Areas of Practice

As a firm dedicated exclusively to the practice of family law, Russell Alexander Family Lawyers has extensive experience helping individuals going through separation or divorce. We regularly help our clients resolve issues surrounding child custody and access, child support, spousal support and division of property, and we employ lawyers who are trained in Collaborative Practice. While our goal is always to resolve our clients’ matters without engaging in litigation, our lawyers are prepared to argue your case before the Family Court when an agreement cannot be reached outside of court.

Ontario Divorce

Married couples seeking a divorce in Ontario are subject to the federal Divorce Act, which states that a court may grant a divorce to parties where there has been a “breakdown of the marriage.” Unlike a separation agreement that can be finalized outside of court, only a court can grant a divorce. It is up to the parties filing their… more »

Ontario Separation Agreements

If you and your spouse are thinking about separation, or have already ended your relationship, you may consider entering into a separation agreement with one another. Separation agreements allow couples to address the issues that arise during the breakdown of a relationship, including: Ownership in or division of property Support obligations Decisions regarding your children Custody and access of your… more »

Ontario Child Custody and Access

When parents are going through a separation or divorce, some of the most difficult decisions that need to be made are those concerning the children. Who will the children live with? Who will have custody? What happens if the parents cannot agree? At Russell Alexander Family Lawyers, our focus is exclusively on family law, so we are experienced in answering… more »

Grandparent Access

A relationship between a grandparent and child, like all relationships between a child and extended family, can add to the emotional well-being of a child.  A child can undoubtedly derive a benefit from understanding how each generation plays a part in creating security and spreading love for the child.  However, a disruption in the family, such as a separation between… more »

Adoptions

Family Law presents us with a unique opportunity to use our skills to assist families in re-structuring, and rebuilding their lives in the midst of chaos, but no other subset of family law provides us with a front-row seat to the birth of a new family as adoptions do. Family adoptions require the approval of the court, and at Russell… more »

Family Property Division and Sharing

Among the legal rights of individuals seeking a divorce is the right to an equal share of the family’s property. In family law, this is referred to as an “equalization” of “net family property” (NFP). Each partner’s NFP is calculated by subtracting his or her debts from his or her assets. Once the NFP is calculated for each spouse, the… more »

Real Estate, Wills & Power of Attorney

At Russell Alexander Family Lawyers, we practice exclusively in family law. Therefore, our clients come to us when there has been a breakdown in their relationship or conversely, where spouses are interested in finding out their legal rights upon entering into a new relationship. In many of these cases, issues relating to real estate, wills, and power of attorney can… more »

Ontario Spousal Support

Ontario law regards the spousal relationship as an economic partnership. Therefore, in some cases, the spouse earning a higher income may have to pay spousal support to the other spouse in order to allow the spouse with lower income to “get back on their feet.” At the same time, the spouse who earns less income, or no income at all,… more »

Ontario Child Support

Under Ontario family law, a child has the right to financial support from both parents, regardless of the nature of the parents’ relationship. If you are no longer in a relationship with your child’s mother or father, you may still have an obligation to pay child support. At Russell Alexander Family Lawyers, we have provided advice to countless parents regarding… more »

Enforcement of Court Orders

Obtaining an order that is legally enforceable can be done in various ways. For example, you may start an application in the court to obtain an order for custody, access, support, or division of family property, among other things. Once the court makes a decision regarding your case, a court order will be issued. In other situations, spouses will come… more »

Family Responsibility Office (FRO) & Default Hearings

An order for spousal and/or child support made in Ontario is enforced through the Family Responsibility Office (FRO), unless the parties opt out of this process.  If your circumstances have changed, and you can no longer afford to pay the amount of support you have been ordered to pay, you can ask the court to reduce your monthly payments. At… more »

Cohabitation Agreements

A cohabitation agreement is a type of domestic contract between two unmarried people who are cohabiting or who intend to cohabit. It is a useful tool for setting out the parties’ rights and obligations during the time they are living together, and for outlining how matters will be settled if the parties decide to stop cohabiting. Cohabitation agreements can cover… more »

Collaborative Practice

Collaborative Family Law is an alternative to the adversarial nature of the court process. It requires both parties to enter into the process voluntarily. They commit to resolving their issues in a respectful and cooperative manner and to avoid adversarial proceedings, with the help of their lawyers to guide them in the process. Spouses who agree to avoid court proceedings… more »

Family Mediation and ADR

Family Mediation and ADR Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) includes mediation, negotiation and arbitration. In family law, these “alternatives” to court litigation are an effective way of achieving a resolution that is satisfactory to all parties involved. At Russell Alexander Family Lawyers, our goal is to resolve your family law issues in a way that is most efficient, agreeable to the… more »

Child Protection: Children’s Aid Society Matters

In Ontario, child protection law is governed by the Child, Youth and Family Service Act, 2017 (CFSA). Child protection proceedings are commenced by child protection agencies whenever there are real or perceived concerns that a child is at risk or harm, or is being harmed emotionally, physically, or sexually. These Child Protection agencies are usually called Children’s Aid Society or… more »