
Craig Vander Zee *
Partner
- T. 416 643 8812
- F. 1 877 689 3912
- E. cvanderzee@torkin.com
*Legal services provided through Craig Vander Zee Professional Corporation

Craig Vander Zee
Profile
Craig is a partner in our Trusts & Estates and Litigation Groups and is certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Estates and Trusts Law. His practice includes all aspects of estate, trust, capacity, fiduciary and power of attorney disputes and litigation for clients consisting of individuals, trust companies, government agencies and other organizations.
Craig 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.
Craig is also a very experienced Estate Mediator.
Craig is a past Chair of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Ontario Bar Association and a past member of the Executive (Toronto Branch) of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). He was also a member of the Advisory Group for the Law Commission of Ontario Project on the Law as it Affects Older Adults.
Craig has represented clients before all levels of Court in Ontario, the Federal Court of Canada, the trial and appellate Courts of Alberta and various tribunals and boards.
Credentials & Affiliations
- Credentials
- Memberships
- Community Involvement
- Certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Estates and Trusts Law (C.S.), 2005
- Ontario Bar, 1994
- Arbitration Course, Arbitration and Mediation Institute of Ontario Inc.
- LLB, Queen’s University, 1992
- BA (Hons.), Royal Military College of Canada, 1989
- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), Past Member of the Executive, Toronto Branch
- The Advocates’ Society
- Toronto Lawyers Association
- Estate Planning Council of Toronto
- Ontario Bar Association
- Ontario Bar Association - Trusts and Estates Section, Past Chair
- Ontario Bar Association, National Elder Law Liaison, Past Member
- Canadian Bar Association, National Wills, Trusts and Estates Committee, Past Member
- Bench and Bar Committee, Toronto Region Estates List, Past Member
- Advisory Group, Law Commission of Ontario Project on the Law as it Affects Older Adults, Past Member
- Past Coach, Markham Minor Hockey Association
- Past Coach, Markham Soccer Club
- Past Coach, Markham District Baseball Association
- Past Co-Chair of a number of charitable golf tournaments
Recognition
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Estate & Personal Tax Planning, Estate & Personal Tax – Litigation 2025
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Estate & Personal Tax Planning, Estate & Personal Tax Planning – Litigation 2024
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Estate & Personal Tax Planning, Estate & Personal Tax – Litigation 2025
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Estate & Personal Tax Planning, Estate & Personal Tax Planning – Litigation 2024
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Estate & Personal Tax Planning, Estate & Personal Tax – Litigation 2025
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Estate & Personal Tax Planning, Estate & Personal Tax Planning – Litigation 2024
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Publications
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Older Clients and Incapacity Issues: An Advisor’s Toolbox
Advocis Toronto Advanced Learning Series
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Estate Mediation Preparation Steps
The Essential Guide to Estate Dispute Mediations: Unique Challenges, Creative Solutions for Counsel — Osgoode Professional Development
