A British Columbia woman has successfully challenged her mother’s will, which left the majority of a multi-million-dollar estate to her brother, highlighting deep-rooted favouritism in the family and Chinese culture. Ginny Lam, the daughter of former lottery winner Yat Hei Law, argued that her mother’s wealth was unevenly distributed, leaving over 80% to her brother, William Law, based on what she called “outdated” gender bias originating from centuries-old “village culture” in China.In a BC Supreme Court ruling, Justice Maria Morellato agreed that the will was indeed biased, awarding William approximately $2.9 million while Ginny received only $170,000. The court found that Yat Hei Law’s assets were distributed based on gender preferences that favoured her son.“Ginny and William’s mother held a gender-based bias that resulted in William receiving most of his mother’s assets,” wrote Justice Morellato. “This bias influenced and shaped the disposition of the mother’s assets, not only through the gifts she gave Ginny and William during her lifetime but also reflected in her 2018 will.”.Ginny Lam argued that her mother’s decision was rooted in outdated gender values stemming from peasant culture in China. “My mom truly believed that my brother was the king and the cat’s meow,” Lam told reporters. “She truly embodied that sons and boys were put on a pedestal.”Ginny’s father, who emigrated with the family to Canada in 1969, won $1 million in the BC/49 lottery in 1992 and sold the family’s Chinese restaurant and purchased three rental properties with the winnings. Despite his entrepreneurial spirit and progressive views, his wife’s traditional values from their early life in China significantly influenced the family’s financial decisions, court heard.According to BC’s Wills, Estates and Succession Act, a court can vary a will if a will-maker fails to adequately provide for a spouse or children. Ginny Lam’s successful challenge highlights the enduring impact of cultural gender biases, even in modern estate planning.In addition to the financial gain, the ruling represents a personal vindication for Ginny, who testified she often felt overlooked despite her father’s earlier success and their shared immigrant journey even though she was born in Vancouver.The woman testified she felt penalized for being born a girl even though she was her mother’s primary caregiver in her final years when she died at 74 in 2021.“We have a two-car garage in my family home, and my mom told me to move my car so my brother could park in the garage,” said Lam. “At family dinners, the nicer pieces of the meat or fish were presented in front of him.”When Ginny confronted her brother, he told he “that’s the way mom wanted it” and told her “lawyer up” if she didn’t like it. So she did. “My brother was the boy, and he was going inherit,” said Lam. “I asked her (the mother), why is that? And she goes, ‘Well, because this is our Chinese custom, and everything goes to the boy.’”Her mother also reportedly told her that men don’t want smart successful women and that she ought to stay home and bear children — specifically boys.“It was always, ‘Ginny, don't be so smart, no man's going to want you. Your husband is going to leave you if you become too successful or too smart. Just stay at home, go get a secretarial job, and have sons — specifically, have sons,’” said Lam.
A British Columbia woman has successfully challenged her mother’s will, which left the majority of a multi-million-dollar estate to her brother, highlighting deep-rooted favouritism in the family and Chinese culture. Ginny Lam, the daughter of former lottery winner Yat Hei Law, argued that her mother’s wealth was unevenly distributed, leaving over 80% to her brother, William Law, based on what she called “outdated” gender bias originating from centuries-old “village culture” in China.In a BC Supreme Court ruling, Justice Maria Morellato agreed that the will was indeed biased, awarding William approximately $2.9 million while Ginny received only $170,000. The court found that Yat Hei Law’s assets were distributed based on gender preferences that favoured her son.“Ginny and William’s mother held a gender-based bias that resulted in William receiving most of his mother’s assets,” wrote Justice Morellato. “This bias influenced and shaped the disposition of the mother’s assets, not only through the gifts she gave Ginny and William during her lifetime but also reflected in her 2018 will.”.Ginny Lam argued that her mother’s decision was rooted in outdated gender values stemming from peasant culture in China. “My mom truly believed that my brother was the king and the cat’s meow,” Lam told reporters. “She truly embodied that sons and boys were put on a pedestal.”Ginny’s father, who emigrated with the family to Canada in 1969, won $1 million in the BC/49 lottery in 1992 and sold the family’s Chinese restaurant and purchased three rental properties with the winnings. Despite his entrepreneurial spirit and progressive views, his wife’s traditional values from their early life in China significantly influenced the family’s financial decisions, court heard.According to BC’s Wills, Estates and Succession Act, a court can vary a will if a will-maker fails to adequately provide for a spouse or children. Ginny Lam’s successful challenge highlights the enduring impact of cultural gender biases, even in modern estate planning.In addition to the financial gain, the ruling represents a personal vindication for Ginny, who testified she often felt overlooked despite her father’s earlier success and their shared immigrant journey even though she was born in Vancouver.The woman testified she felt penalized for being born a girl even though she was her mother’s primary caregiver in her final years when she died at 74 in 2021.“We have a two-car garage in my family home, and my mom told me to move my car so my brother could park in the garage,” said Lam. “At family dinners, the nicer pieces of the meat or fish were presented in front of him.”When Ginny confronted her brother, he told he “that’s the way mom wanted it” and told her “lawyer up” if she didn’t like it. So she did. “My brother was the boy, and he was going inherit,” said Lam. “I asked her (the mother), why is that? And she goes, ‘Well, because this is our Chinese custom, and everything goes to the boy.’”Her mother also reportedly told her that men don’t want smart successful women and that she ought to stay home and bear children — specifically boys.“It was always, ‘Ginny, don't be so smart, no man's going to want you. Your husband is going to leave you if you become too successful or too smart. Just stay at home, go get a secretarial job, and have sons — specifically, have sons,’” said Lam.
