Finding a Lawyer
Whether going to court or pursuing an alternative dispute resolution method such as mediation, you should have Independent Legal Advice (ILA). In mediation, you do not need to retain a lawyer to act on your behalf. However, you will still need to seek legal advice for certain aspects, especially financial issues such as spousal support and equalization.
When looking for a lawyer, you should shop around. Be clear about what it is that you need (e.g. independent legal advice for the purposes of mediation) and get prices from at least three firms before you decide. Be sure that the lawyer you are talking to practices Family Law. You can ask your network if they have recommendations, or do an online search. The link below is to the Law Society of Ontario, where you can find lawyers in your area.
Legal Aid
If you cannot afford a lawyer, you should check with Legal Aid Ontario to see if you qualify for a Legal Aid Certificate. If you do, this certificate will provide you with access to a certain number of hours of legal advice from a Legal Aid Lawyer.
JusticeNet
JusticeNet is a not-for-profit service helping people in need of legal expertise, whose income is too high to access legal aid and too low to afford standard legal fees.
To search for lawyers in your area, you will need to register an account.
Unbundled Services
Unbundled or limited scope services can be a way to keep legal costs down. The website of Ontario’s Family Law Limited Scope Services Project has a directory of Ontario lawyers offering these services.
CLEO
Community Legal Education Ontario provides information about legal issues in several languages. Here you can access printer friendly PDF documents that explain the various aspects of Family Law. This is particularly useful in the event that you are representing yourself in court. You can also access these documents as pamphlets available at the FLIC office at your local courthouse.
Some people find it helpful to share their story with others, and to hear how other people have gone through their separation or divorce. Divorce Care is a network of support groups and they now have online meetings.
Divorce Support Group
One way to approach the issues of support and financial equalization issues can be to hire a financial professional who specializes in Family Law.
The link below goes into further depth about this.
Divorce Financial Analyst
Child Support
Child support calculations are based on the residential arrangements of the children, the number of children, and the income of the paying party or parties. MySupportCalculator.ca is a free online service where you can obtain a reliable estimate of how much support you may be obligated to pay or eligible to receive.
Bertling Family Mediation is not affiliated in any way with any of the above agencies, organizations, or companies.