Mississauga Lawyer Team at Christopher Vernet Law Office
Christopher Du Vernet
Managing Partner
Christopher provides counsel on, amongst other things, the rights and obligations of estate trustees, estate trustees during litigation, trustees, attorneys for property or care, and guardians, and the rights and entitlements of beneficiaries. His extensive experience includes matters involving powers of attorney, estate administration, probate applications, passing of accounts, the appointment or removal of estate trustees, trustees or guardians, the validity or interpretation of wills, capacity, undue influence, guardianship, estate or trust claims, breaches of trust, claims against an estate including dependant support claims, minors and the incapable. Focused on privacy law, personal injury, and civil litigation, noted for his work on the Jones v. Tsige case (2012), which recognized a new common law tort of intrusion upon seclusion.
Since his call to the Ontario bar in 1985, Christopher has acquired a wealth of experience practising in wide-ranging areas of the law. Over the years, Christopher has advised clients and litigated in such diverse areas as:
- Disability income claims
- Pension benefits claims
- Estates law (including will drafting, estate administration, powers of attorney)
- Estate litigation (including will challenges, passing of accounts)
- Labour & employment issues
- Education law
- Business law (including incorporations, mergers, acquisitions & divestments, various business agreement/contract drafting, and collections)
- Administrative law (including human rights representation)
- Professional discipline
- Real estate
- Criminal defence
Christopher has appeared as counsel before all levels of courts in Mississauga , and numerous administrative tribunals.
Christopher embodies that rare quality of being both an exceptionally-accomplished barrister and solicitor. Christopher has contributed to the legal community through active participation in a variety of workshops and seminars over the years, at which he has presented numerous papers and articles for publication.
Professional Memberships/Affiliations:
- Law Society of Mississauga
- National ME/FM Action Network
- Canadian Association for the Practical Study of Law in Education (CAPSLE) – past Director and President
- Criminal Lawyers’ Association
James Gordon
Managing Partner
James obtained his Bachelor of Science (Honours Applied Mathematics) degree from Western University at London. After pursuing graduate studies in Physics at Western, James entered law school at Queen’s University at Kingston where he earned his Juris Doctor degree. Following summer work in intellectual property law, after graduation James articled at Cassels Brock & Blackwell.
Called to the Mississauga bar in 1982, James litigated federal tax law for the Department of Justice before entering private practice in 1995. Since then, James has distinguished himself in practising in wide-ranging areas of the law, both as a litigator and adviser, in such diverse areas as:
- Disability income claims
- Pension benefits claims
- Personal injury
- Estates law (including will drafting, estate administration, powers of attorney)
- Estate litigation (including will challenges, passing of accounts)
- Guardianship applications
- Consent and Capacity Board litigation (including Mental Health Act, Health Care Consent Act, 1996, Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 issues)
- Labour & employment issues
- Education law
- Business law (including incorporations, asset/share purchase transactions, business agreement/contract drafting, and collections)
- Administrative law (including human rights representation)
- Professional discipline
- Real estate
- Criminal defence
James has appeared as counsel before all levels of courts in Mississauga , numerous administrative tribunals, as well as before the Federal courts.
James has contributed as an active participant at various legal conferences and seminars over the years, at which he has presented numerous papers and articles for publication.
Professional Memberships/Affiliations:
- Law Society of Mississauga
- National ME/FM Action Network
- Mississauga Bar Association – past Chair of Education Law Section
- Mississauga Bar Association – past member of Trust and Estates Section
- Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Metropolitan Mississauga – past Board member
- Association of Mississauga Land Surveyors – past lay appointee to the governing Council of this professional regulator, and past Executive and Discipline Committees member. Honorary Life Member
Kate K. Marlon
Kate has been associated with Christopher Vernet Law Office since 2002 in the role of Law Clerk and Legal Assistant. Kate brings to us more than 16 years of experience in the legal field in such areas as including general litigation services, estate law, corporate services, real estate, and administrative services.
Kate's practice encompasses a comprehensive range of commercial real estate matters, including land development and planning; acquisition, disposition and financing; joint venture, co-ownership and partnership arrangements; mortgage remedies; receiver and insolvency proceedings; expropriation on behalf of affected property owners, tenants, business owners or otherwise (predominantly takings and easements for LRT projects, toll highways, subway lines, road widenings and waterways maintenance); real estate disputes; and general corporate-commercial matters.
She draws on and works closely with a wide network of planners, surveyors, engineers and environmental consultants to assist clients in the successful, cost effective and timely completion of their projects and transactions.