Richard Worsfold

Richard brings an impressive three decades of litigation expertise to the team at Mills & Mills LLP, stepping in as a Partner. His role is twofold: he not only stands in the trenches fighting for his clients but also plays the mediator, paving the way for dispute resolution through alternative means.

Throughout his career, Richard has tackled a broad spectrum of intricate legal battles. These have ranged from Will disputes and shareholder disagreements to traffic-related deaths, mental capacity issues, and claims of unfair dismissal. His reputation for excellence is recognized across all judicial levels in Ontario, earning him respect from both the benches of justice and his peers.

Estate Litigation now captures the majority of Richard's professional focus. His approach to these cases is both practical and aimed at efficiency, striving to untangle and resolve disputes with speed and effectiveness. He possesses a keen eye for identifying the crux of each case, adopting innovative strategies to steer these disputes towards a satisfactory resolution.

Richard champions the cause of mediation and negotiation, dedicating himself to helping litigants find equitable and respectful settlements.

His recent legal battles include a variety of high-stakes cases:

• In Jung v. Ye (2022), he thwarted a takeover attempt by a dissenting faction within a Not-For-Profit organization client, as decided by the Superior Court of Ontario.

• The Kates Estate case (2020) saw him defending a group of 20 charities against a Will challenge, successfully countering claims of incapacity and undue influence.

• Wong v. Li (2020) involved defending against accusations of breach of fiduciary duty, conspiracy, and fraud, with the action being dismissed and costs awarded to Richard's client.

• The Superior Court's decision in Martin v. Martin (2018) provided clarity on the evidential standards for challenging a Will.

• Legal interpretations regarding mortgages and penalty clauses were at the heart of the 58 Cardill Inc. v. Rathcliffe Holdings case (2017), with subsequent affirmation by the Court of Appeal in 2018.

• Arrow ESP Norway v. Tian (2017) saw the Court of Appeal maintaining a decision related to tracing funds in an international email fraud case.

• Mishev v. Shah (2016) featured a Superior Court trial where claims of fraud against a mortgagee were dismissed.

Richard also contributes to legal discourse through articles on topics such as the significance of apologies in mediation, the security of beneficiary designations, the judiciary's hesitant stance on meddling with Not-For-Profit operations, and the evolving landscape of mediation in the digital era, questioning if a return to pre-Zoom practices is even conceivable.