Onyx Law Group
Videos
56 videos, most under three minutes.
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Estates & trusts
Can a BC Court Appoint a Neutral Estate Administrator?
Yes. Under sections 103 and 132 of the Wills, Estates and Succession Act, a BC Supreme Court judge can ap...
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Estates & trusts
Can an Executor Also Be a Beneficiary in BC?
Yes, and it happens often. Being both can create a conflict of interest, for example when the executor wa...
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Estates & trusts
Can Siblings Contest a Will in BC?
Estate disputes between siblings are often the most heated.
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Estates & trusts
Can You Contest a Will You’re Not Named In? (BC)
Yes, if you have standing. A spouse or child left out of a will can apply under WESA section 60 to vary i...
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Estates & trusts
Common-Law Spouses and Contesting a Will in BC
In BC, a common-law spouse is generally someone who lived in a marriage-like relationship with the will-m...
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Estates & trusts
Contesting a Will in BC: What Holds Up in Court?
Feeling that a will is unfair is not enough on its own.
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Estates & trusts
Contesting a Will in BC: When Does the Clock Start?
For a wills variation claim, the 180 days run from the date of the grant of probate.
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Estates & trusts
Contesting a Will in BC: Wills Variation
When a will leaves a spouse or child without adequate provision, British Columbia law gives them a way to...
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Estates & trusts
Contesting a Will: Is It About Money or the Principle?
It nearly always comes back to money, even when recognition matters too.
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Estates & trusts
Disabled and Left Out of a Parent’s Will: Can I Vary It in BC?
Yes. As a child of the will-maker, you have standing to ask the court to vary your parent’s will un...
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Estates & trusts
Disinherited Child Cases in BC: Who Wins and Who Doesn’t
A child abandoned by a parent when young, through no fault of their own, has often succeeded in a wills v...
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Estates & trusts
Does a Letter Explaining Disinheritance Matter in BC?
Yes. A letter or memo explaining why someone was left out is evidence the court will consider.
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Estates & trusts
Does the Sibling Who Cared for a Parent Get More? (BC)
Often, yes. In a wills variation claim, the court weighs the will-maker’s moral obligations to each...
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Estates & trusts
Estate Planning in British Columbia
Estate planning is how you decide, in advance, what happens to what you own and who speaks for you if you...
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Estates & trusts
Estates and Trusts Litigation in British Columbia
Disagreements over an estate or a trust are rarely just about money.
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Estates & trusts
How Do I Remove or Replace an Executor in BC?
You need to show the court that the executor has breached their fiduciary duty, for example by acting dis...
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Cost & process
How Long Do You Have to Contest a Will in BC?
It depends on the claim. A wills variation claim must be started within 180 days of the grant of probate.
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Cost & process
How Long Will the Process Take?
There is no single timeline for a family or estate matter in British Columbia.
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Estates & trusts
How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in BC?
Family members often act for free, but in BC an executor can claim up to 5% of the estate’s value.
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Cost & process
How Much Will It Cost?
The cost of a family or estate matter in British Columbia comes down to a few things: the scope of the wo...
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Estates & trusts
How to Make a Will That’s Harder to Contest in BC
Get advice from an estates lawyer when you make your will.
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Family law
How to Stop an Estate Dispute From Splitting Your Family
Start settlement talks as early as possible.
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Cost & process
Is It Worth It?
Deciding whether to pursue a family law matter is partly a legal question and partly a practical one.
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Estates & trusts
Lack of Capacity and Undue Influence: Grounds for Contesting a Will in BC
Not every challenge to a will is an argument about fairness.
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Estates & trusts
Left Completely Out of a Will in BC: Does It Help Your Claim?
For a wills variation claim, being left out entirely can make the claim stronger, because it is harder fo...
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Estates & trusts
Left Out of a Parent’s Will in BC? Can You Challenge It?
Often, yes. In BC, a child left out of a parent’s will may be able to apply under section 60 of the...
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Cost & process
Legal Fees and Payment at Onyx Law Group
Cost is one of the first questions people ask, and it is a fair one.
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Estates & trusts
Mediation or Court for a BC Estate Dispute?
Mediation is usually encouraged over trial.
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Our team
Meet Candace Cho, Estate Litigation Lawyer at Onyx Law Group
Candace Cho, KC, is a co-founder and principal lawyer at Onyx Law Group, where she leads the estate litig...
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Our team
Meet Judith Janzen, Family Lawyer at Onyx Law Group
Judith Janzen is a co-founder of Onyx Law Group and has practised family law in British Columbia for 25 y...
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Our team
Meet Veronica Manski, Estate Planning Lawyer at Onyx Law Group
Veronica Manski practises estate planning at Onyx Law Group.
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Estates & trusts
Missed the Deadline to Contest a Will in BC?
