A. Lawrence Graham, KC  

About Larry

The primary focus of Larry’s practice is finding ways to resolve conflicts in the administration of estates. He has acted as the lawyer for Executors and Administrators in several hundred estates in his forty-year career. The role of the estate lawyer (called the “Proctor” in Nova Scotia), is to make sure that the estate is managed in the best interests of the Estate in general. This role means that the Proctor must develop mediation skills to bring the heirs and the estate representatives together. Larry has used his experience to bring many estates to a close without court intervention.

Sometimes mediation is not enough and recourse must be had to the Probate Court or the Supreme Court. Larry spent the first ten years of his career as a civil trial lawyer, litigating commercial and real estate issues, personal injury issues, and family law issues. This background serves him well in bringing unresolved estate issues to our courts.

He has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, family courts, several of the former county courts, and most of the Probate Courts of Nova Scotia. He has acted in court for Executors and Administrators and for individuals with claims against estates. In several cases, Larry has been appointed by the probate courts to take over as Estate Administrator. This usually happens when an Executor chooses to resign or must resign because of a conflict of interest.

Larry has prepared several thousand wills and trusts over his career. Today, he serves as counsel to the Wills and Estates team at BOYNECLARKE LLP, but still enjoys the opportunity to draft or assist with the drafting of a will that may involve complex issues.

Larry’s experience led to his appointment as the Canadian Bar Association representative on the N.S. Law Reform Commission Advisory Committee, reviewing reform of the Probate Act. The committee report led to the passage of the current Probate Act of Nova Scotia.

Larry was a member of the part-time faculty member at Dalhousie University Law School for eight years lecturing on civil trial practice and was co-editor, with David Miller, Q.C., in the publication “Trial Practice Case Materials”. He has presented papers at conferences and seminars, including conferences for the CLE Society of Nova Scotia.

Larry's Background