Posted April 4, 2018 | by Lorisa Stein |in Child Support, Collaborative Approach, Collaborative Divorce & Toronto Family Law, Family Business, Separation Agreements

A Lawyer is Drafting Your Separation Agreement?

Online kits to help you complete your separation agreement with checkboxes may look like they solve all your problems: they are readily available, fully customizable, and easy to skip over language you don’t understand.  The old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ aptly applies.   You won’t recognize conflicting provisions or out of date

Posted March 27, 2018 | by Lorisa Stein |in Collaborative Approach, Collaborative Divorce & Toronto Family Law, Divorce, Domestic Contracts, FAQ, Legal Advice, Mediation, Negotiation, Separation Agreements

Collaborative Separation Agreements: Pros + Cons

How you proceed forward once the decision to separate has been taken by one spouse requires some consideration. The values, work ethics, and best practices of the lawyer you retain are just as important as the forum in which you proceed. It is also important that you and your lawyer see eye to eye on

Posted February 15, 2018 | by Lorisa Stein |in Client Confidentially & Privacy, Collaborative Approach, Collaborative Divorce & Toronto Family Law, Legal Advice, Separation Agreements

Separation Agreements: Choosing your Lawyer and Your Approach 

Being ready to decide and choosing to separate is difficult and emotional. Readiness means you have accepted that your relationship is no longer viable and can’t be ‘fixed’. You are self-aware how that emotional roller-coaster can hijack logical thinking and you’ve taken steps to manage your grief and start the process of addressing your future.

Posted February 7, 2018 | by Lorisa Stein |in Arbitration, Child Support, Cohabitation Agreements, Collaborative Approach, Collaborative Divorce & Toronto Family Law, Divorce, Family Business, Marriage Contracts, Mediation, Negotiation

Why Ask a Family Law Lawyer for Advice?

Transitions in our personal lives signal a new journey tumbling with emotion, stress, and at times overwhelming our daily lives. Families aren’t predictable. Alliances are dynamic and change over time. Emotional responses interrupt our brain’s natural ability to think clearly, analyze data, and make plans appropriate to the situation. Some of that emotional stress interrupts

Posted January 29, 2018 | by Lorisa Stein |in Collaborative Divorce & Toronto Family Law, FAQ, Legal Advice, Property Division for Married Couples, Property Sharing for Common Law Partners

Is My Professional Degree a Marital Asset?

During separation negotiations, the value of your advanced or professional degree may come into question. If you attained the degree during the marriage, your spouse may argue that it is considered property, and therefore subject to an equal division of its value. It is important that you understand the worth of the degree and its

Posted December 18, 2017 | by Lorisa Stein |in Child Support, Co-Parenting, Collaborative Approach, Collaborative Divorce & Toronto Family Law, Custody & Access, Divorce, Family Dispute Resolution, Family Issue Resolution, Mediation, Post Separation Changes, Seasonal, Separation Agreements, Shared Parenting

Holiday Separations:  7 Critical Considerations

Separating during the holiday season can be complicated, balancing your own needs with the needs of your children and family expectations. Keep these considerations in mind as you transition into a separated family this season. Your children always come first Regardless of how you feel about your spouse, the key to good co-parenting is making

Posted May 23, 2017 | by Lorisa Stein |in Collaborative Divorce & Toronto Family Law

5 Values of Engaging a Collaborative Team

Collaboration is a principled cooperative process between spouses and parents and their family-focused trained advisors. The team of interdisciplinary professionals offer their skills, education, and expertise to your family during its transition to a cohabitation partnership, marriage, or upon separation. The collaborative team’s endpoint to develop with the family their fulfilling substantive resolution for their

Posted April 26, 2017 | by Lorisa Stein |in Collaborative Divorce & Toronto Family Law

Why Collaborative Negotiations May Fail and How to Fix It

1. Uncertain and undeclared goals: The collaborative path starts with each parent or partner stating in clear terms what they each want to accomplish together. They each declare their intention to be transparent in presenting their needs, wishes, and dreams. Obscured or unclear goals create doubt and suspicion. Railroading discussions and dismissing urgent problems requiring immediate

Posted September 15, 2016 | by Lorisa Stein |in Collaborative Divorce & Toronto Family Law

Separation Agreements – 5 Reasons Why Family Enterprises Require Special Attention

When the decision makers of the family enterprise realize that their domestic relationship is breaking down balancing the family’s transition with the needs of the business is a tough act. Taking a collaborative approach to resolving the legal issues arising at separation bodes well for the ongoing health of the business. Here’s why. Emotional suffering