MacDonald & Partners LLP
155 University Avenue Suite 1700 M5H 3B7 Toronto, ON, Canada

MacDonald & Partners LLP is pleased to congratulate Gary Joseph, Managing Partner, as the recipient of its 2021 OBA Award for Excellence in Family Law in Memory of James G. McLeod. Two of our lawyers have received the award. James C MacDonald received the very first award in 1997 and now Gary Joseph in 2021. http://ow.ly/jgZi50F1f8t

MacDonald & Partners LLP is seeking a Family Law Legal Assistant/Law Clerk to work for two Associates in our Firm. Please visit the link below to view the job posting. #toronto #nowhiring #familylaw http://ow.ly/uUuR50EJ8gZ

MacDonald and Partners LLP is looking for a Family Law Lawyer to join our team. The successful candidate must be in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario with 3-5 years of Family Law experience. Learn more by following the link below. http://ow.ly/eRqf50EFzAE

While reflecting on my advocacy this week, I had time to pause and think about how I got to this point in my career. More specifically how whatever skills I do possess as an advocate, came to be. Two immediate thoughts came to mind... http://ow.ly/Ur8a50Ewb7N

When a marriage breaks down and corporations are involved, both family law and corporate law can be engaged in sometimes complementary, sometimes conflicting ways. This is particularly the case with piercing the corporate veil. http://ow.ly/ylp550Es8At

While many cases decided under the Convention involve parental abduction between signatory countries, the mother in V. v. K. initially consented to her five-year-old daughter’s visit with the girl’s father in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. http://ow.ly/BdMF50EmP9D

Stoodley v. Stoodley 2021 NLCA5 is an important decision of the Newfoundland Court of Appeal addressing the issue of spousal support and the application of the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines involving high-income individuals in a long term marriage. http://ow.ly/Wv0P50E9JnO

Stephen Kirby, an Associate at MacDonald & Partners sheds light on how to best serve a client's interests and shares what makes practicing family law so interesting. Video available! http://ow.ly/YzkV50DXym4

Lawyer David Frenkel argued that the justice system should not have given a platform in recent court proceedings for a mother to argue against the vaccination of her children with her estranged husband. I vigorously disagree with this view. http://ow.ly/ni6850DXyeH

Part-time jobs are almost non-existent and many children have chosen to defer their entry into the world of post-secondary education. The courts and lawyers need to consider these factors when determining the issue of the continuation of child support. http://ow.ly/HjFK50DT4DD

Big week in family law as the Divorce Act amendments come into effect. MacDonald & Partners LLP Family Law Lawyer Kristy Maurina joins @ACarterglobal to talk about the new regulations around domestic violence in divorce. Catch the start around 16:20. http://ow.ly/YCmo50DP5pi

In these bleak times leadership counts. The public needs to know that despite continual government failings, leadership can be found among the practising bar and among its leadership organizations such as the OBA. http://ow.ly/YIWj50DKail

Breach of Court Orders and 'No Audience' Concept As an officer of the court, lawyers have a positive duty to advise clients of their obligations under an order of the court and the imperative of full compliance. However... http://ow.ly/Qu4c50Doa2d

While reflecting on my advocacy this week, I had time to pause and think about how I got to this point in my career. More specifically how whatever skills I do possess as an advocate, came to be. Two immediate thoughts came to mind... http://ow.ly/Ur8a50Ewb7N

When a marriage breaks down and corporations are involved, both family law and corporate law can be engaged in sometimes complementary, sometimes conflicting ways. This is particularly the case with piercing the corporate veil. http://ow.ly/ylp550Es8At

While many cases decided under the Convention involve parental abduction between signatory countries, the mother in V. v. K. initially consented to her five-year-old daughter’s visit with the girl’s father in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. http://ow.ly/BdMF50EmP9D

Stoodley v. Stoodley 2021 NLCA5 is an important decision of the Newfoundland Court of Appeal addressing the issue of spousal support and the application of the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines involving high-income individuals in a long term marriage. http://ow.ly/Wv0P50E9JnO

Stephen Kirby, an Associate at MacDonald & Partners sheds light on how to best serve a client's interests and shares what makes practicing family law so interesting. Video available! http://ow.ly/YzkV50DXym4

