Ben founded the firm to meet a growing demand for independent estate services. His practice spans the full range of estate matters — from wills, trusts, and estate planning to the administration of estates and the resolution of estate disputes. He advises individuals, families, business owners, trust companies, and charitable organizations, and is frequently entrusted with matters that call for sound judgment and discretion.

When disputes arise, Ben has the experience to see them through. He has argued at all levels of court in Nova Scotia, including the Probate Court, the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, and the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal. He also holds training in collaborative estate practice, enabling him to support families who wish to avoid litigation and pursue private resolutions.

He is a graduate of McGill University’s Faculty of Law, where he trained in both common and civil law. He later completed the Osgoode Hall Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop at York University.

Ben holds the Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and serves as Deputy Chair of its Atlantic Provinces Branch. He previously sat on the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society Practice Standards Committee for Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Personal Directives. He is currently listed in The Best Lawyers in Canada and Lexpert Canada as a leading practitioner in Trusts and Estates.

Ben writes regularly on developments in Nova Scotia estate law at www.thelateedition.ca, where he comments on recent case law and emerging issues in estate practice.

In the community, he serves as Chair of the Health Services Foundation of the South Shore, supporting healthcare initiatives at South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater and Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital in Lunenburg. He is also a supporter of the South Shore Hospice Palliative Care Society and the Nova Scotia SPCA.

Ben lives in Bridgewater with his wife, Blair McIlwain, and their rescue dog, Conrad.