Family Law Now

Divorce Act Changes – Part 3A: Mobility and Jurisdiction by Family Law Now

Episode 43 Changes to the Divorce Act were implemented on March 1, 2021. We’ve broken down the federal legislation into a six part series due to the quantity of important changes implemented. We hope to provide helpful dialogue for parties involved in family law matters and professionals in the family justice system to understand the changes. Part 2B: Best Interests of the Child (cont’d) In this e...

Changes to the Divorce Act were implemented on March 1, 2021. We've broken down the federal legislation into a six part series due to the quantity of important changes implemented. We hope to provide helpful dialogue for parties involved in family law matters and professionals in the family justice system to understand the changes. Part 2A: Best Interests of the Child In this episode, Russell Alex...

Episode 41 Changes to the Divorce Act were implemented on March 1, 2021. We've broken down the federal legislation into a six part series due to the quantity of important changes implemented. We hope to provide helpful dialogue for parties involved in family law matters and professionals in the family justice system to understand the changes. Part 1: Objectives & New Duties Russell Alexander is jo...

Should the court allow an Ontario-based mother to remain with her three teenaged children in another province – in breach of her custody agreement with the father – mainly to give them a respite from the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic? Russell Alexander is joined by family lawyers Lori Dubin, Brittany Whalen, and Rick Peticca to cover this court case and reflect on the decision.

In a recent controversial Nova Scotia decision, a father who failed to abide by a court order requiring him to pay nearly $247,000 in unpaid child support was sentenced to 4.5 years’ incarceration for contempt of court. Russell Alexander and three of the experienced family lawyers on his team, Margie Primero-Pimentel, Brittany Whalen, and Rick Peticca share their analysis of the case, respond to t...

Routine traditions, celebrations, and gatherings that typically occur each the holiday season will undoubtedly be changed for our first Covid Christmas. Children of separated parents benefit from parental communication and support during the unprecedented time. In this episode, Russell Alexander and guest speakers share insight into the pitfalls, best practices, and tips & tricks for parents to ke...

The Academy Theatre is a local historic venue in the community of Lindsay, Ontario where the Strumbellas have taken the stage, and award-winning musician James Barker was raised. The covid-19 pandemic has forced the venue to close their doors putting a strain on the entire community. Russell Alexander sits down with Chairman of the Board, Michael Piggott, to share the importance of this theatre, a...

Netflix's "Marriage Story" is deconstructed by real life family lawyers and professionals. The film's roles include divorce lawyers with extreme varying styles and approaches. The main characters are separating spouses played by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. They contemplate the decision of residing in Los Angeles or New York with their child. Russell Alexander Brian Galbraith, Abi Adeusi, a...

Is the Decision to Attend School Online "Medical" or "Educational"? Often times when separated parents cannot agree on what is best for their child, they take the matter to court. In this episode of Family Law Now, family lawyers discuss the most recent court rulings, analyze the options, and share their thoughts on the judges' final decision. Tune in to Family Law Now hosted by Russell Alexander...

Recent court decision orders nine-year-old to attend school in-person during pandemic. Russell Alexander and fellow family lawyers, Nafisa Nazarali, Michelle Mulchan, and Bill Rogers analyze the factors considered in this decision. This case will provide guidance for the family law bar and direction for families who are deciding whether to return their children to in-person classes. Our guest spea...

Reunited four months later, Russell Alexander, Billie Tarascio, and Brian Galbraith reflect on recent changes in their work life for their teams, existing clients, court procedures, and intake process. Brian Walters joins in the conversation as well to reveal his experience of "record breaking numbers in May and June". For more information about productivity levels, court changes, regrets, and mar...

On this episode, Russell Alexander invites collaborative professionals to announce H.E.L.P (High Efficiency Legal Process). The current pandemic limits the already overburdened court system even more. Fortunately, more couples are determined to be key players in the planning and the settlement process. The collaborative team was able to settle a divorce in less than seven days. To learn more about...