What we describe as "rat race culture," appears to be coming to an end. Young lawyers for the most part reject this model. http://ow.ly/k9ZE50D5s8J #familylaw

The practices of family law and estates law often cross paths. One such area of overlap between the two fields is the law as it relates to what has been called the "Predatory Marriage." #familylaw http://ow.ly/6Ora50CLXG3

The public wants better access to justice and the LSO seems convinced that the method best to address this issue is to license paralegals to do the family law work. For many years this work has been recognized as legal work requiring an... http://ow.ly/JdjA50CAzX4

For too long counsel and parties have used conferences as disclosure vehicles often engaging the court in repeated events on their way to either trial or settlement. In the process, they burn up valuable resources on legal fees and wasted court time. http://ow.ly/g50d50CuThc

We are looking for a Family Law Assistant/Law Clerk to work for two Associates in our firm. All interested applications please submit your resume to [email protected] #legaljobs #legaljobsearch #legaljob http://ow.ly/aGkX50Ctswd

MacDonald & Partners LLP is pleased to announce Michael Stangarone has been welcomed into the International Academy of Family Lawyers. http://ow.ly/GKgD50Bu4bD

Reflections on Costs Awards and an Appeal of That Issue http://ow.ly/fd7650BqyJD

Courts generally reduce the amount of child support during the academic year where the child is not living at home, in accordance with s. 3(2)(b) of the Child Support Guidelines (CSG). http://ow.ly/wJdW50BlgAf

MacDonald & Partners LLP is pleased to announce that Gary Joseph, William Abbott, Georgina Carson, Geoffrey Wells and Michael Stangarone have been recognized as leaders in their field in the latest edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada. http://ow.ly/hTmW50BhqTU

Already backed up and overburdened, now our courts and family law judges are faced with more COVID-19 driven litigation. One parent wants the child to return to school while the other parent opposes and wishes to continue with online learning. http://ow.ly/YKo750Bb7N2

Making joint experts mandatory is long overdue: The Family Law Act in British Columbia and the Family Law Rules thereunder have implemented a mandatory requirement for the use of joint experts on financial issues in family cases. The rule is stated in mandatory terms. This is a change that is long overdue and one that should be the norm in family law matters across the country. https://mpllp.com//making-joint-experts-mandatory-is-long-

Address All Potential Issues When Using Experts Recent amendments to the Family Law Rules have now formally introduced the jointly retained expert to family law matters. https://mpllp.com//address-all-potential-issues-when-using

The Trouble With Invisible Litigants Most of the family law bar is now familiar with the Court of Appeal decision in Leitch v. Novac. Once released, I wrote and commented on Justice C. William Hourigans "granular" dissection of the lower court ruling http://ow.ly/wgJp50AZIpr

The pandemic has most abruptly changed the legal landscape and the practice of family law. http://ow.ly/SfwX50ATHpG

Even before the COVID-19 crisis hit we have seen a gradual erosion of the time-honoured tradition of oral advocacy supplementing the written world. http://ow.ly/32Mp50AArbk

The Matrimonial Home & the Right of First Refusal http://ow.ly/8oBL50AeqB0

Separating spouses and their counsel must take care when relying on standard reconciliation clauses in separation agreements as highlighted by the Court of Appeal for Ontario in the recent decision... https://mpllp.com/reconciliation-and-the-interaction-betwee

The COVID-19 shutdown of the court system was initially viewed as a temporary measure to address legitimate health concerns. Most lawyers expected a quick return to "normal" once the pandemic passed. Two things have now become quite apparent... http://ow.ly/Tvb550A2WNp

Parents should not view the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to change the rules of the game when it comes agreements or court orders regarding custody and access of their children. http://ow.ly/CfCe50A23At

Family law litigants can not challenge the urgency of a matter once a hearing has been scheduled under the courts COVID-19 measures, according to a recent Ontario Superior Court judgment. http://ow.ly/UFvt50A083E

Splitting spouses must take care when using standard reconciliation clauses in separation agreements, says Toronto family lawyer Michael Stangarone. http://ow.ly/wkeG50zZ26W

COVID-19 may be playing havoc with the court system, but it has not changed the burden of proof in disputes over exclusive possession of the matrimonial home, says Toronto family lawyer Michael Stangarone. http://ow.ly/dlla50zXFn9

