John P. Schuman C.S., Child and Family Law

Family Law, Children’s Rights, Education Law, First Responder Law – Litigation, Mediation, Arbitration, Collaborative, Straightforward Advice.

HELPFUL, DIRECT, EXPERIENCED, SOLUTION FOCUSED, CHILD CENTRED TORONTO FAMILY AND EDUCATION LAWYER AND MEDIATOR (AND ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN)

This Website is Designed to Help You

People who need a Toronto family lawyer or a divorce lawyer are different from people who need other types of lawyers.  If you are going through a separation or divorce, or if you need help with child custody or access, child or spousal support, or a children’s aid society issue, your case is about your life.  Or, if you are about to get married or start living with some, you may have concerns about your future life.  These are the important life events that we can help you with. 

If you are concerned about how a child is being treated at school, by a children’s aid society or some other institution, your feelings for that child can be overwhelming.  How can you get that child the best help?  Can you get it quickly enough to protect your child from becoming a victim of “the system.”

I can help you. See below for some starting points on this website. If this website does not answer your question, email us or phone 416-446-5080 to book a consultation. Or, you can order a paper copy of my book, Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law,   by clicking here. Alternatively, get the e-book (it is exactly the same) for $9.99 at the Kindle Store or for Kobo.

I have represented clients before every level of court from the Ontario Court of Justice to the Supreme Court of Canada.  I have also helped my clients negotiate settlements, attended at mediations and arbitrations.  To help families resolve their differences using less adversarial methods, I trained as a Family Mediator and Arbitrator. I also practice “Collaborative Practice”, which helps spouses with difficult situations but a commitment to resolve them, and get divorced without “wrecking the kids.”  I also help people who are getting married, or planning to live together, plan for their future life through a marriage contract or cohabitation agreement.

I am also a family mediator.  That means I can help people find common sense solutions to their problems, without resorting to the courts to have a decision imposed. Family Mediation can be a very useful tool for separated spouses or parents to achieve a result that works for them without a long, difficult, emotionally and financially draining battle. CLICK HERE if you are interested in booking a mediation.

As the decisions listed at the right show, I have also devoted my extra energy to helping kids in difficult circumstances.  I have advocated to protect children in several groundbreaking court decisions and court cases.  Some of those cases are listed in the column to the right.

John Schuman headshot

John P. Schuman C.S., Child and Family Law

Family And Children’s Rights Litigation, Mediation, Arbitration, Collaborative Law, First Responder Law 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Why John Schuman?

1.John is a Certified Specialist in Family Law.  This is an honour bestowed by the Law Society of Upper Canada on the top lawyers in their field on the recommendation of other lawyers.  For more on what this means, check out the Law Society’s Webpage.
2.The mainstream media has recognized John’s expertise and turns to him when it needs a top lawyer in the areas of family law and children’s rights.  John has appeared on:  CBC/Radio Canada, the Ward and Al Show on Canada Talk Radio, Family Matters with Justice Brownstone (also see this page), DivorceSource Radio,  Real Estate 101, and To Your Success.
3.John has practised child and family law exclusively since 1999.
4.John obtained a Masters (specialized) Degree in Family Law in 1999 from Queen’s University.
5.Before his Master’s degree. John clerked for a family court judge.
6.John has extensive trial experience. He has taken, on average, 3 cases to trial every year for the past 10.
7.John has settled many, many cases each year in advance of trial – but only when it did not make sense to go to trial. He knows when it is best to settle and when to keep going.
8.John has extensive experience in high-conflict cases.  
9.John has extensive experience in complex financial family law cases. He knows where to look for the money and how to find it.
10.John is a member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and is “up to date” on the latest research relevant to family law issues.
11.John has been counsel on several precedent setting, reported cases.  (See above.)
12.John has relationship with many other allied family law professionals.  John can help you get the accountants, counsellors, investigators and other professionals that you need.
13.John is a trained Family Law Mediator. In that role he brings a child-focused, common sense approach to resolving Family Law Disputes. 
14.John is trained a Collaborative Lawyer, and is able to assist parties to work together to find the best solutions for themselves and their children.
15.John is an author of several important and leading books about how the law applies to children and families.
16.John practices in a firm that has specialists in almost every area of law, allowing “non-family law” solution to family problems, and also ensuring every aspect of client’s legal needs are met (even identifying problems that clients did not.)

If you know people who could use direct, experienced, child focussed, help with a family law, education law,  or children’s rights matter, share this page on your social network using the buttons below, or tell them to call 416-446-5869 or email us right away.

SEARCH THIS SITE TO FIND WHAT YOU NEED!

BOOK A CONSULT

at a reduced rate

Contact Us

To contact John Schuman, Certified Specialist in Family Law, call 416-446-5847, email him at john.schuman@devrylaw.ca, or use the form on this page.

Contact Form Fluent Form (#6)