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Examination for Discovery, Planning and Preparation in a Professional Negligence Case
Trust Troubles – Litigation, Tax and Ethical Issues — B’nai Brith Canada CLE for Lawyers & Accountants
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Older Clients and Incapacity Issues: An Advisor’s Toolbox
Advocis Toronto Advanced Learning Series
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Estate Mediation Preparation Steps
The Essential Guide to Estate Dispute Mediations: Unique Challenges, Creative Solutions for Counsel — Osgoode Professional Development
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Examination for Discovery, Planning and Preparation in a Professional Negligence Case
Trust Troubles – Litigation, Tax and Ethical Issues — B’nai Brith Canada CLE for Lawyers & Accountants
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Older Clients and Incapacity Issues: An Advisor’s Toolbox
Advocis Toronto Advanced Learning Series
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Estate Mediation Preparation Steps
The Essential Guide to Estate Dispute Mediations: Unique Challenges, Creative Solutions for Counsel — Osgoode Professional Development
Insights
News, Events & Webinars
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Torkin Manes lawyers featured in The Best Lawyers in Canada 2024 and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (Canada) 2024
Neil M. Abramson | Risa Awerbuck | Kenneth Beallor | Andrew Biderman | Adam N. Black | Allan S. Bronstein | Jeffrey I. Cohen | Lisa Corrente | Valerie A. Edwards | Aaron English | Matthew Getzler | Linda J. Godel | David M. Golden | Ryan Hauk | Gregory D. Hersen | Aleksandar Jovanovic | Irv Kleiner | Kay Leung | Lisa R. Lifshitz | Ronald D. Manes | M. Scott Martin | Matt Maurer | Daniel S. Melamed | Laurie H. Pawlitza | Daniel Pugen | Sammy Redlick | Leonard D. Rodness | Anthony Scane | Michael Tamblyn | Matthew Tevlin | Sidney H. Troister, KC, LSM | Tanisha Tulloch | Craig Vander Zee | Andrew J. Wilder | Jennifer L. Wilson | Lorne H. Wolfson | Lauren Crosby | Leslie McGowran | Rebecca Wakeam -
Celebrating Exceptional Talent: 28 Torkin Manes lawyers ranked in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2025
Neil M. Abramson | Risa Awerbuck | Kenneth Beallor | Andrew Biderman | Adam N. Black | Allan S. Bronstein | Jeffrey I. Cohen | Sumeet (Sonu) Dhanju-Dhillon | Valerie A. Edwards | Matthew Getzler | Linda J. Godel | Jonathan Goode | Ryan Hauk | Gregory D. Hersen | Niklas Holmberg | Roland Hung | Lisa R. Lifshitz | Daniel S. Melamed | Laurie H. Pawlitza | Sammy Redlick | Leonard D. Rodness | Chaim Sapirman | Michael Tamblyn | Ari Tenenbaum | Matthew Tevlin | Sidney H. Troister, KC, LSM | Craig Vander Zee | Lorne H. Wolfson | Seth Zuk| Construction -
Torkin Manes lawyers featured in The Best Lawyers in Canada 2025 and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (Canada) 2025
Neil M. Abramson | Jeffrey Alpert | Christine Ashbourne | Risa Awerbuck | Robert Barbiero | Kenneth Beallor | Andrew Biderman | Adam N. Black | Doug Bourassa | Allan S. Bronstein | Jeffrey I. Cohen | Lisa Corrente | Sumeet (Sonu) Dhanju-Dhillon | Valerie A. Edwards | Stephanie Eiley | Aaron English | Matthew Getzler | Linda J. Godel | David M. Golden | Rachel Goldman Robinson | Ryan Hauk | Gregory D. Hersen | Aleksandar Jovanovic | Irv Kleiner | Kayla Kwinter | Lisa R. Lifshitz | Ronald D. Manes | M. Scott Martin | Matt Maurer | Daniel S. Melamed | Adrian Myers | Laurie H. Pawlitza | Daniel Pugen | Sammy Redlick | Leonard D. Rodness | Anthony Scane | Michael Tamblyn | Matthew Tevlin | Sidney H. Troister, KC, LSM | Tanisha Tulloch | Craig Vander Zee | Andrew J. Wilder | Jennifer L. Wilson | Lorne H. Wolfson | Seth Zuk | Sarah Boyle | Lauren Crosby | Yale Hertzman | Jennifer Lewis | Noorin Manji | Tamara Markovic | Vlad Mihaescu | Leslie McGowran | Meaghan O’Connor | Shreya Patel | Jennifer Siemon | George Tory | Rebecca Wakeam | Justyna A. Waxman -
