Debra L. "Deb" Stephens

Debra Stephens is Counsel to WEL Partners and practices exclusively in the following areas: Passing of Accounts, Guardianship, Fiduciary appointments and representation, Estate administration and Mediation. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1982. Her practice initially focused on family, estate, trust and guardianship issues. Since 1998 she has specialized in estate litigation, administration and planning.

Debra has worked in private legal practice for most of her career. Prior to joining WEL Partners as Counsel, she practiced at Goddard Gamage Stephens LLP, a firm that specializes in estate and trust matters and guardianship and elder law. Before joining GGS, Debra was The Children’s Lawyer for the Province of Ontario. The Office of the Children’s Lawyer is responsible for providing legal services to children in various proceedings before Ontario courts and tribunals. Prior to her appointment as The Children’s Lawyer, Deb was with Schnurr Kirsh Stephens, a firm that also specializes in trust, estate and mental incompetency issues.

Debra is currently on the Executive of the Ontario Bar Association Trusts and Estates Section. Debra has been an adjunct professor with the University of Toronto Law School teaching estates and trust law, has taught the Estate Law Clerk programme at Humber College, and has lectured on estates, trusts and guardianship issues at Osgoode Hall Law School and for the Osgoode Professional Development programme. Debra is a frequent lecturer and has chaired programmes for the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Ontario Bar Association, regional Estate Planning Councils, and other professional and community organizations. Debra has also authored numerous articles related to estates, trust, insurance, guardianships, and family law.