Publication: Global News, 980 CFPL
Everything you need to know about divorce – Let’s Talk London with Jess Brady
[Link to interview]
Quote of note: “The pandemic has made everyone look at their lives a little differently.”
September 20, 2020
Publication: CTV News
Custody Battles During COVID-19
[Link to interview]
Quote of note: “Lawyers are seeing lots of new cases especially with parents really scared about sending their kids back to in-person schooling.”
September 17, 2020
Publication: The Lawyer’s Daily
Court of Appeal finds definition of spouse applies to couple who lived together intermittently
[Link to article]
Quote of note: “The traditional model is you’re living continuously under the same roof,” he told The Lawyer’s Daily. “This particular case kind of takes it to the next level. They were dating and they were certainly spending time together, but they were also living separate and apart in their own residences. So really it takes a much more expansive view, in my opinion, of the definition of spouse.”
September 15, 2020
Publication: Global News, 980 CFPL
Court rules in favour of child attending school in-person after divorced parents can’t agree on what is best
[Link to interview]
Quote of note: “Now with the pandemic, it’s even more fodder for parents to fight over. Some parents might think this is a chance to change my custody or parenting arrangement which they didn’t like in the first place.”
September 11, 2020
Publication: CTV News
COVID-19 custody battles present tricky challenge for overwhelmed courts
[Link to article]
Quote of note: “There are lots of families who cannot afford to litigate these issues,” Alexander told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview Friday, pointing out that many parents have been laid off or are relying on government aid. “So I think it’s a lot more common out there, but parents don’t have the resources to argue these cases.”
September 10, 2020
Publication: CTV News
Divorced father loses legal fight to stop son from returning to school
[Link to article]
Quote of note: “It gives family lawyers and parents some guidance in terms of how do we approach this issue of returning to school when both parents don’t agree”
September 9, 2020
Publication: 91.9 BOB FM
BOB FM Interview on Our New Book
[Link to interview]
September 1, 2020
Publication: The Lawyer’s Daily
Family law firm extends deadline for scholarship applications to Sept. 30
[Link to article]
August 31, 2020
Publication: Core Magazine
Law Firm Tops Up University Scholarship With Tech Funds
[Link to article]
August 31, 2020
Publication: Julius Melnitzer
COVID-19 prompts scholarship expansion from Russell Alexander
[Link to article]
August 31, 2020
Publication: Can LII
Child Ordered by Court to Return to In-Person Schooling
[Link to article]
Quote of note: “The mother sought an order that the child shall attend a specific school in-person starting in September and that the child was to be registered to do so prior. The Respondent father in the matter sought an order that the child remains at home until the school board’s safety protocols were proven successful and more certainty on the health and safety of children at school could be guaranteed. It is important to note that the child, nor anyone else in the immediate family, holds underlying health conditions.”
August 31, 2020
Publication: Law Times
Ontario Superior Court rules child must attend in-class school, despite Covid-19 pandemic
[Link to article]
Quote of note: In this situation, the judge ruled the child should go to in-class school, Alexander notes, “but a different family with different facts” may produce a different ruling. “Let’s say one parent has asthma or an underlying health condition. That may cause the court to say, well, maybe the child should not go to school.”
August 28, 2020
Publication: Canadian Lawyer
Alberta appeal court rules no harm in daughter’s return to Texas despite pandemic
[Link to article]
Quote of note: “Right from day one, since everybody went into lockdown, the courts have been taking a really strong approach to parents trying to use the pandemic to alter parenting arrangements,” says Ontario family law lawyer Russell Alexander, who maintains several offices across the province.
August 21, 2020
Publication: CTV News
Ontario lawyer releases second book on divorce and includes chapter on divorce during a pandemic
[Link to article]
Quote of note:“They were complaining the other spouse was a health-care worker or a first responder,” he said. “And some parents were just not returning their children.”
August 6, 2020
Publication: CTV News
Divorce during a pandemic
[Link to interview]
Quote of note: “Our particular firm has seen an increase in clients coming in and asking for information. The pandemic has somehow changed them and they’ve realized that spending 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with their partner has been overwhelming.”
August 5, 2020
Publication: CBC
Divorce in a pandemic
[Link to radio segment]
Quote of note: “A lot of these relationships had underlying issues and the stress of the pandemic brought it to the top.”
July 26, 2020
Publication: The Toronto Star
Divorcing couples may find mediation faster, cheaper during pandemic, experts say
[Link to article]
Quote of note: “We’re still processing divorces and we’re still going through the process, we’re just doing it in a different way”
July 22, 2020
Publication: CBC News
COVID-19 lockdown responsible for major backlog in divorce proceedings, lawyers say
[Link to article]
Quote of note: If there is one silver lining in all of this, Alexander said, it’s the fact that this has forced Ontario’s outdated court system to modernize. Since reopening, many courts are starting to go paperless and are now accepting documents electronically.
July 21, 2020
Publication: Global News Radio, 980 CFLP
Spike in divorce cases since courts reopened during the coronavirus pandemic
[Link to radio interview]
Quote of note: “Covid-19 pandemic has jolted the courts into the digital age, forcing them to adapt to modern technology, electronic filing and virtual conferences. It is possible that the Covid-19 pandemic may permanently change how the courts operate in the future.”
