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For all media inquiries, please contact Daphne Brookes at md@russellalexander.com.


As Seen In:


Featured Media Coverage – 2025

The Lindsay Advocate

Calling it Quits| Russell Alexander | Jan. 17

Quote of Note:  Alexander cites holiday stress, couples spending extended time together and people wanting to start over in the new year as key reasons for Divorce Day – and January, in general – being so busy.

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CBCListen – Ontario Morning with Nav Nanwa

Why January is Breakup Season for Couples| Russell Alexander | Jan. 14

Quote of Note:  We are seeing that the first week of January, specifically the first business Monday, we are up about 58% year over year.

Listen to Interview

NiagaraThisWeek.com

It’s ‘Divorce Day’ in Ontario. Why do so many married couples start divorce proceedings in January? | Russell Alexander | Jan. 6

Quote of Note: “Alexander has declared Jan. 6 “Divorce Day” in Ontario. According to his findings, that’s the day when the most couples come to the realization it’s time to call it quits.”

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Toronto Star

‘Divorce Day’ is today. Here’s why so many couples decide to call it quits shortly after the holidays | Jan. 5

Quote of Note: “Many people who come to a divorce lawyer in the first week of January made their decisions back in October or November, but they put it off to ensure their children won’t have an upsetting holiday season, said Russell Alexander, an Ontario family lawyer.”

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640 Global News | Toronto This Weekend

Divorce Day with Russell Alexander | Jan. 4

Quote of Note:  “It is quite the phenomenon that Divorce Lawyers and Family Lawyers see such a surge in January each year.”

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iHeart Radio – The Shift with Patty Handy

Divorce Day Coming Up | Russell Alexander | Jan. 3

Quote of Note:  Family Lawyers have seasonality to their profession. Three times a year there is a spike. We see a rush in the summer, when kids back to school and our statistics show a significant jump in January, specifically the first business Monday in January is probably the busiest day in the year for Divorce Lawyers.

Listen to Interview

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 Dailylawyers-daily-logo

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
Bob-FM-Logo

Publication: 91.9 BOB FM

BOB FM Interview on Our New Book
[Link to interview]

 


September 1, 2020

Publication: The Lawyer’s Dailylawyers-daily-logo

Family law firm extends deadline for scholarship applications to Sept. 30
[Link to article]


August 31, 2020core-magazines-logo

Publication: Core Magazine

Law Firm Tops Up University Scholarship With Tech Funds
[Link to article]


August 31, 2020julius-melnitzer-logo

Publication: Julius Melnitzer

COVID-19 prompts scholarship expansion from Russell Alexander
[Link to article]


August 31, 2020CanLII-logo

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, 2020canadian-lawyer-logo

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, 2020CBC-logo

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, 2020CBC-logo

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, Peterboroughglobal-news-logo

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.”


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