Recognizing Exceptional Talent: 23 Torkin Manes lawyers ranked in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2024
Neil M. Abramson | Risa Awerbuck | Kenneth Beallor | Kobi Bessin | Andrew Biderman | Adam N. Black | Allan S. Bronstein | Jeffrey I. Cohen | Valerie A. Edwards | Matthew Getzler | Linda J. Godel | Jonathan Goode | Gregory D. Hersen | Lisa R. Lifshitz | Daniel S. Melamed | Sammy Redlick | Leonard D. Rodness | Michael Tamblyn | Ari Tenenbaum | Matthew Tevlin | Sidney H. Troister, KC, LSM | Craig Vander Zee | Lorne H. Wolfson | Seth Zuk| Construction -
Torkin Manes lawyers featured in The Best Lawyers in Canada 2024 and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (Canada) 2024
Neil M. Abramson | Risa Awerbuck | Kenneth Beallor | Andrew Biderman | Adam N. Black | Allan S. Bronstein | Jeffrey I. Cohen | Lisa Corrente | Valerie A. Edwards | Aaron English | Matthew Getzler | Linda J. Godel | David M. Golden | Ryan Hauk | Gregory D. Hersen | Aleksandar Jovanovic | Irv Kleiner | Kay Leung | Lisa R. Lifshitz | Ronald D. Manes | M. Scott Martin | Matt Maurer | Daniel S. Melamed | Laurie H. Pawlitza | Daniel Pugen | Sammy Redlick | Leonard D. Rodness | Anthony Scane | Michael Tamblyn | Matthew Tevlin | Sidney H. Troister, KC, LSM | Tanisha Tulloch | Craig Vander Zee | Andrew J. Wilder | Jennifer L. Wilson | Lorne H. Wolfson | Lauren Crosby | Leslie McGowran | Rebecca Wakeam -
Celebrating Exceptional Talent: 28 Torkin Manes lawyers ranked in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2025
Neil M. Abramson | Risa Awerbuck | Kenneth Beallor | Andrew Biderman | Adam N. Black | Allan S. Bronstein | Jeffrey I. Cohen | Sumeet (Sonu) Dhanju-Dhillon | Valerie A. Edwards | Matthew Getzler | Linda J. Godel | Jonathan Goode | Ryan Hauk | Gregory D. Hersen | Niklas Holmberg | Roland Hung | Lisa R. Lifshitz | Daniel S. Melamed | Laurie H. Pawlitza | Sammy Redlick | Leonard D. Rodness | Chaim Sapirman | Michael Tamblyn | Ari Tenenbaum | Matthew Tevlin | Sidney H. Troister, KC, LSM | Craig Vander Zee | Lorne H. Wolfson | Seth Zuk| Construction -
Torkin Manes lawyers featured in The Best Lawyers in Canada 2025 and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (Canada) 2025
Neil M. Abramson | Jeffrey Alpert | Christine Ashbourne | Risa Awerbuck | Robert Barbiero | Kenneth Beallor | Andrew Biderman | Adam N. Black | Doug Bourassa | Allan S. Bronstein | Jeffrey I. Cohen | Lisa Corrente | Sumeet (Sonu) Dhanju-Dhillon | Valerie A. Edwards | Stephanie Eiley | Aaron English | Matthew Getzler | Linda J. Godel | David M. Golden | Rachel Goldman Robinson | Ryan Hauk | Gregory D. Hersen | Aleksandar Jovanovic | Irv Kleiner | Kayla Kwinter | Lisa R. Lifshitz | Ronald D. Manes | M. Scott Martin | Matt Maurer | Daniel S. Melamed | Adrian Myers | Laurie H. Pawlitza | Daniel Pugen | Sammy Redlick | Leonard D. Rodness | Anthony Scane | Michael Tamblyn | Matthew Tevlin | Sidney H. Troister, KC, LSM | Tanisha Tulloch | Craig Vander Zee | Andrew J. Wilder | Jennifer L. Wilson | Lorne H. Wolfson | Seth Zuk | Sarah Boyle | Lauren Crosby | Yale Hertzman | Jennifer Lewis | Noorin Manji | Tamara Markovic | Vlad Mihaescu | Leslie McGowran | Meaghan O’Connor | Shreya Patel | Jennifer Siemon | George Tory | Rebecca Wakeam | Justyna A. Waxman