Malkit Atwal

Malkit Atwal is a Partner at Field Law whose practice focuses on wills, estates, trusts, estate litigation, estate administration and estate planning. He advises executors, trustees, beneficiaries, charities and private foundations on a broad range of estate and trust matters, from routine administration and planning to complex disputes. He previously served for many years as Practice Group Leader of Field Law's Wills, Estates and Trusts Group and is currently a member of the firm's Executive Committee.

Malkit regularly acts in estate disputes involving will challenges, family maintenance and support claims, trust disputes, estate accounting applications, disputes involving attorneys and trustees and applications for the removal and replacement of fiduciaries. He also assists clients with estate planning, including the preparation of wills, enduring powers of attorney, personal directives and succession plans for business owners. He has appeared before courts throughout Alberta, the Court of Appeal of the Northwest Territories and the Supreme Court of Canada.

In addition to his client work, Malkit has played a significant role in shaping Alberta's surrogate law procedures. He was a member of the Alberta Surrogate Court Forms Reform Project, working alongside members of the judiciary and estates practitioners to modernize the province's surrogate forms. He was part of the team responsible for the development of Alberta's new Surrogate Forms and contributed to the implementation of the Surrogate Digital Service, which enables the electronic filing of probate and administration applications. He currently serves on the Surrogate Rules Advisory Sub-Committee, which makes recommendations to the Rules of Court Committee regarding the rules and forms governing surrogate matters in Alberta.

Malkit is a frequent presenter and educator on estate-related topics. He has spoken at numerous continuing legal education programs, conferences and industry events on estate planning, estate litigation, blended family planning, family maintenance and support claims, fiduciary obligations and charitable giving. He is regularly invited to share practical insights with lawyers, financial professionals, charities and community organizations on developments in estates law and practice.

Malkit's contributions to the legal profession have been recognized through repeated inclusion in various legal directories, including The Best Lawyers in Canada for Trusts and Estates Law and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for Estate Litigation and Estate and Tax Planning. He was also part of the group that received the Canadian Bar Association Alberta Distinguished Service Award for its work on Alberta's Surrogate Reform Project.

Malkit provides practical, strategic and client-focused advice, working closely with clients to help them navigate some of life's most significant personal, financial and legal decisions.