As our society moves toward acknowledging and reforming the vast discrimination and injustices suffered by the BIPOC community, and individuals and groups based on characteristics such as race, gender, age or sexual orientation, lawyers are being called upon to gain what has been coined “cultural competence.” In addition to understanding the components of the law...Read More

Before undertaking my collaborative training, I was under the impression that the collaborative process was only suitable in situations where everyone got along and could engage respectfully at the proverbial table.   Very quickly, I learned that I was mistaken.   The collaborative process can be an ideal method for resolving matters where there is a high...Read More

The Supreme Court confirms that retroactive child support is akin to a debtor/creditor relationship that is not extinguished by a child’s age. Prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Graydon, one of the first questions I would ask clients seeking retroactive child support was the age of the child and whether they were still enrolled...Read More

The surest way to define any potential obligations to a partner, whether you live with them or not, is to secure a domestic contract Picture this:  You have a long-term boyfriend/girlfriend that you do not share a home with.  You don’t merge your finances and you continue to maintain separate bank accounts. You do not...Read More

Parents who are not necessarily “anti-vaxxers” may feel some reluctance to vaccinate their children with the Covid-19 vaccine once it becomes available.  Be aware, the Court has already sent a strong message that such reluctance is unlikely to be tolerated once a vaccine is available.    In Tarkowski v. Lemieux, 2020 ONCJ 280 (CanLII), Justice Jones...Read More

One question that Family Lawyers are often asked is: “How long will this take?”.  The answer to this question is heavily tied to the exchange of financial disclosure.  A key document that must be completed and exchanged with supporting documentation (commonly referred to as ‘financial disclosure’) is a sworn Financial Statement.   Whether you wish to...Read More

One of the first questions that many family lawyers are asked in a consultation where there is a jointly owned matrimonial home is: “Who will keep the house?”  If one spouse is particularly attached to the home and has the means to purchase the property what follows are a series of Offers to Settle exchanged...Read More

Unsurprisingly, co-parenting in a pandemic has led to many novel issues. Unlike past “back to school” seasons where parents typically hum the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” song while purchasing new backpacks and pencils, back-to-school in a pandemic has been fraught with anxiety and tough choices. Add to the formula a fragile co-parenting relationship,...Read More