On this episode, Russell Alexander is joined by Jason Isenberg and Nafisa Nazarli to discuss income and financial statements with respect to spousal support. Family court evaluates legitimacy of financial information provided and has the right to impute income. Consider the timeline and grounds to appeal spousal support orders and the consequences for failing to comply with such orders. Tune in to...

On this episode, Russell Alexander invites experts Brian Galbraith, Jennifer Reynolds, and Abi Adeusi to discuss common concerns surrounding child support in light of the pandemic. Learn more about the basics of child support and the outcomes of recent court cases. What should the child support payor do if they're laid off? what options are available? What is the expectation for the future? Tune i...

In this episode, Russell Alexander invites family lawyers Wylita Clark, Carolyn Warner, and Josh Glieberman to answer the questions: What can we expect about spousal support going forward in light of the pandemic? Is spousal support going to be considered ‘urgent’ by the Ontario courts? Whether you are the payor or recipient, the pandemic may impact your spousal support payments. Tune in to learn...

Russell Alexander and colleagues answer the top questions about child custody and access in Ontario related to covid-19. Legal professionals Jonathan Paynter, Jarret Johnston, and Marc D’Heureux provide answers and information for separated parents concerned about child access and parenting schedules during the pandemic. In these unprecedented times many separated parents are experiencing understa...

The pandemic brought Ontario Courts to a screeching halt – accepting nothing but emergency cases. Russell Alexander invites lawyers to weigh the pros and cons of an electronic, paperless justice system. Richard Harris and Brian Walters share their experiences in American where paperless files are not only the norm, they’re mandatory. Lynn Kirwin expresses her frustration with the ‘archaic system’...

Russell Alexander and Carrie Heinzl host their first virtual live study group with nearly fifty attendees. The study group includes collaborative professionals with proximity to York and Durham region. The facilitators utilize features within the zoom platform to encourage interactive and engaging discussions. The presentation covers a range of topics and insights from polls, chats, questions and...

Russell Alexander is joined virtually by family professionals to provide parenting tips in the pandemic. Guest speakers Jonathan Paynter, Allyson Gardner, and Francesca King discuss how to talk to your child about the coronavirus, technology dos and don'ts, and determining child access schedules. Francesca shares her experience so far in lockdown from Milan, Italy and suggests a unique perspective...

Russell Alexander teams up with social workers to provide quarantined spouses with solutions they can implement on a day-to-day basis. Learn tips and tricks from experts Allyson Gardner, Karen Guthrie-Douse, and Jonathan Paynter to help you in this difficult time. Tune in to Family Law Now 🎙

Russell Alexander is joined by Carrie Heinzl, Adam Borer and Cherrie Fielder to share their own professional experiences and client’s feedback to participating in virtual collaborative practice meetings. Legal professionals are able to resolve client’s family matters in a convenient timely manner despite the recent changes to the system due to covid-19. Our goal is to inform both clients and profe...

On this episode, Russell Alexander is back with Jason Isenberg and Nafisa Nazarli to continue the analysis and breakdown of spousal support. Learn more about the elements of temporary and final spousal support orders such as NDIs, tax implications, and grounds for material change. Consider the potential pros and cons of lump sum payment for both the payor and the recipient. Tune in to Family Law N...

Bonus episode: Listen in to the conference call with Russell Alexander and his fellow lawyers and thought leaders Billie Tarascio, Brian Galbraith, and Richard Harris. Between businesses and locations, their approaches differ, but they share a common priority to protect both employees of the firm and their clients. Since the recording of this podcast, news has been released that the family court m...

Russell Alexander is joined by Jason Isenberg and Nafisa Nazarali to provide general considerations regarding spousal support for clients and professionals. Follow along as they walk through hypothetical scenarios to demonstrate how variables factor into the quantum. Understand how the SSAGS interpret length of relationship, previous household roles, ages, employment income, etc. What are the grou...