July 21, 2020
Publication: Toronto Star, Ask Ellie, Advice Columnist
Ask Ellie: If divorce is inevitable, get informed now
[Link to column]
Quote of note: Lawyer Russell Alexander, in his second book on divorce law in Ontario — Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Divorce — has added a chapter specifically on divorce during the coronavirus pandemic.
July 20, 2020
Publication: Law Times
Lawyer’s new book on divorce: Family law in a pandemic
[Link to article]
Quote of note: “Our firm has long advocated for families to use alternatives to the courtroom, but that has never been more important than during the pandemic.”
June 26, 2020
Publication: Ottawa Parenting Times
When a Marriage Ends
[Link to article]
Quote of note: “Parenting coordinators are a key part of an approach known as collaborative divorce. In a traditional divorce, both sides can end up fighting in court over who deserves blame for the fire. Even in mediation, the two sides are still essentially locked in a legal battle.”
June 23, 2020
Publication: CTV News with Pat Foran
Spike in Divorces Expected as Courts Reopen
[Link to interview]
Quote of note: “You can get divorced in a peaceful and respectful way that encourages everyone to continue to have a good relationship.”
June 23, 2020
Publication: Divorce Magazine
4 Tips for Keeping Your Family Intact
[Link to article]
Quote of note: I am used to seeing families in one of the toughest situations they could face. Now, as we enter the second month of quarantine for most families, it looks to me as though many “intact” families are now in a similar situation to those with parents who are considering divorce.
June 18, 2020
Publication: Global News Radio, 980 CFPL
Marriages in Canada Impacted due to the pandemic
[Radio interview]
Quotes of note: “If the strain of the relationship is too much, couples should not feel pressured to wait until after the pandemic is over to separate. Professionals and lawyers continue to be available to assist in separations and divorces during the pandemic.”
May 18, 2020
Publication: CTV News, Northern Ontario
Keeping your family intact
[Video link]
May 15, 2020
Publication: Newstalk 1290 CJBK
Here’s what families can do amidst COVID-19
[Radio interview]
Quotes of note: “It is important that couples maintain communication and express themselves during this time. A good way to accomplish this is by setting up a daily debrief where you can each express things occurring in your everyday life.”
May 5, 2020
Publication: Global News, Peterborough
Russell Alexander law firm delivers pizzas to Peterborough Regional Health Centre
[Video link]
May 2, 2020
Publication: Newstalk 1010, Peterborough
Russell Alexander law firm delivers pizzas to Peterborough Regional Health Centre
[Radio interview link]
May 1, 2020
Publication: Slaw
Digital Decorum and Respect for the Administration of Justice
[Article link]
Quotes of note: “We are hearing stories of lawyers conducting meetings in their bathrobes and even court hearings from bed. Sometimes shirtless or in bathing suits by the pool. This reflects poorly on our profession and the administration of justice, and Judges are taking note.”
April 29, 2020
Publication: Peterborough Today
‘Save a Slice’ initiative comes to Peterborough courtesy of law firm
[Article link]
Quotes of note: “With this pandemic now in its second month, we are appreciative of all the hard work that our nurses, doctors and other medical professionals on the front line are doing every day,” said Alexander. “We hope these pizzas will remind them of everyone pulling for them right now while helping out local restaurants that have seen business drop off during the outbreak.”
April 29, 2020
Publication: Peterborough Examiner
Save a Slice shows support for Peterborough front-line workers during pandemic
[Article link]
Quotes of note: “We hope these pizzas will remind them of everyone pulling for them right now while helping out local restaurants that have seen business drop off during the outbreak.”
April 28, 2020
Publication: National Post
COVID-19 triggers flood of court rulings as estranged parents argue exes putting children at infection risk
[Article link]
Quotes of note: “Dealing with separation and access issues is difficult all the time. The difficulty is heightened during the pandemic. Everybody is overloaded by the news cycle. Our health protocols are evolving and changing daily, sometimes hourly.”
April 20, 2020
Publication: 680News
Will the pandemic lead to a higher divorce rate
[Video link]
April 16, 2020
Publication: Indie88
Tips for couples in quarantine together
[Radio interview link]
Quotes of note: Russ advised couples to spend some time together, but also get in some “you” time. However, it’s important that you don’t avoid each other all together and look for ways to enjoy each other’s company. It could be going for walks, cooking a meal, or even working on a puzzle.
April 3, 2020
Publication: Globe and Mail
Coronavirus pandemic adds complexity to parental-access battles
[Article link]
Quotes of note: If someone has proof that his or her former spouse is not abiding by public-health guidelines, that would likely count as an emergency, Mr. Alexander says. But suspecting the other parent is letting the kids go to the playground or otherwise putting them at risk of exposure to the coronavirus probably doesn’t.
February 16, 2020
Publication: The Star
“What a 4-year-old’s death says about Ontario’s strained family courts”
[Article link]
Quotes of note: “Family lawyer Russell Alexander says upcoming changes to make the language of the Divorce Act more neutral will reduce a harmful “winner-loser” mindset. The updated act uses words like “parenting time” instead of “custody” and “access.”
