Family Lawyer Ottawa
Personalized Services
Friendly Approach
Attention to Detail
At RPB Law, Our Ottawa Family and Divorce Lawyers Practise Family Law Exclusively
RPB Family Law is an Ottawa family law firm that practises family law and nothing else. Our four family lawyers advise clients across Ottawa and Eastern Ontario on divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, property division and adoption, from a first conversation to a final order.
Family law issues like separation and divorce feel overwhelming. The right family lawyer makes the process manageable. At RPB Law, your file is handled by people who read the Ontario case law on support, parenting, and equalization every week.
Legal Cases We Handle In and Around Ottawa
Divorce
We guide you through every stage of a divorce in Ontario, from the grounds for divorce and financial disclosure to the final order, whether your case is contested or uncontested.
Separation Agreements
A separation agreement is a binding contract under the Family Law Act. We draft, review and negotiate agreements on property, parenting and support, with full disclosure and independent legal advice.
Divorce and Separation Mediation
Mediation keeps the outcome in your hands instead of a judge’s. We prepare you for each session, advise you privately along the way, and review the final terms before you sign.
Child Custody
Ontario now calls custody decision-making responsibility. We help parents reach sole, joint or shared arrangements under the Children’s Law Reform Act and the Divorce Act, always guided by the child’s best interests.
Parenting Time
We build workable parenting plans and schedules, and we handle relocation disputes, supervised parenting time, and the enforcement or variation of existing orders.
Child Support
We calculate child support under the Federal Child Support Guidelines, including section 7 expenses, shared parenting under the 40% rule, and retroactive claims, whether you pay or receive support.
Spousal Support
Married and common-law spouses may be entitled to support after separation. We establish entitlement first, then amount and duration under the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines, for payors and recipients alike.
Property Division
For married spouses, property division means equalization of net family property. We value homes, pensions, RRSPs, and businesses so your share is calculated on complete numbers.
Adoption
We guide families through relative, step-parent, private and agency adoptions in Ontario, from the application to the final adoption order.
Family Law Services in Ottawa
Most family law cases fall into a few connected categories, and they rarely arrive one at a time. A divorce usually raises parenting, support, and property questions together, so our family law services resolve them in one coordinated strategy.
Divorce and Separation With an Ottawa Divorce Lawyer
An Ottawa divorce lawyer starts with the separation itself: the date of separation, who stays in the matrimonial home, and what interim support looks like while the rest is negotiated. Most of our clients resolve those issues in a separation agreement and then file a straightforward divorce application.
You can read how each stage works in our guide to the divorce process in Ottawa.
Child Custody, Parenting Time and Child Support
We help parents build workable parenting arrangements and parenting plans covering school weeks, holidays and travel. Relocation, called mobility in family law, gets its own notice rules under the Divorce Act. Child support then follows the Child Support Guidelines tables, adjusted for shared parenting and section 7 expenses such as daycare and activities.
Spousal Support, Property Division and Federal Pensions
Spousal support turns on entitlement first, then amount and duration under the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines. We act for payors and recipients alike. Support obligations can also rest on imputed income when a spouse earns less than they could.
Property division for married spouses means equalization, not a simple division of property: each spouse calculates net family property, and the spouse with the larger increase pays half the difference.
In Ottawa, defined benefit pensions are often the largest single asset. Federal employees divide pension credits under the Pension Benefits Division Act, and valuing those credits correctly takes actuarial input. Ronan Blake has handled complex financial files involving family businesses, corporations and federal government pensions, and the firm works with leading local valuation experts.
Book a Confidential Consultation With an Ottawa Family Lawyer
Confidential, no obligation, and useful even if you never hire us. Bring your questions about support, property, or parenting and leave knowing where you stand.
Book a ConsultationWhat a Family Lawyer Does Under the Divorce Act and Family Law Act
Two statutes govern most separations in Ontario.
- The Divorce Act is federal law: it sets the grounds for divorce, the one-year separation rule, and the parenting and support rules for married spouses.
- The Family Law Act is provincial: it governs equalization of net family property, the matrimonial home, spousal support for common-law partners and domestic contracts.
The Children's Law Reform Act fills in parenting time and decision-making responsibility for unmarried parents.
A family lawyer turns those statutes into a plan. In practice, our family law practice handles:
- Negotiating and drafting separation agreements, cohabitation agreements and marriage contracts, the domestic contract types Ontario recognizes
- Calculating support under the Federal Child Support Guidelines and the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines
- Valuing assets, debts and pensions for equalization
- Preparing court documents, attending case conferences and arguing motions when settlement fails
Personalized, Detail-Driven Representation From RPB Family Law
Every fact in a family law case matters. So does every piece of evidence. Our family law lawyers review income records, tax returns and financial statements line by line, because a support figure built on incomplete disclosure will not survive scrutiny.
We keep a friendly, approachable manner in an area of law that is emotionally draining for everyone involved.
Family Lawyers in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario
Our family lawyers in Ottawa act for clients across the city and well beyond it. Many clients live in the Ottawa Valley or the towns of Eastern Ontario and meet with us by video, which saves a long drive for a first consultation.
Serving Westboro, Centretown, Kanata, Barrhaven and Orleans
Our office sits on Churchill Avenue North in Westboro. Centretown and the courthouse are a short drive away. We regularly act for families in Kanata, Nepean, Barrhaven, Orleans and Stittsville, and for clients further out in Perth, Brockville, Pembroke, Cornwall and Rockland. Some files involve a spouse living across the river in Gatineau.
You can find a local page for your community on our list of communities we serve across Eastern Ontario.
Schedule a Consultation at Our Churchill Avenue Office
Meet us in Westboro or by video, whichever is easier. Call (613) 216-5044 or book online, and we will find you a time this week.
Schedule a ConsultOttawa Family Law FAQs
How Much Does a Family Lawyer Cost in Ottawa?
Every family lawyer in Ottawa bills differently. An uncontested divorce with a signed agreement costs far less than a contested case with disputed property or parenting issues.
We give clear estimates at your initial consultation, and our breakdown of what a divorce costs in Ontario covers court fees too.
Do I Need a Divorce Lawyer if We Agree on Everything?
Even when you agree on all issues, Ottawa divorce lawyers protect you from the mistakes that get applications rejected. We prepare the documents and confirm the agreement will hold up later.
Do Common-Law Partners Have the Same Rights as Married Spouses?
No. Common-law partners in Ontario have no automatic right to equalization of net family property. They can claim spousal support after three years of cohabitation, or sooner with a child together, and property claims rely on trust principles instead. Cohabitation agreements signed early avoid most of that uncertainty.
What Should I Bring to a First Family Law Consultation?
Bring your financial disclosure: recent tax returns and pay stubs from anywhere in Canada, a list of assets and debts, and any agreement or court document you have already received. A rough timeline of the relationship and separation helps too.
Talk to an Ottawa Divorce Lawyer Today
Searching for a divorce lawyer Ottawa families trust usually starts after a hard week. An early conversation clarifies your rights. It also sets your next step.
Confidential, No-Obligation Advice From RPB Family Law
Our mission is simple. We aim to give the people and families of Ottawa reliable, fact-based legal advice grounded in experience and integrity. Divorce lawyers in Ottawa and across Ontario offer consultations; ours is confidential and comes with no obligation to retain us. Family law advice should be practical, and practical advice is what an Ottawa family lawyer owes you.
Our focus is family, and it always has been.
Call (613) 216-5044 to Speak With Our Ottawa Family Lawyers
One conversation, a clear plan. Tell us what is happening, and we will explain your options under Ontario family law.
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