KIMBERLY A. WHALEY, CS, TEP, LLM, Founding and Managing Partner, WHALEY ESTATE LITIGATION PARTNERS (WEL PARTNERS), a dispute resolution firm based in Toronto, practicing throughout Ontario. WEL Partners has been repeatedly ranked by Canadian Lawyer as a Top 10 Boutique Trusts & Estates firms in Canada. Kimberly practices dispute resolution throughout Ontario in the areas of Estate, Trust, Fiduciary and Wealth Succession litigation including Powers of Attorney, Inter Vivos Gifting, Fiduciary Passing of Accounts, Guardianship, Dependant Support, Elder Law and the related issues of capacity, undue influence. Kimberly is a TEP, full member of STEP Canada, and the newly elected Canadian Representative on STEP Worldwide Council and a member of STEP Mental Capacity Steering Committee. Kimberly is designated as a Certified Specialist in Estates & Trusts Law by the Law Society of Ontario and has been consistently peer selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in Canada, and by Chambers High Net Worth, Private Wealth Disputes in Canada in Band 1, is a Distinguished Fellow of the Canadian Centre for Elder Law, is inducted into the Ontario Chapter of the Canadian Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, and has published many articles in Canadian, International, Legal and Medical Journals. Kim has taught at 3 Canadian Law Schools, is a guest lecturer to more, and presents regularly in Canada and internationally within institutional and community organizations. Kimberly is on various advisory boards including the Ontario Securities Commission’s (OSC) Seniors Expert Advisory Committee (SEAC); Estate Planning and Litigation Forum, Cambridge Forums Inc., Steering Committee Member; Toronto Police Service Seniors Community Consultative Committee; the newly constituted Ontario Estates Bench-Bar Liaison Committee; the Canadian Center for British Columbia Elder Law (CCEL), co-chair, and fellow; CanAge fellow; and the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law (IAETL), Academician. Kimberly is an experienced Mediator, mediating estate, and trust related disputes for over 23 years. Kim’s cases haves received national coverage by The Globe & Mail and CBC.
BRYAN GILMARTIN, JD/JD, is a Partner at WEL Partners where he practices exclusively in the areas of estate, trust, power or attorney, capacity, and guardianship litigation. Bryan came to the practice area honestly. Growing up an only child in a small town in northern Ontario, he lived and worked in the family funeral home alongside his mother and father. At a young age, Bryan was immersed in the sensitivities, tragedies, and emotions that accompany death. He also had the opportunity to learn how to navigate the challenges of running a small business. He relies on these experiences every day when navigating the challenges that accompany the practice area. Leaving his undertaking days behind him, Bryan left the north to pursue an education in music at the University of Toronto where he studied jazz performance. During his studies, he had the opportunity to play with some of the great jazz musicians in the country and the world. He also taught music all over the city of Toronto. After a few years of playing late nights into early mornings with several incredible yet forgettable bands, Bryan set his sights on a career in law and he attended the Dual JD program at the University of Windsor and the University of Detroit Mercy. Bryan joined WEL Partners as a Summer Student and worked there throughout his law school years. Upon his graduation, he returned as an Articling student and then as an Associate following his call to the Ontario Bar in 2020. Bryan has worked on matters at all levels of court, including the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. His articles have been featured in the Globe and Mail, he regularly presents at Continuing Legal Education programs and has been named in Best Lawyers since 2021. Bryan is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, the Baycrest Foundation Professional Advisory Group, and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. He also currently sits as a Member-at-Large on the Ontario Bar Association Elder Law Executive Committee and Alternative Dispute Resolution Executive Committee. When not at work, Bryan enjoys making his way around the city in search of the best cup of coffee with his wife and their newborn son (hence why coffee is required). You may also find him on a golf course with friends, cooking elaborate meals on his kamado grill, or back up north wetting a line at his favorite fishing hole.