Curtis J. Onishenko, KC
Partner
Curtis is a partner in the Saskatoon office where he practices mainly in the areas of estate litigation, family farm disputes, corporate commercial litigation and shareholder disputes. He also advises clients on various labour and employment issues.
Curtis Onishenko practices mainly in litigation with an emphasis on estate litigation, family farm disputes, corporate commercial litigation and shareholder disputes. He also advises clients on various labour and employment issues. He has appeared in all three levels of Saskatchewan Court (Provincial, Queen’s Bench, and Court of Appeal) and also before the Federal Court of Canada and the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board.
Curtis joined the Firm’s Saskatoon office as an Associate in 2002 after articling with the Firm. He earned his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Saskatchewan in 2001, following a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours) (Philosophy) in 2000. Curtis has been a partner with the Firm since 2009 and is the current chair of the Commercial Litigation Group as well as the Estate Litigation Group. Curtis was honoured with a King’s Counsel appointment in 2022.
Curtis has appeared in numerous court matters concerning estate litigation matters. Issues have included the questioning of testamentary capacity of the deceased to execute the Will; questioning of whether the deceased was unduly influenced by someone to execute their will; issues concerning the formal requirements of execution of the Will; Family Property Act claims concerning an estate; Dependant Relief claims against an estate and high conflict disputes over the family farm.
Curtis presented on Estate Litigation to the Saskatchewan Trial Lawyers Association and the Law Society seminar in 2021.
Curtis feels it is important to be engaged in the legal community in order to help build the future of law in the province and nation. He has chaired several volunteer positions in the Canadian Bar Association, is a member of the Future of Law Conference Committee, and has been an instructor at the CPLED bar admission course. He is also a respected member of the St. Thomas More Lawyers Guild of Saskatoon Inc. An active participant in local politics, Curtis has also been a member of the Premier’s Dinner Committee and part of the Executive Committee for the Saskatchewan Party Saskatoon Sutherland Constituency.
He is also an executive member in Lawyers Associated Worldwide (LAW), a global association of independent commercial law firms.
Recent reported decisions in which Curtis has been involved include:
- Lawless v Avalerion Corp., 2021 SKQB 185 (https://canlii.ca/t/jgwwl)
- Choquette v Viczko, 2021 SKQB 167 (https://canlii.ca/t/jgwjd)
- Martin Estate v Martin, 2020 SKQB 272 (https://canlii.ca/t/jbk17)
- Saskatchewan v Good Spirit School Division No. 204, 2020 SKCA 34 (https://canlii.ca/t/j60qt)
- Holmes v Jastek Master Builder 2004 Inc., 2019 SKCA 132 (https://canlii.ca/t/j3w4g)
