Top 5 Reasons to Have a Lawyer Draft Your Estate Plan and Will
Deciding how you’re going to draft your estate plan and will? Canadians have more options now than ever. From doing it yourself, to consumer apps, to working with a lawyer, finding the right solution for you depending on your situation is incredibly important. After all, we’re talking about the documents that are going to make […]
Collaborative Law chosen for family law battles
Originally published in: Law Times, June 19, 2017 Written By Marg. Bruineman The confrontational scenario of two former lovers who are now feuding adversaries duking it out in a courtroom over children and assets is itself being increasingly challenged. Alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation and arbitration are prime for family law, which sees […]
Collaboration thrives when litigation off the table
Originally published in Law Times, July 24, 2015. Written by Deborah Graham and Nicola Savin Collaborative lawyers have removed a significant tool from their negotiation toolbox — they do not go to court for their collaborative clients. Without the option of litigation or the threat of litigation, collaborative lawyers are focused on settlement every step […]
Access Schedules cannot be controlled by children
An Ontario Court of Appeal (OCA) decision finding primary parents have a duty to ensure their children visit with their other parent illustrates the fact that changes to an access schedule must be based on more than the whim of a child, says Toronto family lawyer Nicola Savin. Godard v. Godard, 2015 ONCA 568 (CanLII) […]
Benefits of #divorceselfie trend go beyond Facebook
A new online trend that celebrates the positive side of divorce is not only likely to serve as an inspiration for separating couples, but is also representative of the benefits that come from putting the children first, says Toronto family lawyer Nicola Savin. Calgary couple Shannon and Chris Neuman made headlines last month after posting a photo together after filing […]
Collaborative lawyers work with settlements in mind
Without the option or threat of litigation, collaborative lawyers have developed best practices that increase the likelihood of timely, durable and cost-effective settlements for clients, Toronto family lawyer Nicola Savin, a partner with Birenbaum, Steinberg, Landau, Savin & Colraine, LLP, writes in Lawyers Weekly. The article, co-authored by Deborah Graham, discusses the skills associated with collaborative […]
Collaborative Law calls for one-on-one contact
Certain circumstances may call for the use of online dispute resolution (ODR) tools, but in her collaborative family law practice, Toronto family lawyer Nicola Savin says there’s no substitute for face-to-face contact. ODR processes, Law Times reports, were discussed in a recent Civil Justice Council study in Britain where a system called HM Online Court would engage […]
Breaking Bad: When parents lose their moral compass during a divorce
It isn’t every day that a judge makes a reference to a television show that features meth dealers when giving a decision. But such was the case when Justice Alex Pazaratz issued a warning to parents, comparing unhelpful parenting decisions to AMC’s Breaking Bad. If you’re familiar with the show, you’ll already know that this […]
Grounds for Retroactive Spousal Support
We’ve posted about the difference between lump sum and periodic payments in spousal support, but what about retroactive support? There are many reasons why someone might seek spousal support retroactively, but in a recent example we came across, one spouse wanted a lump sum because her former spouse’s income level had gone up when he […]
What are you protecting during your divorce?
People are understandably concerned about being able to manage financially after they separate; for separating parents with children, another important concern is whether or not their children will be all right. While both of these concerns are important to prioritize in the separation process, it’s also important to stop and ask what else needs protecting. […]