Best Divorce Lawyers in Vaughan, ON

No. It is important that you both have separate lawyers. Even if you agree on the terms of settlement and have agreed to enter into a separation agreement, you each need your own lawyer to give you independent legal advice. The best way to ensure fairness in the terms of settlement is to ensure each party is fully aware of their respective rights and obligations as set out in the terms of the contract and the nature and consequences of the terms of the contract. If your spouse tries to challenge the contract in the future, a court is more likely to uphold the contract if you have both had independent legal advice and representation before signing and you have both have had meaningful input into the terms of the contract, each with the assistance of their own lawyers.

In family mediation, the parties agree to meet with each other to discuss and resolve their issues with the assistance of a neutral and unbiased mediator to facilitate their negotiations. It is a voluntary process and both parties must agree to mediate. The goal is to agree on terms which will ultimately form part of a separation agreement or other domestic contract. Mediation is not regulated. To ensure that the mediator you select has adequate training and experience, it is important to check their credentials. One way to be certain that the mediator has desirable credentials and continues with professional development in this area is to confirm that they hold the Accredited Family Mediator designation. Lorraine Bortolussi is an accredited Family Mediator through the Ontario Association for Family Mediation (OAFM). She is also a past president of the Ontario Association for Family Mediation. Her mediation training includes completion of the Harvard University Law School Mediation Workshop in 2001 and a Master of Laws degree specializing in Alternative Dispute Resolution from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in 2006. Contact Lorraine to discuss whether mediation is appropriate in your situation and her availability. If you are interested in retaining Lorraine as your family mediator, feel free to forward her credentials to your spouse/partner or their lawyer for consideration.

Without your consent or a court order the other parent should not be able to leave the country with your child(ren) and will likely be stopped at border services. Sometimes, an emergency order must be sought to ensure that the children are not removed from the country without your consent. It is important to bring such an application to the court for an order without delay when such a situation presents itself. The lawyers at Bortolussi Family Law can help you act quickly and efficiently to prevent the removal of your children from the country.