Non-Hague countries subject to different test for return of abducted children http://ow.ly/f2KI50zTCty

Access to our courts is now largely governed by the test of urgency. There is a multitude of cases addressing what our Judges view as urgent. For the most part, but not all, cases have focused on child-related issues. However, in the civil litigation world, the courts have also tackled the issue. In Wang v. 2426483 Ontario Limited, Justice Myers cautioned that determining whether a matter is urgent is part of the courts administrative function, and once the court has decided to schedule a matter for a hearing, there is no basis for further submissions to be delivered on the issue of urgency. Justice Myers specifically expressed the following views which the family law bar would be well advised to carefully note: https://mpllp.com/post/urgency-covid-19-and-family-law.html

MacDonald and Partners LLP is pleased to announce that Georgina Carson has been recognized as a leading family law practitioner and was again named a Lexpert ranked lawyer in 2020 http://ow.ly/8X1I50zHeMa

MacDonald and Partners LLP is pleased to announce that Michael Stangarone has been recognized as a leading family law practitioner and was again named a Lexpert ranked lawyer in 2020 http://ow.ly/dw7E50zGsX7

MacDonald and Partners LLP is pleased to announce that Gary Joseph has been recognized as a leading family law practitioner and was again named a Lexpert ranked lawyer in 2020 http://ow.ly/moeA50zFmAP

MacDonald & Partners LLP Partner Michael Stangarone discusses his clients harrowing quest to get daughter out of Dubai. https://torontosun.com//mandel-canadian-moms-harrowing-que

What COVID-19 has taught us The COVID-19 virus is a risk to all but specifically it targets and exposes the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. In the same way the pandemic has exposed our court system for what it is... https://mpllp.com/articles/what-COVID-19-has-taught-us.pdf

Court of Appeal weighs in on non-disclosure https://mpllp.com/articles/Leitch-v-Novac.pdf

MacDonald & Partners LLP Family Lawyer Kristy Maurina speaks with Alan Carter about how parents with shared custody can work together during self-isolation. https://omny.fm//alan-carter/family-lawyer-kristy-maurina-1

A recent decision shows the potential for judicial creativity when it comes to costs awards in family matters, says Toronto family lawyer William Abbott. #familylaw https://mpllp.com/resp-order-shows-scope-for-creativity-in-

Spousal support obligations following retirement are set to become a hot topic as Boomers head towards the end of their working lives, says Toronto family lawyer William Abbott. https://mpllp.com/spousal-support-a-thorny-issue-for-boomer

A Nevada father breathed a sigh of relief after an Ontario Superior Court judge ordered the return of his abducted infant children to the U.S. state, says Toronto family lawyer Meghann Melito. https://mpllp.com/ontario-court-returns-abducted-children-t

A recent Ontario Court of Appeal decision provides guidance for counsel dealing with cases of wrongful removal or retention of children under the Hague Convention, says Toronto family lawyer Michael Stangarone, who argued one of the first cases interpreting the test. https://mpllp.com//oca-provides-roadmap-to-new-test-in-hag

The distinction between regulatory and court-imposed standards are often theoretical but at times not. The most recent example of where these standards may conflict can be found in the now resolved dispute between lawyer Joseph Groia and the LSO. https://mpllp.com/multiple-masters-a-modern-lawyers-dilemma

When two parents reach an agreement over the future of their children mid-trial, the judge needs a very good reason to reject it. https://mpllp.com//judges-decision-to-reject-settlement-di

A recent Superior Court judgment shows former spouses may struggle to reduce their support obligations if they are at fault for their own income loss, says Toronto family lawyer Stephen Kirby. #familylaw https://mpllp.com/former-husband-income-loss-cant-reduce-su

In the wake of a messy separation, the reality of the couples parenting roles during the marriage can easily become obscured by the noise of the ensuing conflict. http://ow.ly/d6WM50xEvlR

The Ontario Court of Appeal (OCA) has effectively resolved the raging debate over whether a childs consent is required for a court to order therapy in cases of parental alienation, says Toronto family lawyer Gary Joseph. https://www.advocatedaily.com/gary-joseph-oca-rules-court-h