Family Law & Estate Settlements

If you are seeking a family law or estate settlement, I may be able to help.  I will work with you in a calm, experienced, practical & fee friendly way as your lawyer or as a neutral mediator. Spousal support variations and child support changes. Spousal estate rights. Children’s estate rights. These are my primary areas of focus. Currently, my service area is Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, and Guelph, although I have a number of clients in Toronto and the GTA. Location doesn't seem to matter anymore. It's a virtual world.   mjmarra6@gmail.com 

Family Law                                                                     

​If you are looking for creative, custom options and solutions we could be a fit. Most family law cases are settled and in most family law cases court is unnecessary.  I will work with you and the other lawyer to try to achieve a negotiated settlement in a fair and reasonable manner as quickly as possible.  And I am a strong believer in mediation when we get stuck in the direct negotiation process.  
Settlements will happen.
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​Later in life separations, "divorce for seniors" , the "grey divorce"   https://www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday/grey-divorce-five-women-s-stories-1.4440192  and changes in spousal support upon pending retirement  are of great interest.
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I am particularly adept at working with clients within complex financial situations and financial professionals and advisors to the best advantage of the client.

Since 2019 I have been a member of the Ontario Bar Association Family Law Executive and have been actively involved in sub-committees that have made submissions regarding the Children's Law Reform Act Amendments, the Superior Court's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Motion to Change reform and the LSO paralegal proposal.

Mediation

I am a well trained mediator and can help you achieve a family law or estate settlement as your mediator.  If you have a support issue, my years of experience can be invaluable. Changes in circumstances, arrears, section 7 expenses, retroactive support, termination of support, FRO and assignee claims are all issues that I have dealt with routinely over the course of my entire career.  Mediation is essential for the majority of folks facing or involved in a Motion to Change process.  All virtual. Reasonable fees. 

Fees
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I am an empathetic practitioner with a heightened sense of the cost of legal services and am always open to flexible and client focused fee arrangements.​​ 
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Estate Disputes 

I have recently worked with Whaley Estate Litigation (WEL Partners), one the best-known estate litigation boutiques in Canada. I have intensively developed a new practice area which intersects with family law: 

• Dependent Support Claims                             
• Spousal Rights and Obligations upon Death
• Property Division and Equalization of Net Family Property upon Death
• Marriage and Cohabitation Agreement Issues
• Wills, Estates and Trust Disputes
• Power of Attorney Disputes
• Elder Financial Abuse 

The estate rights and obligations of spouses, prior spouses, and children on the death of the other spouse or parent is my specific focus as counsel and as a mediator.  I have worked on a number of estate cases where the separated spouses had not completed their family law case when one of the spouses passed away.  These cases present unique challenges procedurally and legally. ​
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Most estate disputes in Toronto start in court but end up settled at mandatory mediation.  Where possible, my approach is to work towards an out-of-court settlement with all of the interested parties before vast amounts of money are spent in the court system.
 

Child Support & FRO

I was counsel for FRO for many years. I know the FRO & child support system.  I offer thorough consultations & coaching  to help you navigate a solution or I can mediate a new agreement or court order quickly and  cost efficiently. Any location in Ontario.  
mjmarra6@gmail.com

 Visit the Child Support in Ontario page for basic  information regarding the Child Support Guidelines, Motions to Change, Retroactive Child Support and Termination of Child Support.
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Visit the Family Responsibility Office page for basic information regarding how FRO works, 50% wage deductions, driver's license suspensions, passport suspension, credit bureau reporting and default hearings.