issues, trustee applications for advice and directions, appointment or removal of trustees/guardians, breaches of trust, and guardianships.
Prior to joining Gowling WLG, Holly practised at a large international full-service law firm where she represented clients in commercial litigation disputes, in addition to estate/trust litigation. She brings valuable insight having represented clients in matters involving civil fraud, asset and debt recovery, real estate disputes, contract disputes, oppression actions, civil enforcement, employment disputes, product liability, judicial reviews and Indigenous law.
Holly has acted as counsel before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (including the Estates and Commercial Lists), Court of Appeal for Ontario, Ontario Court of Justice and Ontario Small Claims Court. She is currently studying for her Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation.
Holly is a regular volunteer with the Pro Bono Ontario Duty Counsel Project (Small Claims Court) where she has donated her time since 2012, assisting low-income parties with their civil litigation matters including representation at settlement conferences and trial. Holly also volunteers with the Pro Bono Ontario Free Legal Advice Hotline, providing advice on estates, powers of attorney, civil litigation, and consumer issues to low income clients. Holly also acts as a mentor to students of the Western Business Law Clinic, which provides pro bono legal counsel to small startup businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs who cannot afford legal counsel.