Demetre is an associate in the Private Client Services group of the firm's Toronto office. He has a broad trusts and estates practice and has developed and implemented cohesive succession plans for clients involving a wide range of different family and corporate structures. He has also advised on a breadth of family wealth planning matters, including tax issues, estate freezes, cross-border and international estates, probate planning, disability planning, charitable gifting, asset protection strategies, personal privacy, intellectual property and domestic contracts.
Demetre regularly speaks and writes about various legal issues in succession planning, including in particular the evolving area of digital assets in estate planning. His work has been cited by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and he has spoken at both national and international events. Demetre has obtained the prestigious Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation from the Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners (STEP). While Demetre assists many families with navigating these areas, he is also experienced in helping individual entrepreneurs and business owners, philanthropists, athletes, artists, authors, entertainers, social media influencers and various types of professionals.
Estate Planning and Administration
Demetre regularly drafts wills, powers of attorney, beneficiary designations and other documents relevant to estate planning. He also advises executors and trustees with respect to all aspects of estate administration.
Trust Establishment and Administration
Demetre is experienced in establishing many different types of trusts, including discretionary trusts, joint partner trusts and alter ego trusts. He also assists with all aspects of trust administration, including trustee appointment and removal, trust property management and trust wind-ups.
Domestic Contracts
Demetre is well-versed in the various considerations for effective marriage contracts and cohabitation agreements. He has drafted and negotiated a wide variety of domestic contracts for different family and relationship structures.
Planning for Digital Assets
Demetre brings in-depth and unique acumen in the area of digital assets in estate planning and enjoys working with clients to develop plans that are tailored to address assets such as social media accounts, cryptocurrency and other electronic files and content. He is knowledgeable in the numerous areas of law that affect such planning such as privacy law and intellectual property law.
Industry Leadership
Demetre is passionate about contributing to the legal community and the effective development of the law. He is an active member of the STEP Digital Assets Global Special Interest Group Steering Committee. In this capacity, he collaborates with prominent trusts and estate practitioners worldwide to address interjurisdictional legal gaps in this domain. Demetre has also served in differing capacities for the Ontario Bar Association’s Trusts and Estates Section Executive. In his current role as Public Affairs Liaison, he continually fosters collaboration between the trusts and estates Bar and the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General. His efforts are dedicated to improving efficiency and advocating for meaningful change to benefit the Bench, the Bar, and the broader public.
Community Involvement
Outside of law, Demetre currently serves on the board of directors for the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. He is also an ESL Teacher at St. Paul’s Bloor Street, a Panelist for Anime North, and a Member of the Pre-Screening Committee for the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. Demetre also enjoys playing and streaming video games, training in mixed martial arts, and engaging in all aspects of music production, including singing, songwriting and playing his ukulele and ocarina.
