Family Lawyers

We prepare and file uncontested divorce applications for couples who have resolved the terms of their separation and only need a divorce order to formalize it. Our lawyers complete the required affidavits and supporting financial disclosure so the application is accepted by the registry on the first attempt. Most uncontested matters close within weeks once the required disclosure is in order.

We represent clients through contested divorce proceedings where parenting, support, or property cannot be resolved by agreement. Our lawyers prepare the Notice of Family Claim, manage disclosure obligations, and advance your position at every case conference and hearing the file requires. We prepare every contested file as though it will proceed to trial, even when most resolve sooner.

We draft and negotiate separation agreements that set out parenting arrangements, support, and the division of property between separating spouses. Each agreement is built on full financial disclosure so it withstands a later challenge under the Family Law Act. A properly drafted agreement lets both spouses move forward without returning to court later.

We advise clients on the practical difference between living separate and apart and obtaining a formal divorce order under the Divorce Act. Many of the rights and obligations that matter, including support and property division, arise from separation itself and not from the divorce order. We advise on this early so your support and property rights are protected from the day you separate.

We act for newcomer and cross-border couples whose marriage, property, or family ties span Canada and another country, including China and Korea. Our lawyers coordinate with the Family Law Act’s disclosure requirements while accounting for assets, agreements, or orders made outside Canada. We coordinate these matters carefully so an international separation does not become a jurisdictional dispute.

We calculate and negotiate child support under the Federal Child Support Guidelines, including table amounts and special or extraordinary expenses. Our lawyers verify a payor’s income and household circumstances so the support amount reflects what the guidelines actually require. Getting that calculation right early prevents a support order from being contested or varied later.

We advise clients on spousal support entitlement, amount, and duration under the Family Law Act and the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines. Entitlement can arise from need, compensation for the relationship, or contractual agreement, and each basis affects how long support runs. Our lawyers build the argument that reflects your actual entitlement, not a generic estimate.

We act for clients where a self-employed spouse’s reported income does not reflect their true earning capacity or lifestyle. Our lawyers retain forensic accountants to trace corporate income, benefits, and expenses that support imputing a higher income for support purposes. This level of scrutiny is often what separates a fair support order from one based on an incomplete picture.

We vary support orders when income or circumstances change, and we pursue enforcement through the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program when a payor falls into arrears. FMEP’s tools include wage garnishment, driver’s licence suspension, and reporting to the credit bureau. We help clients use these tools effectively, so an unpaid support order results in an actual payment.

We represent clients in family law mediation, a confidential process that resolves parenting, support, and property issues without a court appearance. Our lawyers prepare clients for each session and review any resulting agreement before it is signed. Mediation is often the path that resolves a family law matter with the least cost and conflict.

We represent clients through the collaborative divorce process, where both spouses and their lawyers commit in writing to resolving the matter without going to court. Our lawyers work alongside financial and parenting professionals retained jointly by both spouses to reach a workable settlement. This team-based approach helps preserve a functional co-parenting relationship after separation.

We represent clients in family law arbitration, a private and binding process that resolves a dispute without the delay of the court system. Our lawyers select an arbitrator suited to the issues in dispute and present the case as thoroughly as we would at trial. We prepare thoroughly so an arbitrated outcome holds up with the same durability as a court order.

We negotiate and draft parenting arrangements that set out where a child lives, how decisions are made, and how time is shared between parents. Our lawyers structure each plan around the child’s needs while protecting our client’s ongoing role in their child’s life. A clear, well-drafted plan prevents the disputes that arise from ambiguity later on.

We advise parents on the allocation of parental responsibilities under the Family Law Act, including decisions about a child’s health, education, and daily care. Guardianship and parental responsibility are treated separately from parenting time, and each carries distinct obligations. We explain that distinction clearly so a parent can exercise their role with confidence.

We represent parents on both sides of a mobility application when one parent seeks to relocate with a child. Our lawyers assess the best-interests factors the court applies and build the evidentiary record needed to support or oppose the move. That preparation often determines whether a relocation proceeds on the terms a parent needs.

We act for grandparents and extended family members seeking parenting time, contact, or guardianship of a child under the Family Law Act. These applications require the applicant to establish standing and demonstrate the child’s best interests independent of the parents’ dispute. We build that case carefully so a grandparent’s relationship with a child is properly recognized by the court.

We enforce existing parenting orders when one parent fails to comply, and we apply to vary orders when circumstances have materially changed. Our lawyers document the breach or the change and bring the matter before the court as efficiently as the circumstances allow. We respond quickly so a parenting order remains meaningful rather than merely on paper.

We advise clients on the Family Law Act’s distinction between family property, which is divided equally, and excluded property, such as an inheritance or pre-relationship asset, which is not. Tracing an asset’s excluded status becomes contested once it has been mixed with family property during the relationship. Our lawyers build the documentary record needed to protect an exclusion claim under scrutiny.

We divide pensions, RRSPs, and other retirement savings under the Family Law Act’s valuation and transfer rules. Our lawyers coordinate with plan administrators and financial professionals to confirm the commuted value and the correct division method for each account. Getting that valuation right prevents a retirement asset from being divided unfairly.

We act for spouses on both sides of a business valuation dispute where one spouse owns or holds an interest in a private company. Our lawyers retain qualified business valuators to determine the company’s true value and to identify income or assets that may not appear on its books. That independent valuation is often what secures a fair division of a business interest.

We divide family property where assets are held in China or Korea alongside property in British Columbia, a matter that raises disclosure and enforcement questions a domestic file does not. Our lawyers coordinate financial disclosure and, where needed, retain forensic accountants to trace assets moved or held outside Canada. This cross-border capability protects a client’s full entitlement, not only the share held locally.

We resolve disputes over the matrimonial home, including its valuation, sale, and the right to remain in it during and after a separation. Our lawyers advise on interim occupancy, the timing of a sale, and how the home’s value is credited against the rest of the family property. We resolve these questions early so the home does not become the most contested asset in the file.

We apply for protection orders under the Family Law Act on an urgent basis where a client or child is at risk from family violence. Our lawyers prepare the evidentiary record the court requires and, where the risk demands it, seek an order without notice to the other party. We move quickly so protection is secured before a delay allows the risk to escalate.

We represent clients responding to a protection order application, including cases where the underlying allegations are contested. Our lawyers review the evidence, prepare a response, and advance the client’s position at the hearing without minimizing the seriousness the court applies to these applications. That balance is essential in a process where the court must weigh safety concerns against a fair hearing for both parties.

We advise clients on how family violence, including coercive and controlling conduct, is assessed under the Family Law Act’s parenting and protection provisions. Our lawyers document the pattern of conduct at issue and explain how it affects parenting arrangements, protection orders, and related family law relief. This documented approach ensures family violence is properly accounted for in the outcome.