Brechin & Huffman LLP

Antoniette is a amazing. Obviously your average person has little to no legal knowledge and Antonietta gets that . SUPER prompt at replying. Somehow, at all hours of the day. If she isn't able to answer your question, she finds the answer and calls you back, again, super quick. Highly recommend this place. Daniel is cool too.

Daniel Coutts and his team did a wonderful job for my home sale and purchase. Both deals closed on the same day which can be potentially stressful but Kelsey took care of all of the details and I was handed the keys to my new home with plenty of time to spare. Thanks for a smooth operation!

1. Lack of Transparency and Details I was initially quoted a total cost of X amount. After signing the agreement, I was informed of an additional $600 + HST, with the explanation that “not all fees” were included in the first estimate. I was told I could complete everything online without an in-person visit. After signing, I was told it would cost $275 (later reduced to $25). Before attending the office, I twice requested copies of the documents I would be asked to sign, so I could review them in advance and avoid signing blindly. Despite this, they were not provided. 2. Failure to Verify Property Taxes What lawyers should do: Verify the official property tax statement issued by the City to ensure no past-due amounts. What happened: Brechin & Huffman accepted the seller’s lawyer’s statement without verification. Later, I received a City letter confirming the seller paid less than claimed. I had to pay the past-due balance immediately to avoid penalties, even though title insurance could eventually reimburse it. Checking the official tax account takes only minutes — but was not done. Imagine if the amount had been $5,000 or $10,000 instead of a few hundred. 3. Missing Keys and Access Codes The house was delivered without mailbox keys, security system passwords, or keys for interior door locks. What lawyers should do: Send a formal demand letter requiring the seller to deliver all missing keys and codes, or else cover the cost of replacements. What happened: Brechin & Huffman only relayed messages back and forth with the seller’s lawyer. 4. Leaking Fridge Issue During inspection, a fridge leak was found. The seller’s agent later said it was fixed. Thirteen days after closing, the same issue reappeared. An appliance repair company confirmed it was the same fault and quoted $566 for repair (after I had already paid $271). What lawyers should do: Reserve my right to pursue remedies and formally notify the seller. What happened: Brechin & Huffman advised me to handle it myself and did not even forward the repair report to the seller, despite my request. 5. Mishandling of Seller’s Overpayment When the seller made an overpayment, it was me — not my lawyers — who noticed it. What lawyers should do: Seek my approval before disclosing this to the seller. What happened: Brechin & Huffman informed the seller immediately, without consulting me first. Their actions appeared more aligned with the seller’s interest than mine. 6. Pattern of Advocating for the Seller When the seller’s lawyer provided a false tax statement, they later claimed the City said a “past due” amount (dated August 7) was actually for September — which is logically impossible. What lawyers should do: Stop verbal back-and-forth and take formal legal action (letters, holdbacks, claims). What happened: Brechin & Huffman did the opposite — they accepted the seller’s explanations and kept relaying messages. 7. Conclusion In my experience, Brechin & Huffman limited themselves to basic paperwork. They should be clear with clients that they are “paperwork only” lawyers who will not fight for client rights or take formal steps in disputes. Based on this, I cannot recommend them. Even the friend who referred me now says they would not recommend this firm again. I will not mention individual staff names here, but if the firm denies any of the above, I am prepared to share names and screenshots as proof.

My husband and I need our wills updated. Ours is a bit complicated as we have a blended family. We met with Anika Helen, and she was very attentive to our needs and requests. She was able to write our wills in exactly the terms we wished, even though we had had a previous experience with a lawyer that said it couldn’t be done the way we wanted it. The drafts were delivered to us expediently as well. Thank you Anika for your kind attention to the details. We couldn’t be happier with the result and we are so happy to have this completed and taken care of. Excellent service!

I recently worked with Daniel and his team on a closing for a first-time buyer. First-time buyers naturally have lots of questions and concerns, and Daniel’s team addressed everything promptly, clearly, and professionally. Thanks to their support, our client had a smooth and stress-free closing.