Hiring a family lawyer is a major decision. You may be dealing with a separation you did not expect or a parenting dispute that changed fast.

You may also have questions about support, property, debt, or an agreement already in front of you.

Before you hire any lawyer, it’s important to understand the process, who may work on your file, how fees work, and what we’ll need from you.

Our first job is to understand where things stand now. Then we can identify the issues that need attention and talk through your legal options.

Talk Through Your Situation With a Family Lawyer

You don’t need to understand Ontario family law before you call us. You can start without every document in hand.

We’ll start with what happened.

We’ll want to know who’s involved, where you are in the legal process, and what needs immediate attention. Let us know about anything that could affect what happens next, such as a court date, safety issue, planned move with your child, existing agreement, or approaching deadline.

Here at Nussbaum Law, we want to understand what brought you to us, what’s happening now, and what you’re hoping to resolve.

The first review helps us identify the legal issues and decide if our firm can take your matter. You can decide from there.

What Happens During Your First Conversation

You may come to us with one concern and realize there are several connected issues to address.

A separation may raise questions about your children, your home, bank accounts, support, property, or debt. Some of those issues may need attention before the rest.

Ask about them first.

During the first review, we’ll focus on the facts that affect your next legal decision. We may ask about parenting arrangements, finances, existing court orders, or talks you’ve already had with your former spouse.

If something needs attention soon, tell us at the start.

A court date next week may require your lawyer to act before there is time to address less urgent parts of the case. A separation agreement may give you more time.

Who Will Actually Work on Your Case?

Barry Nussbaum and Jessica Cohen lead Nussbaum Law’s family-law team.

Barry was called to the Ontario Bar in 2005 and is a Certified Specialist in Family Law through the Law Society of Ontario. Jessica has practised only family law since 2014.

There should never be any confusion about who’s working on your case.

Before legal work begins, we’ll tell you which lawyer has primary responsibility for your file, who else may be involved, and what each person is handling.

You’ll also know what work your retainer covers and who to contact when you have a question.

You should never have to wonder who’s responsible for what.

We Start With What Needs Your Attention Now

Some clients contact us before they have even told their spouse they want to separate. Others already have a separation agreement, court papers, or a deadline in front of them.

You may already agree on most issues and need help putting those terms into a legal agreement. Or you may be dealing with one issue that needs an answer before anything else can move forward.

We start with what needs your attention now.

An upcoming court date may come before a property issue. A proposed move involving your child may need an answer before other parts of the separation can be addressed. Questions about support or property may depend on getting the right financial records first.

Here at Nussbaum Law, we identify what needs to happen first, explain why, and help you understand what comes next.

Not Every Family Law Matter Goes to Court

Some family law matters can be resolved without a court hearing.

Negotiation or mediation may help you settle issues such as parenting, support, or property without asking a judge to decide them.

We’ll look at what has already happened, what still needs to be resolved, and whether an agreement is realistic.

Court may become necessary if someone refuses to provide financial records, ignores an existing order, or an urgent issue needs a judge’s attention.

And even when a case does go to court, it can still end in an agreement before a judge makes the final decision.

Your lawyer will explain the available paths and what each one could mean for your case.

What Helps Us Understand Your Case

The clearer the picture, the better we can understand what needs attention first.

You don’t need to arrive with every document organized. Start with the basics, including the key dates in your relationship, when you separated, and any upcoming court appearances.

If finances are part of the case, we may ask for records related to income, property, debt, bank accounts, pensions, or a business. Your lawyer will tell you which records matter for your situation.

If parenting is involved, we may need details about the current schedule, school arrangements, travel, major decisions, or a proposed change. Bring any existing parenting order or agreement if you have one.

We’ll always tell you what we need and when we need it. You don’t need to guess.

Please do not send sensitive records through the website before we confirm that we can act for you and explain how to send them securely.

Submitting the online form does not create a solicitor-client relationship.

Tell Us About Changes That Could Affect Your Case

Family law matters can move quickly, and new information can affect what happens next.

Your former spouse may propose moving with your child. You may receive court papers, a parenting schedule may stop working, or new financial records may come to light.

If something happens that could affect your case, let us know.

A short update is usually enough. Tell us what happened, when it happened, and if there is a deadline attached.

You should also send us any new court papers, agreements, financial records, or other documents that could affect the advice we give you.

We’d rather know about a change early than find out after it has already affected your options.

How We Keep You Informed

We want you to know how to reach us, who to contact, and what to expect when you have a question.

Our phone line is available 24/7. A customer service team member may take your first call and pass the details to the legal team when needed. Online case-review inquiries generally receive a response within one business day.

Once you become a client, we’ll explain how calls, emails, and document sharing will work for your file.

Some questions need legal advice from your lawyer. Others, such as scheduling, document requests, or billing questions, may be handled by another member of the team.

We’ll make it clear who handles what, so you know where to go when you need an answer.

What to Expect When It Comes to Legal Fees

Before legal work begins, we’ll explain how your fees and retainer work and what your agreement covers.

The cost of a family law matter depends on the amount of legal work involved. An uncontested divorce may require less work than a parenting dispute with court dates, missing financial records, or contested property issues.

For hourly matters, you may pay an initial retainer. Those funds are held in trust and applied to legal work as it is completed. If the matter continues, you may need to add funds to the retainer.

Any unused funds are returned at the end, subject to the terms of your retainer agreement.

An uncontested divorce may qualify for a flat fee of $2,500 plus HST. Certain separation and cohabitation agreements may qualify for a $3,100 plus HST flat fee when the main terms have already been discussed or agreed on.

Court filing fees and other third-party costs may be separate. Work outside the agreed flat-fee scope may also cost extra.

Before you sign a retainer, we’ll explain what the fee covers, who may work on your file, and what could affect the total cost. You should know what you’re paying for before the work starts.

What We Do When Cooperation Breaks Down

Sometimes the other side simply won’t cooperate.

Your former spouse may refuse to provide financial records, reject a proposed parenting schedule, ignore legal correspondence, or suddenly change their position.

When that happens, we look at what’s holding the case up and what legal options are available to address it.

That could mean another attempt at negotiation, mediation, a formal request for financial disclosure, or asking the court to step in.

We’ll never create more conflict just for the sake of it. We focus on the issue standing in the way and the legal response that makes sense for your case.

What You Can Count on From Us

Here at Nussbaum Law, you should never feel unsure about what’s happening with your case.

You’ll know who is responsible for your file, what legal options are available, and what work we’ve agreed to handle.

Before you retain us, we’ll explain how the fee structure works and what your retainer covers. Once your case starts, we’ll keep you informed and explain what changes mean for your next steps.

You can also expect candid advice. If we think a certain decision comes with too much risk, costs too much, or is unlikely to help, we’ll tell you.

We handle every aspect of divorce and separation in the Toronto area, from parenting time, to decision-making responsibility, child support, spousal support, property division, and domestic agreements across Ontario.

Frequently Asked Questions About Family Law Client Communication

Ready to Make a Move? Start With a Free Case Review.

We always recommend speaking with a lawyer before deciding how you should proceed, especially since it’s free.

Start your free case review.

Or, call us at 647-692-0318 to get started right away.