David Severide
My guiding principle as I built my practice and law firm was to always listen carefully to my client before providing advice. Often the answer to a problem, legal or otherwise, only becomes clear after careful consideration of various options. Not every legal problem requires a legal solution - I have always prided myself on my ability to provide practical advice and affordable options to my clients that minimize the potential for damage to family or business relationships.
Being a great laywer requires many different skills: listening, evaluating, persuading and managing. I offer these skills to each of my clients and nothing gives me more satisfaction in my work than hearing that my advice and representation has been hightly valued.
Professional Background
I have more than 35 years’ experience as a lawyer, with extensive experience advising clients in the areas of wills and estates, real estate, and business law. After running my own yacht charter business for several years, I worked as an associate lawyer at a boutique litigation firm, and then as a partner at a full-service Ladner law firm, before co-founding Severide Law in 1996 with my wife Deirdre.
I currently focus my practice primarily on Wills and estate probates, elder law advice, as well as helping individual clients and small business owners create estate and business succession plans tailored to their needs that will protect and provide for their families in the event of death, illness, or accident. I also practice in the areas of commercial real estate and corporate transactions.
As part of a larger commitment to educating clients about their legal rights and issues, I have been a frequent presenter at estate planning seminars. I have also written articles in community newspapers and have been a featured guest on radio talk shows.
In my free time, I love to sail the BC Coast with family and friends, ride my cyclo-cross bike on local trails, and in the winter you will often find me skiing at Whistler! I am also well-known (at least in my family!) for my barista skills and occasional “lame dad” jokes and puns!
Expertise
Wills and Estates
Business
Estate and Power of Attorney Dispute
Elder Law-Committee
Education
Called to the British Columbia Bar 1983
LL.B. University of British Columbia 1982
B.A. (Political Science) University of Victoria 1978
Numerous legal education courses in all practice areas