Hello, I am Daphna Schwartz of the Feldstein Family Law Group. Today, I will be talking about what you can expect from your first meeting with your family lawyer here at our firm.
Your first meeting with one of our lawyers is an initial consultation.
At this meeting, you will provide the lawyer with information about many issues related to your family, including:
- your marriage and when it broke down or ended;
- your children;
- your income and your spouse’s income;
- your matrimonial home; and
- assets and liabilities at the date of marriage, and at the date of separation, that the two of you may own solely or jointly.
The lawyer will ask you specific questions about these and other issues. You will have the opportunity to provide any additional information that you feel is relevant to assist the lawyer in understanding your specific case and the issues.
Everything you tell your lawyer is confidential so you should feel free to be candid.
At this first meeting, the lawyer will not be giving you legal advice. The lawyer will however give you three things:
- an overview of how the law may apply to the facts in your case;
- your potential rights and obligations arising from the marriage and its breakdown; and
- the procedural steps that should be taken in you matter.
To prepare for your first meeting with your family law lawyer, we recommend that you do the following:
- make a list of questions that you have of the lawyer
- bring your most recent income tax return or Notice of Assessment and that of your spouse
- make a list of your assets and liabilities at the date of marriage and at the date of separation. Do the same for your spouse if you have this information.
- if you have been served with an Application or any court documents, please bring this together with the Financial Statement. Also bring any Court Orders against you or your spouse.
- any Marriage Contract executed before or after marriage, an existing separation agreement, any Court Orders, any Custody/Access Assessment Reports
And finally before your initial consultation, we encourage you review the article “Roadmap to Divorce” on our website www.separation.ca. I’m sure you will find it helpful.
To make an appointment with one of our lawyers, please contact us at Feldstein Family Law Group at 905-581-7222. Thank you.
