Perez Procope Leinveer LLP
Our lawyers are committed to protecting your rights and the rights of your loved ones. We provide practical and client-centred advice to help avoid disputes and resolve problems at an early stage. When litigation is necessary, our lawyers deliver experienced advocacy before administrative tribunals and all levels of court.
Our firm promotes accessible justice. We offer retainer terms that are fair and reasonable, with no surprises or hidden fees.
Mercedes Perez
Mercedez is a lawyer and partner of PBP Lawyers. Mercedes has represented clients before a range of administrative tribunals and at all levels of court in Ontario, Federal Court and the Supreme Court of Canada. She practices in the fields of mental health and capacity law, Charter litigation, civil actions, coroners’ inquests, elder law, privacy matters, and complaints to the regulated health professions colleges. Mercedes represented the appellant in P.S. v. Ontario, a successful constitutional challenge to the Mental Health Act which resulted in the first significant amendments to this legislation in over a decade. She has received numerous amicus curiae appointments from the Ontario Court of Appeal in mental health and capacity appeals.
Mercedes co-instructs the Law and Psychiatry course at Osgoode Hall Law School with Kelley Bryan. As a member of the Mental Health Legal Committee, she has prepared submissions on proposed provincial and federal legislative reform bills. She has been a frequent speaker on capacity, constitutional and administrative law matters at law conferences and continuing legal education programs, including the Osgoode Certificates in Elder Law and Mental Health Law.
Mercedes received her law degree from McGill University and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2003. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto and a Master of Arts from the University of Chicago. She has held appointments as a Director of the Boards of several charitable organizations in Ontario and the United States. Before co-founding PBP Lawyers, Mercedes worked for non-governmental organizations in the Dominican Republic and Ecuador, at EcoJustice and a boutique advocacy firm in Toronto, and also practiced as a sole practitioner.
Alexander Procope
Alexander is a lawyer and partner of PBP Lawyers. Alex’s practice is concentrated in capacity, guardianship, power of attorney and estate matters. He has frequently been appointed as counsel for allegedly incapable persons in capacity-related disputes and has a passion for the rights of the vulnerable.
Alex has served as CPD and Public Affairs Liaison for the Elder Law Section and member-at-large of the OBA Trusts and Estates Section Executives of the Ontario Bar Association. He is a member of the Mental Health Legal Committee and in that role has prepared submissions respecting Policy and Law Reform on capacity, guardianship and substitute-decision making. Alex was awarded the Hoffstein Book Prize by the Ontario Bar Association for his contributions and achievements to the area of wills, trusts and estates in 2022. He has been also recognized on Best Lawyers Ones to Watch in the area of trusts and estates. He has also been ranked in Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide since 2023 for Private Wealth Disputes.
Alex frequently presents at Professional Development Programs and is Co-Director of the OsgoodePD Certificate of Elder Law Program. Alex co-teaches Mental Health Law at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law. Alex has previously taught Ethical and Legal Frameworks in Aging at the G. Raymond Chang School of Toronto Metropolitan University and guest lectured on Legal Professional Ethics at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law and Elder Law and Patient Rights at the University of Toronto Faculty of Social Work.
Alex graduated with honours from the University of Toronto with a degree in philosophy and history and obtained his law degree from the University of Windsor in 2006. He articled at a full-service Toronto firm and joined a boutique advocacy firm following his call to the bar of Ontario in 2007 where he practiced until co-founding PBP Lawyers.
Lisa Leinveer
Lisa is a lawyer and partner of PBP Lawyers. Lisa is a dedicated advocate for people navigating legal issues that can arise following the death or incapacity of a loved one including guardianship, power of attorney disputes, and will challenges. She works with her clients to develop pragmatic, compassionate and creative solutions to their legal problems.
Lisa takes pride in providing clear and accessible guidance in confusing and emotionally difficult situations. She helps clients plan carefully to make the best decisions for their family and avoid costly litigation where possible.
Lisa also represents allegedly incapable persons, has acted as section 3 counsel and has been appointed amicus curiae on many occasions. She is committed to accessible and trauma-informed service delivery.
Lisa is also a passionate advocate for survivors of sexual violence and child abuse. She frequently represents complainants in criminal proceedings, including pre-trial evidence applications about third-party records and prior sexual activity.
Lisa has advised and represented people who have been mistreated by the police and other institutions and believes that the law can be used as a tool to fight systemic discrimination and create a more just society.
Lisa appears regularly at the Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Court of Justice, the Consent and Capacity Board, the Ontario Review Board and has advocated at the Ontario Court of Appeal.
Lisa holds a Juris Doctor degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Master of Arts degree in Women’s Studies and Feminist Research from the University of Western Ontario. Prior to joining Perez Procope Leinveer LLP, Lisa worked at a boutique firm specializing in estate and trust litigation, human rights and consent and capacity law.
