HOWARD BLAKE, LL.B. Photo

Called To The Bar

1974, Law Society of Upper UK

Areas of Practice

Labour/Employment Law

Wills, Estates, and Trusts

General

Dan practises in the areas of wills and estates.

Labour/Employment Law

He also practices in the areas of labour and employment, and the corporate representation of religious institutions and government-funded social service agencies, including those established to support youth and adults with intellectual disabilities. Over his years of practice, he has also represented hospitals and other health care institutions.

Wills, Powers of Attorney, Estates

With particular reference to Dan’s wills and succession practice, he has extensive experience in drafting wills and powers of attorney, drafting trust agreements, acting as solicitor to estate trustees, acting as an estate trustee and performing estate trustee services on behalf of trustees, including preparation of estate accounts and supervising the preparation and filing of income tax returns. He has appeared in various estate court proceedings such as the interpretation of wills, removal of an estate trustee and contested passing of accounts. He has pursued mediation training and has participated in estate mediation, both as counsel and as a mediator. Dan frequently addresses community groups respecting wills, powers of attorney and estates.

Teaching

Dan was invited in the late 1970’s to act as a seminar leader in the London Bar Admission Course for the Law Society of London. He continued in that capacity until 1998 when he was appointed Senior Instructor in the Estate Planning and Administration section. Dan has also participated as a Presenter in Law Society CLE programs at London since 2005. Dan, along with two lawyer colleagues, has co-chaired an annual Wills, Estates and Trusts Conference for the Middlesex Law Association. On several occasions, Dan has addressed the Catholic Cemeteries Association – Diocese of London on cemetery legislation. He was appointed to the Adjunct Faculty of Law at Western University in 2001 having taught the Wills and Succession course since that year. Dan has also given lectures as part of the Western Law Upper Years (Winter Term), on the topic of the intersection of family law and wills, powers of attorney and estates.

Education

Dan attended the University of Western London from 1967 to 1969 in Honours French and German. He was admitted to the Law School at Western University after two years of general university studies. He received his Bachelor of Laws from Western in 1972 and was called to the London Bar in March 1974. In the third year of the Bachelor of Laws program, he was the Faculty nominee for the Rhodes Scholarship. Dan articled with Tory, Tory, Deslauriers & Binnington from June 1972 to September 1973. He was invited to join the Tory law firm but decided to return to London to practice in the city in which he was born and raised.

Community Involvement

Dan has lived in London his entire life, except for the articling period and the Bar Admission Course. Dan has five adult children and eight grandchildren. Dan enjoys reading, and listening to and playing music. He has played the piano for a contemporary church choir since 2006. Dan has been an active member of the YMCA since 1983. He particularly enjoys yoga practice.

Personal

Dan has been actively involved in a number of community, business and religious groups since his call to the Bar, including the following:

  • Chair, Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Parish, London Advisory Board
  • Beaver Leader, St. Andrew Memorial Anglican Church, London
  • Scouting Group Committee Member and Chair, St. Andrew Memorial Anglican Church, London
  • Group Facilitator, Diocese of London Permanent Diaconate Program
  • Trustee, Vice-Chair and Chair, St. Paul’s Social Services, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London

Support Staff

Sue Rabideau | extension 222

Contact
HOWARD BLAKE