John is a lawyer in our Huntsville office, practicing real estate law, wills and estates, and commercial/corporate law. John applies his knowledge of Muskoka to assist clients in their cottage and residential transactions, land severances and original shore road allowance closures. He also advises clients on their estate planning, with an eye to minimizing potential taxes.

John has articled and practiced law in Muskoka and the Town of Huntsville since graduating from Queen’s University, Faculty of Law in 2004 and being called to the bar in 2005.

When not in the office, John can be found at the soccer fields and hockey rinks volunteering with community sporting programs. He also enjoys running marathons and triathlons or canoeing and hiking in Algonquin Park with his young family.

Chris Holmes is a lawyer based in our Huntsville office whose practice is focused on real estate law, including land development, condominium law, and both residential and commercial purchase and sale transactions. Chris also has substantial experience acting on behalf of private lenders in relation to both residential and commercial mortgage financing transactions. In addition to real estate law, Chris’s practice includes both corporate law and wills & estates.

Chris was called to the bar in January 2019 after completing his articling term with Barriston. He earned his law degree in 2018 from the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia and completed a Masters of Law in Taxation at Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in 2023. Before pursuing his legal career, Chris obtained a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University).

Andra is an associate practicing primarily in the areas of corporate law, real estate, and wills and estates.

Before joining Barriston in the spring of 2025, Andra worked at a national business law firm, serving as a Corporate and Regulatory Associate in the Health Industry Group. Her practice focused on corporate structuring, commercial agreements, and regulatory compliance, primarily assisting healthcare organizations, research institutes, and regulated professionals.

Prior to her legal career, Andra spent nearly a decade at The Hospital for Sick Children, starting as a Registered Nurse in the Pediatric ICU and later as a Senior Digital Strategist, leading hospital-wide innovation and technology initiatives.

Andra holds an MBA in Management of Technology and Innovation, enhancing her ability to assist clients in navigating complex legal and business matters with clarity and purpose.

In her free time, Andra enjoys the outdoors and is excited to explore all that Muskoka has to offer.

Erica Marcassa is a senior associate lawyer practicing Family Law. Erica was called to the Bar and has been a member of the Law Society of Ontario since January 2020. Erica began her legal career at a general practice firm in Timmins, Ontario where she primarily practiced Family Law and Wills and Estates.

Erica obtained her undergraduate degree at Carleton University, where she double majored in Law and Women’s and Gender Studies. After finishing her undergraduate degree, she traveled to Iqaluit, Nunavut where she lived and worked until she attended Lakehead University’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law where she received her Juris Doctor in the Spring of 2019, graduating with First Class Standing. Erica has a passion for continuous learning and a desire to gain a deeper understanding of the law and how it can be used to serve individuals and the community, she completed a Master of Laws degree from the University of Ottawa in 2022.

In Erica’s spare time she enjoys taking nature photography, kayaking, bird watching and spending time with loved ones.

Cayley is a trusted legal advisor to business owners and their families and she values the opportunities she’s had to work with multiple generations of business owners, assisting in the ongoing success of their ventures.  Cayley’s clients trust her legal and business insights and are confident in the quality of her legal services. They value her responsive attention to their ongoing needs.

Cayley works with all types of business owners including doctors, dentists, veterinarians, farmers, car dealerships, and manufacturers.  She assists in all aspects of their businesses, including  buying and selling assets or companies, commercial financing, commercial leasing and maintaining corporate records. She also helps business owners with their commercial real estate needs and their wills and estate planning, including succession planning for their businesses.

Cayley is an experienced commercial lending lawyer with expertise in commercial lending, real estate financing and construction financing. Cayley has also represented public institutions in a general advisory capacity and helps not for profit and charitable organizations with incorporations, applications for charitable status, and on-going corporate maintenance.

Since moving to Simcoe County in January 2018,  Cayley has enjoyed the opportunity of working alongside several senior Barrie business lawyers with her previous firm. Prior to moving to Simcoe County, Cayley practiced with Pavey Law LLP in Cambridge and with Torys LLP in Toronto.

Cayley has presented at seminars hosted by local Real Estate Boards and Chambers of Commerce, to groups organized through Pro Bono Law Ontario and the Law Society of Ontario,  as well as to smaller groups organized by local banking institutions, libraries, and stroke survivor organizations. She welcomes the opportunity to speak to other groups.

Cayley is currently a member and past-director of the Rotary Club of Barrie, having previously been the president and treasurer of the Rotary Club of Cambridge (Preston-Hespeler). Cayley is past-Chair of the Board of Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region.

Outside of the office, she enjoys reading all varieties of books, has very eclectic tastes in music and stays active by curling, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing and exploring the County’s highways by bicycle.