Usually a late claim fails. The speaker explains that in some cases a person who never received proper no...
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Family law
Onyx Law Group: Trusted Family and Estate Lawyers in Vancouver
Onyx Law Group is a boutique family and estate law firm in the heart of Vancouver, serving clients across...
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Family law
Resolving Family Law Claims in British Columbia
When a relationship ends, the legal questions tend to fall into a few groups: who keeps what, whether one...
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Cost & process
The Litigation Process for Family and Estate Disputes in BC
Litigation sounds like it means a trial, but most cases never reach one.
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Estates & trusts
Think You Can Contest a Will in BC? Do This First
Get legal advice and do not wait. Starting a claim well inside the limitation period avoids a costly side...
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Estates & trusts
Unequal Inheritance Between Siblings in BC: Can You Challenge It?
Many people assume children must be treated equally, but BC law respects the will-maker’s wishes.
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Estates & trusts
Valid Reasons to Disinherit a Child in BC
BC courts look at what the will says and the facts behind it.
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Estates & trusts
Varying a Will vs Setting It Aside in BC
Many people confuse two different claims.
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Our team
Veronica Manski: Estate Planning and Administration at Onyx Law
Veronica Manski is a senior lawyer at Onyx Law Group and the firm's probate and estate administration pra...
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Estates & trusts
Warning Signs a Will May Be Challenged in BC
Red flags include a will that looks unfair on its face, such as one that disinherits children or a spouse...
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Estates & trusts
What Are the Downsides of a Disability Trust in BC?
Families usually set up a disability trust so a relative with disabilities can keep getting government be...
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Estates & trusts
What Happens If an Executor Refuses to Act in BC?
A named executor can step aside by signing a formal renunciation, as long as they haven’t started a...
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Estates & trusts
What Happens If Someone Dies Without a Will in BC?
If the person left assets in their own name, such as real estate or bank accounts, the family should choo...
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Estates & trusts
What Is a Henson Trust and How Does It Work in BC?
A Henson trust is a set of trust terms written into a will so a person with a disability can receive a gi...
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Estates & trusts
What Is a Professional Executor and When Should You Name One in BC?
A professional executor is a trust company or an estate lawyer whose job is to be an executor, and they c...
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Estates & trusts
Who Becomes Administrator When There’s No Will in BC?
The family usually picks a trusted person who is organised and good with paperwork and money to apply for...
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Estates & trusts
Who Can Contest a Will in BC?
In BC, the people with the strongest standing are the will-maker’s spouse and children.
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Estates & trusts
Who Can I Appoint as Executor of My Will in BC?
Spouses often name each other, with a trusted adult child as the alternate.
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Estates & trusts
Who Qualifies to Vary a Will Under BC’s WESA?
Section 60 of WESA lets a spouse or any child, adopted or natural, apply to vary a will.
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Estates & trusts
Who Should Be the Trustee of My Child’s Disability Trust in BC?
It depends on your child’s age and needs.
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Our team
Who We Are — Onyx Law Group
Onyx Law Group was founded in 2012 by Judith Janzen and Candace Cho.
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Estates & trusts
Why Do Wills Get Contested in BC?
Most will challenges start with someone who feels wronged.
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Estates & trusts
Will an Inheritance Affect My Child’s Disability Assistance in BC?
It depends on how large the inheritance is.
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Estates & trusts
Won a Will Challenge? How to Keep Your BC Disability Benefits
In BC, receiving a settlement or inheritance can put disability assistance at risk, at least for the mont...
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Our team
Working at Onyx Law Group
This video is a look inside Onyx Law Group as a place to work.
(604) 900-2538
Onyx Law Group represents clients in family law throughout British Columbia, estate and trust litigation, estate planning and probate matters. Consult with our 17 BC lawyers · 190 combined years at the bar (2026)Candace Cho, KCCalled 2009 · 17 yrsJudith A. JanzenCalled 2000 · 26 yrsSandy Minh AbleyCalled 2005 · 21 yrsVeronica ManskiCalled 2015 · 11 yrsSusan KimCalled 2000 · 26 yrsRupinder ShokerCalled 2011 · 15 yrsJackson ToddCalled 2014 · 12 yrsValerie LeBlancCalled 2011 · 15 yrsKatya RichardsonCalled 2018 · 8 yrsRasjovan DaleCalled 2018 · 8 yrsMason HellerCalled 2019 · 7 yrsKevin CampbellCalled 2019 · 7 yrsShivleen SidhuCalled 2019 · 7 yrsTJ GarchaCalled 2022 · 4 yrsJesse PatraoCalled 2023 · 3 yrsLouisa LedesmaCalled 2024 · 2 yrsJulia PinnockCalled 2025 · 1 yrAngela HuangCalled 2027 · first yearSee our full team at
(604) 900-2538