Karthik Pandalangat
Karthik is a lawyer and associate of PBP Lawyers. Karthik is a strong proponent of social justice and has advocated for disadvantaged individuals and groups in both the legal, mental health and community service contexts. Employing an anti-oppressive approach, Karthik strives to provide socially conscious and accessible service to his clients.
Being intimately aware of the systemic issues and hardships that marginalized Canadians face, Karthik was motivated to pursue a career in law. He believes that the law can be used as a vehicle to combat discrimination and advance equitable justice and reform.
Karthik completed his articles at the Ministry of the Attorney General – Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee where he gained extensive experience advocating for allegedly incapable and incapable persons and developed a passion for guardianship and estate law. Karthik has also represented vulnerable tenants facing precarious housing situations before the Landlord and Tenant Board and has on many occasions prevented them from being unfairly evicted from their homes.
Karthik received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Windsor and graduated with honours from the University of Toronto, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Sociology.
In his personal life, Karthik enjoys spending time with his family and friends, and has a passion for music production.
Michelle Alijohn
Michelle joined PBP Lawyers in 2022 as a Legal Assistant and Clerk with over 16 years of experience in the legal field.
Michelle’s love for law led her to Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology where she graduated from the Accelerated Law Clerk program in 2007. She has broad expertise in civil, estate and criminal procedure and file administration. Michelle’s skills are indispensable in file management, administration of complex estate and guardianship proceedings, client communication, drafting, and liaising with courts and tribunals.
Michelle also keeps the PBP Lawyers office running smoothly with her depth of knowledge of legal office procedures, specialized legal software, and client intake.
Michelle has dedicated time to Innocence Canada, assisting individuals and working to prevent wrongful convictions.
Outside of work, Michelle enjoys spending meaningful time with family and friends. She is enthusiastic about music, ballet, the outdoors, and international travel.
Areas of practice
Perez Procope Leinveer LLP helps their clients succeed in the following areas:
Civil Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment
- Civil Proceedings
- Victim Representation in Criminal Proceedings
Consent and Capacity Board
- Cases where mental capacity is in dispute
- Advice on how substitute decision-makers should make their decisions
- Consent regarding end-of life decisions
- Consent to admission to long-term care facilities (nursing homes)
- Detention in psychiatric facilities under the Mental Health Act
- Capacity to manage finances and property
Guardianship
- Seeking that a court appoint a guardian for an incapable person
- Representing family members or incapable persons who are responding to guardianship applications
- Consultation with personal injury lawyers on the particular options and needs of clients with acquired brain injuries or intellectual/ cognitive disabilities
- Seeking statutory guardianships (management of an incapable person’s property by the Public Guardian and Trustee)
- Terminating statutory guardianships
- Assisting guardians with preparing and amending management plans and guardianship plans
- Seeking directions from the court when questions arise about a guardianship
- Advising guardians on their duties and obligations, including record-keeping obligations
- Seeking accountability from court-appointed guardians
- Terminating court-appointed guardianships when a guardian is acting dishonestly, improperly, or showing incompetence.
- Section 3 Counsel Appointments
Human Rights and Discrimination
- Discrimination or harassment in the workplace, for instance due to race, gender, gender identity or gender expression, pregnancy, family status or age
- Disability in the workplace, including accommodation at work
- Mental health or intellectual disabilities at work
- Sexual harassment in the workplace
- Discriminatory hiring and promotional practices
- Education placement for exceptional students with disabilities
- School discipline of students with disabilities, including suspension and expulsion
- Accommodation for students with disabilities
- Police discrimination based on race, gender or disability
- Equal access to services for persons with physical or intellectual disabilities
- Removal of barriers for persons with mental health challenges.
Ontario Review Board
- Representation of accused persons fount Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) in the Greater Toronto Area and at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health
- Counsel appointments for accused persons currently unfit for trial in the Greater Toronto Area and at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health
Power of Attorney Ontario Disputes
- Advising attorneys on their duties, obligations and powers under a POA
- Challenging the validity of POA documents
- Defending the validity of POA documents
- Challenging the actions of attorneys who are acting dishonestly, improperly or otherwise not in the best interests of the incapable person
- Challenging abuse of POA documents
- Seeking accountings from attorneys for property, who can be compelled to produce their accounting records and explain the transactions
- Assisting attorneys or other family members in responding to passing of accounts applications.
Social Justice Litigation
- Charter Litigation
- Coroners’ Inquests
Wills and Estates Disputes
- Challenging a Will
- Defending a Will
- Interpretating the terms of a Will or trust
- Varying the terms of a Will or trust
- Seeking to remove estate trustees (executors) for dishonesty, wrongdoing or incompetence
- Making dependants’ relief claims when spouses or dependants are excluded from a Will or not adequately provided for
- Seeking accountings from estate trustees, who can be compelled to produce their accounting records and explain the transactions or the amounts of compensation taken
- Passing of accounts applications
Contact Perez Procope Leinveer LLP
Phone: 416-320-1914
Email: contact@pbplawyers.com
Website: pbplawyers.com