Marni Pernica

Aird & Berlis LLP

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Winner: RISING STAR

who are just starting out to multi-generational families who are looking for the best way to transition assets to the next generation. Marni enjoys navigating the complexities that arise in complicated and layered family structures. Having worked as an estates and trusts litigator before focusing on planning and administration, she has foresight to the potential disputes that can arise and brings a holistic perspective when presenting various estate planning options. Estate planning often involves deeply personal elements and Marni goes beyond the role of simply providing legal counsel – she is a confidant and provides practical advice on how to navigate sensitive family dynamics. In her practice, Marni focuses on estate, income tax and succession planning, including cross-border planning, planning to reduce estate administration tax, the preparation of wills, powers of attorney and trusts, and assisting with estate administration. Additionally, she advises clients on how to reduce personal and corporate tax, including the effective use of a family trust, and she has significant experience with cross-border planning for clients who have U.S. or other foreign connections. Marni has been involved with multiple professional organizations, including the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, the Canadian Tax Foundation and the OBA Trusts and Estates Section. She is currently Vice-Chair of the OBA Trusts and Estates Section Executive. During her time as Public Affairs Liaison, Marni was at the forefront of the OBA’s successful efforts to lobby the provincial government to permit virtual witnesses of wills and powers of attorney during the pandemic. She was heavily involved in consultations with the office of the Ministry of the Attorney General to assist with modernization and substantive changes to various pieces of Ontario estate planning legislation. During the pandemic, she also signed on with Lawyers for the Front Lines, an OBA initiative offering front-line health-care workers complimentary 30-minute consultations to discuss wills and estate planning. In addition to managing her growing practice and busy homelife as a mother, Marni is also a leader in her community. She sits on the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto’s professional advisory committee as well as its professional development team. Through the UJA’s Women’s Philanthropy arm, Marni has helped educate women on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, investing and the importance of estate and tax planning. She also recently joined the professional advisory committee for the Jewish National Fund. Through her personal and professional involvement, Marni is always seeking out ways to help people from all walks of life recognize the importance of estate planning. She frequently writes and speaks on topics involving tax, estate planning and business succession planning and has contributed to various publications, including The STEP Journal, The International Comparative Legal Guide: Private Client and Key Developments in Estates and Trusts Law in Ontario.

www.airdberlis.com

Aird & Berlis LLP

mpernica@airdberlis.com

416.865.7738

Brookfield Place, 181 Bay Street, Suite 1800, Toronto, ON M5J 2T9

AirdBerlis

@AirdBerlis

Marni Pernica is a Partner at Aird & Berlis LLP and Co-Practice Group Leader of the firm’s Tax Group and Estates & Trusts Group. She offers thoughtful and effective estate and succession planning for clients ranging from young families