Deborah Jorgensen

Biography

I practice estates planning and administration law exclusively. On the estate planning side, I provide advice and services to individuals and couples from all walks of life on a broad range of issues such as personal estate, tax, and incapacity planning, including review and preparation of wills, powers of attorney, and personal/family trusts and transfers of title.  On the estates administration side, I advise both individual and institutional executors, and attorneys for property, on their role and responsibilities and I also advise beneficiaries on their entitlements and advocate for them regarding same in non-litigious contexts.

Creating or maintaining an estates plan is often high on peoples’ “to do” list and yet is often put off for various reasons- I work hard to make the experience as easy and educational as possible, while still achieving the desired outcomes, whether it is primarily ensuring loved ones are looked after, providing for a disabled beneficiary, maximizing tax savings, or all of the above.

Similarly, acting as an executor, particularly for the first time, can seem an overwhelming task. I help guide executors and attorneys through the process, advising them on the legal but also the practical elements of administering an estate.

In both areas of my practice, my goal is to provide clear, pragmatic advice to clients about a part of life that can be complicated or sensitive.

I grew up in Alberta, South Korea and the Philippines before moving to the east coast for 8 years to complete university and law school at Dalhousie. After articling at a Bay Street firm in corporate/commercial law, I completed a master’s in law in International Human Rights, followed up with an internship with the UNDP in India.  When I returned to Toronto, I joined a small full-service firm where I practiced family law, employment and civil litigation, corporate law, real estate and Will and estates for 16 years before joining Dickson Appell to specialize in estate planning and administration.

I’m active in the community and I enjoy providing a pro bono legal clinic for seniors at a Toronto seniors’ centre.

Professional Associations

• Toronto Lawyers Association
• Ontario Bar Association
• Canadian Bar Association

Education and Year of Call

• CALLED TO THE ONTARIO BAR, 2004
• LLM, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
• LLB, DALHOUSIE
• BSc, MOUNT ALLISON UNIVERSITY

CONTACT INFORMATION

Phone: 416.927.0891 ext. 131
Email: djorgensen@dicksonappell.com

Angela Cabral, Law Clerk
Phone: 416.927.0891 ext. 133
Email: angela@dicksonappell.com