Posts Tagged ‘family law lawyer’
How lawyers can stay safe in family violence cases
Early in my law career, the opposing party on a family law file involving family violence was representing himself. I was retained on a bare bones legal aid certificate. In my naivete and desire to save my client the cost of hiring a process server, I decided to serve her ex myself. Fortunately for me,…
Read moreResources for women as they work with lawyers
How can a woman make the most of her time with a lawyer? How can she know if a lawyer is a good fit for her case? What can she do if she doesn’t feel that her lawyer is serving her well? We’ve posted three new resources on our site, FamilyCourtAndBeyond.ca, that answer these questions:…
Read moreWhat is independent legal advice and when does a woman need it?
Before a woman signs any kind of agreement related to her family law issues, she should obtain independent legal advice (ILA). This means she needs to meet with her own lawyer to review whatever the agreement may be. Common agreements where ILA is needed include: Cohabitation agreements Marriage contracts Separation agreements Minutes of settlements Mediation…
Read moreThe importance of family violence screening tools for family law practitioners
Since 2003, Ontario’s Domestic Violence Death Review Committee consistently finds that a history of domestic violence and pending or recent separation are the first and second highest risk factors for lethality in domestic homicides. Yet there is no universal family violence screening tool for Canadian family law practitioners. Family law lawyers are often the first…
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