How To Choose a Divorce Lawyer or Family Lawyer in Ontario: 5 Things to Consider

Finding a family lawyer in Toronto, Ontario

When you are in need of a family lawyer or divorce attorney in Toronto, you are likely already in the midst of a stressful circumstance. It can be overwhelming to try to sift through different lawyers, especially if you’ve never had to look for one before.

There are five things you should consider when you are selecting a firm to assist you:

1) Expertise and experience:

When choosing a family law firm it is important to consider the experience of their team. Each case is unique but a firm who has “seen it all” can be a real asset in the courtroom. It can be helpful to inquire on how long the firm has been in existence as well as how long their team has been practicing. It may also be helpful to ask if your potential lawyer has experience in negotiation and/or litigation.

2) Free consultations:

Wills, estates, powers of attorney, separation agreements, divorce attorneys, custody and access laws can become overwhelming quickly. A law firm that is confident in its expertise will often offer a free consultation. This is a great opportunity to consult a professional with the details of your unique circumstance. A strong firm will be able to determine your next steps, regardless of whether or not you will become a client.

3) Recommendations and referrals:

It is very easy for a law firm to suggest that their firm is the “best” on their website. It can be useful to  go a level deeper and find reviews from previous clients. It is perfectly acceptable to ask a firm for a reference or testimonial they can point to.

4) Your needs:

Different cases require differing levels of legal aid. Based on the details of your circumstance, a lawyer should be able to anticipate the basic needs of your case. Sometimes an issue can be resolved over a short mediation, where other cases will need to be disputed in a courtroom. Understanding your needs can help you select the family lawyer best suited for your case.

5) Your comfort level:

When you are in the process of arranging a consultation it is important to consider if you feel comfortable with this person. Family law issues can become deeply personal. Think about the person you would like to work with. Does this person understand your needs and circumstance? A strong family lawyer is compassionate and respectful. They will treat you like a friend, not a paycheck.

Finding a family lawyer in Toronto can be overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be.

With so many options, remember that you are in control of your circumstance and deserve the best representation, regardless of your case. I hope these considerations can help point you in the right direction.

–  Steven Bookman

Our family lawyers are dedicated to providing unparalleled legal services.

Bookman Law has the experience you can trust in all areas of family law, divorce, separation, and estate law. Our family lawyers are dedicated to providing unparalleled legal services. Are you looking for a family lawyer? Click here to request a free consultation.

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49 Comments

  1. I enjoyed visiting your webiste. I leave comments rarely, but
    you definately up deserve a thumbs!

    1. Thank you very much

  2. Always essential to hire a lawyer who specializes in divorce, you will want a lawyer with ample experience in family law. Make sure your lawyer regularly takes family law type cases.

    1. You are so right. So many people are hurt by lawyers who do not know what they are doing. Great point that everyone should pay attention to for sure.

  3. I like that this mentioned that a confident law firm will offer free consultations for your case. My friend is going through a divorce, but isn’t sure how to choose a lawyer. I’ll share these tips with her, and hopefully she can get the best care for herself.

    1. It is so important that people relate to their lawyers. You are interviewing the lawyer and if you don’t like her or him do not hire them. Also, never pay for an initial interview. How can a lawyer charge someone for the privilege of finding out if you are a good fit.

  4. My cousin is in need of a family law service to help him through his divorce. So I appreciate your suggestion to set up free consultations so that you can be sure the service will be able to help you determine your next steps. I will be sure to tell my cousin that he should set up consultations with his top choices for family law firms.

  5. Sorry for the delay in reply. Thank you so much for your comment. It is very much appreciated.

  6. I like that you said if you are choosing a firm you should consider the experience of the team. This will be one of the biggest ways to determine if they are a reputable and reliable firm and that the lawyer will be able to help you the best. The length of time they have been in practice will be important in determining their experience, like you said.

  7. I like how you point out that a team who was seen it all can be really valuable in the courtroom. My friend and her husband are going through a divorce right now, and it’s been pretty difficult between the two of them. I think she would really benefit from finding an experienced law firm to help her make it through this rough time in her life.

  8. I totally agree that a firm who has “seen it all” can be a real asset in the courtroom, highlighting the importance of experience when choosing a family law attorney. One of my friends is planning to get a divorce. I’ll mention this to him, as it’s highly possible that he will need an attorney, and I want him to choose one who has the most experience.

