Family Law

Overview

Our lawyers aim to help you resolve and prevent family issues as effectively and efficiently as possible. Every family's needs are different - and, as such, the approach to resolving their disputes is unique.

We always consider different approaches to resolving family issues - negotiation, collaboration, mediation, court, or a combination of these methods. Taking the right approach for your family is important to make sure the needs of all those involved are met.

Protect Your Interests

Family law is about more than what happens with separated families. Planning ahead is also important to many families. We can help protect your interests by preparing a Cohabitation, Prenuptial or Marital Agreement specially tailored to your needs. We approach the negotiation and preparation of relationship agreements with thought, care and tact. We want you to feel comfortable, informed and confident with the choices you make now, and their future impact.

Relationship agreements are not one size fits all. Understanding the big picture, forethought, and having attention to detail are important components of the negotiation and drafting process. You want an agreement which will stand the test of time. Because our team includes seasoned litigators who have successfully both upheld and set aside relationship agreements drafted by others when the relationship has ended, we have the knowledge of how to draft agreements that will help to carry out your intentions and avoid future unintended ramifications.

Plan For Your Future

We realize that family breakdown and associated disputes involve winding up the most intimate of relationships, and that issues stemming from the breakdown of the family unit can have far reaching effects, both emotionally and financially. We also understand how non-legal issues can greatly impact the ability of the parties to resolve their legal issues. We will assist you to sort out the immediate issues, and explain to you how your decisions now may impact you, negatively or positively, in the future.

Family changes may also require attention to other aspects of your shared and individual lives and well being. We regularly work with a variety of professionals in other disciplines, such as financial advisors, psychologists, counselors, accountants, and appraisers. These specialists often provide significant insight. We are committed to helping you make the best-informed decisions possible regarding life and family challenges and changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few questions answered to get to know the process better. Feel free to email us if you have further questions.

We can help you define your needs, and create a plan of action that's best for you and your family. Starting with an initial, no-commitment consultation, our family law lawyers will work with you to assess your needs, and gather the information necessary to make important decisions.

Let's get started.

By contacting us at 204-942-7381, or through the contact us link, our staff will provide you with information about the consultation process and our lawyers’ rates. If you decide to proceed with a consultation, we will send you a consultation screening form for your completion, which will help us match you with one of our lawyers. We will then contact you to schedule an initial consultation, giving you an opportunity to meet personally, or virtually, with one of our lawyers to discuss your legal questions, and hear our suggested course of action, without any obligation to continue unless you choose.

We are committed to what matters most: Your Family, Your Future. We have the knowledge and experience to get you through the most difficult of legal issues, and we do it with compassion.

For your convenience, there is a public parking lot adjacent to and immediately to the North of our building on Main Street, and another immediately behind our building with access from Bannatyne, looking onto The Cube at Old Market Square, and beside Amsterdam Tea Room. Other nearby lots dot the neighbourhood. There is also street parking on Bannatyne Avenue and other side streets.

No, there is no legal presumption of shared parenting time (formerly called shared custody) but it can work well for many children and families. Parenting arrangements are to be decided based on the best interests of the child, and those interests can change over time.

Yes. Child support is based upon the provincial table amount prescribed by the Child Support Guidelines Regulation. In shared parenting situations (where each parent has at least 40% of the time) child support is still payable, normally from the higher earning parent to the parent with the lower income. The amount payable is often a set off between the table amounts for each parent - that is the starting point of the analysis.