    1. Thank you for the positive feedback. Steven

  9. Easy to check out, easy to read…heck I needed to leave a commment!

  10. We’ve been looking for a law firm, and I think that being able to get some information would be nice. I like the idea of being able to get a free consultation like you said would be nice. I’m going to have to look for a few good law firms and see what the options are!

  11. Thanks for mentioning how a child custody lawyer should offer you a consultation. I also like how you said that you should feel comfortable around them. My aunt and uncle are looking for a child custody attorney; I’ll pass on the post.

    1. Ashley. Thank you for your comment. Too many people come to me after they have had very bad experiences with lawyers and spent too much money accomplishing very little. Steven

  12. Free consultations are something that you should always be on the lookout for when choosing a divorce lawyer. After all, you will want to make sure that you hire a competent and experienced lawyer to help with your divorce case. By sitting down for a consultation, you will be able to interview them about their experience and why they are the best choice for your case.

  13. My cousin is thinking about getting divorced this year. So, I liked that you pointed out that she will need to think about how comfortable she feels around lawyers. It is good to know that it would be helpful because she will be more open with a lawyer she trusts.

  14. Thanks for the tips for choosing a divorce lawyer. I like how you said that they need to have experience in the type of case you have. We’re hoping to help my sister find a lawyer for her divorce, so I’ll be sure to remember that.

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  16. I agree that you’ll want a divorce lawyer you are comfortable with, as family issues can be personal. My friend’s husband was cheating on her, so she’s been looking for a good lawyer. These tips will help her find a great one, so thank you for sharing!

  17. You make a good point when you suggest finding out what area of expertise a family lawyer has. It would be good to consider their legal expertise because it would help you know that they are qualified. My sister is getting a divorce and needs a lawyer’s help, so she’ll have to consider how experienced they are first.

  18. You’ve got great tips for choosing a family lawyer. I like how you said that it’s important to find someone with experience. My sister is getting a divorce, so I’ll tell her that.

  19. It really helped when you said that we should be asking for referrals before choosing their firm because it will help us gauge whether they were able to deliver through their previous client’s experiences. I guess I would be sharing this tip with a friend of mind, so they can hire the best lawyer in town. From what I heard, they are separating because the guy had a child with another woman. Thanks!

  20. I really like your advice to try and find references from past clients that are positive towards their practice. My wife and I are thinking of getting a divorce, and we want to find a lawyer that will make sure that our kids are helped through this ordeal. I will be sure to look for any reviews online for a family lawyer that is known to help children.

  21. That’s good to know that you should understand your case to see what your needs may be so you can find a family lawyer that is best suited for that case, like if there is mediation or court. My cousin told me today that she’s having a hard time getting child support from her ex-husband so she’s had to really stretch her finances recently to pay for her two kids. I’ll have to help her find a lawyer who works withing child custody and hopeful do so without going to court so she can get the case settled quickly and her kids can get the support they deserve.

  22. It really helped when you said that a good law firm will be able to offer a free consultation which is also an indication of a confident law firm. I will share this tip with a friend of mine because she is looking for a lawyer to help her out. It appears that she wanted to file a divorce because her husband has another child from a different woman already.

  23. I really liked your advice about checking the reviews and the testimonies of the previous clients of the lawyer to determine if they really are the best in their firm. Of course, I am not fixed in working with the best as I am satisfied with just knowing that they are helpful. After all, I just need a lawyer for the pre-nuptial agreement. Though I will still consider this tip since it is an important matter after all.

  24. It really helped when you said that a good law firm will be able to offer free consultations since they are confident with their expertise. I will share this information with my best friend because she is looking for a divorce lawyer. It appears that she can’t bear the consequences of her husband’s gambling anymore. Actually, she already suffered enough because she kept on waiting for him to change for three years already.

  25. My friend is going through a divorce, though she’s run into some difficulties. Because of this, she’s been looking for a great family to help her better understand the divorce process. It was quite helpful when you mentioned that she should make sure she is comfortable with the lawyer she hires, as family law is a very emotional and personal subject. These tips will help my friend out, so thank you for sharing them.

  26. I really appreciate your information that a law firm that is confident in their practice and experience will often be more willing to offer a free consultation. This would make choosing a family law lawyer a lot easier because you would be able to talk to them in person and get a feel for the lawyer before deciding who to hire. With how my brother’s marriage is going, I think we’ll be needing your advice on finding a family lawyer soon.

  27. It’s nice that you can get a free consultation from a law firm. It’s a good opportunity to talk about all the details, like you said. It can help you get an idea of the specific lawyer will be able to help you with your case and get you the results you want.

  28. Thanks for sharing this awesome tips with us!

  29. You’ve got some helpful advice for choosing a divorce lawyer. I like how you said that they should offer a free consultation and give some advice for next steps. My sister is looking at a divorce, so I’ll tell her to find a lawyer who offers this service.

  30. I like that you say a good divorce attorney will offer free consultations and I think this would be a great way to get to know them and see if they would be easy to work with. Also, it would give you the chance to ask questions about their experience and success with previous divorce cases similar to yours. My brother is planning to get divorced and I will make sure to tell him to take advantage of free consultations so that he can choose an attorney who he feels comfortable working with and is qualified.

  31. It is helpful to ask for referrals from friends who have been through divorces, but remember that the facts of their case, their personalities, their estate, and their children are different from yours.

  32. I like that you suggested actually asking for referrals since aside from reading reviews to ensure that you choose a good lawyer. I will be following your advice now that I need their services to help me file for divorce. This is because I found out that my husband got a child from another woman, and they still see each other until now.

  33. I find it helpful that you said that a person can hire a family lawyer in order to have someone to talk to when it comes to separation agreements and custody laws. Reading about this convinced me to hire one who specializes in a divorce using your tips starting tomorrow. Doing this will help my aunt and her husband settle their differences peacefully and ensure that they get a fair share of their assets so that they can take care of their children.

  34. My sister found out her husband wants a divorce, and your article had great tips she could use to hire a lawyer to help her with the ensuing case. I liked how you said to ask a potential hire for a reference or testimonial to learn about what past clients thought of their experience. Thanks; I’ll share this with my sister to help her hire a family lawyer.

  35. Thanks for pointing out that understanding your needs can help you select the family lawyer best suited for your case. I am looking for a divorce lawyer that can help me with my impending divorce. I think that having a lawyer with experience and who understood my case would help give me a better chance of having the best outcome for me with my divorce.

  36. When you are facing divorce, one of the first questions that comes to mind (after OMG, what the @&/$! am I going to do now?!!!) is, “How do I find a good lawyer?” Knowing how to choose a divorce lawyer who will provide you with the legal advice you need, at a price you can afford, and be the right fit for your situation, isn’t easy. At the same time, it’s one of the most important divorce decisions you will make.

  37. Thanks for the tip to ask about how long the team has been practicing in addition to how long the firm itself has been around. My husband and I recently decided to get divorced, and I think it’d be smart to hire an attorney because we’re both feeling pretty emotional about the whole thing. I’m glad I read your article because your advice will help me find a family attorney I can be confident in.

  38. It’s good that you point out that a lawyer can guide you through the legal process of going through a divorce. I want to get divorced from my wife and I’m considering hiring a lawyer to help me with the legal aspects of it. I’m going to look for a good divorce lawyer in my area to hire.

  39. I appreciate what you clarified about separation agreements and how they forbid parents from living in the same home. I believe that these agreements should only be put in place by authoritative lawyers. If I were to ever take part in a separation agreement, I would make sure to first consult with a lawyer that has an amazing reputation.

  40. Even if you are new to hiring a family divorce lawyer Winnipeg, just make the sure official website and it filled with the right ideas and tips to pick professional lawyer for your family issues. They never collect upfront fees from the client-side until they succeed in the cases. Winnipeg reputed divorce lawyers provide full respect in every direction of action and explain clearly about the ongoing and upcoming legal process.

  41. It’s surprising to know that there are divorce attorneys that offer free consultations. A friend of mine has been contemplating filing a divorce because of her husband’s alcohol problems. Talking with a legal expert will put into perspective her options and find what’s best for her.

  42. A friend recently confided in me and told me her and her husband are considering divorce. I’d love to help her in any way I can, so I’ll be sure to pass on these tips. I’ll especially pass on the tip to look for recommendation and referrals from past clients.

  43. An experienced lawyer can help you save money in the long run. That is why you should seek legal advice from a reputable firm like Family lawyer of Saskatoon.

  44. Excellent article on how to choose a family law attorney. It’s fantastic that you recommended checking to make sure the attorney specializes in family law and has hands-on experience with relevant cases with positive web reviews confirming their expertise. This makes sense, and I’ll certainly forward it to my grandfather, who has been looking for a lawyer to counsel him in a property inheritance lawsuit. Thanks.

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