ABALAW
Automatically compiled listing. Details may contain errors.1 lawyer · City of Toronto
One of 2,276 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 423 handling Family Law.
Free consultation
Virtual appointments
Free consultationVirtual appointmentsAbout ABALAW
ABALAW is a Toronto practice devoted entirely to family law and child protection. It works with individuals and families in the city and across the GTA who are going through a divorce or separation, a dispute over parenting, or a case involving the Children's Aid Society. The founding and principal lawyer, Ayhan Bakar, holds an LL.B., an LL.M. and a PhD, and brings more than a decade of combined academic and professional experience to each file.
Ayhan Bakar's caseload has taken in high-conflict parenting disputes, complicated financial separations and child welfare proceedings with the CAS. Clients come to ABALAW for simple, joint and contested divorces, marriage and cohabitation agreements, and opinion letters for people whose divorce was granted in another country. The office also notarizes and certifies documents.
The first case review is free and comes with no obligation, and consultations can happen in person or online. Simple divorces are handled for a flat fee, and ABALAW commits to a fast turnaround on urgent matters.
ABALAW's office is in Suite 900 at 45 Sheppard Avenue East in Toronto, and its clients come from throughout the Greater Toronto Area and the rest of Ontario.
Practice areas
Divorce, from uncontested to disputed
On simple and joint divorces, ABALAW looks after the whole process: it prepares the court forms, files them and collects the divorce certificate. When spouses can't agree, the work covers drafting, financial disclosure and court filings, with practical solutions pursued through negotiation, mediation or, if it comes to that, litigation. If a spouse won't disclose finances, the firm can ask for disclosure under the Family Law Rules and bring motions to compel it.
Our guide: How to Hire a Family Lawyer in Toronto
Parenting, support and property
ABALAW handles decision-making responsibility (formerly called custody under the Divorce Act), child and spousal support, and the equalization of net family property. It also takes on the enforcement and variation of orders that are already in place.
Our guide: How to Get a Divorce in Ontario
Separation agreements and marriage contracts
Separation agreements, cohabitation agreements and marriage contracts, prenuptial or postnuptial, are drafted or reviewed here so they comply with Ontario law.
Child protection and CAS cases
ABALAW stands with parents, guardians and other family members when the Children's Aid Society becomes involved, explaining their rights under the CYFSA. It acts in CAS investigations, voluntary service agreements, supervision orders and kinship care, and temporary or permanent care hearings, with the focus on reunifying and preserving families.
Foreign divorce opinion letters
For someone divorced outside Canada who wants to marry in Ontario, ABALAW reviews the foreign divorce papers, assesses them against Canadian legal standards, and drafts and notarizes the opinion letter that ServiceOntario usually asks for before a marriage licence application. Where needed, it deals with ServiceOntario directly.
Notary services
Same-day notary appointments are available for certified true copies, affidavits and declarations, and oaths sworn for court or immigration.
Good to know
Accessible parking
Parking available
Virtual appointments
By appointment
In-person servicesFees & payment
Flat fee
Free consultationHow ABALAW works
ABALAW's starting point is that legal advice ought to be easy to get, easy to follow and shaped around each client's own situation. Plain communication and respectful relationships with clients sit at the centre of the work, whether a matter is settled at the table or argued in court.
In disputes, the firm commits to resolving things efficiently, keeping conflict down and reaching fair settlements without delay. In many cases the aim isn't simply to come out ahead, it's an outcome that lets both spouses move on with their lives.
Lawyers 1
The neighbourhood
ABALAW's suite is at 45 Sheppard Avenue East, the nine-storey building of North York Square, a property on the North Yonge corridor whose seven-storey partner stands at 47 Sheppard. Under temporary boundaries the Ontario Court of Justice set for its Toronto family courthouses, new family cases in that court start either at 47 Sheppard Avenue East or at 311 Jarvis Street from September 1, 2024 on, and the provincial electoral boundaries decide which. Those rules take in parents in CYFSA cases as well as family disputes between two or more people. In 2017 the complex was also home to the Superior Court of Justice's small claims court.
Frequently asked questions
- The Children's Aid Society has removed my child. How fast will ABALAW act?
- ABALAW commits to acting immediately to review the case and seek the appropriate remedies. When a child is removed, the parent is entitled to have the matter before a judge within five days.
- How quickly can ABALAW turn around a foreign divorce opinion letter for an Ontario marriage licence?
- Once ABALAW has the documents and payment, the letter can be ready within 48 hours. The details sent in are reviewed and the requirements confirmed within one business day.
- What do ABALAW's $450 and $850 simple divorce packages cover?
- ABALAW's $450 package covers the simple divorce paperwork, while the $850 package takes care of the entire case and the court proceedings. The government court fee and taxes are paid on top, and the $850 package can be split into two payments of $425. (Fees as of October 2026.)
- Can ABALAW certify my documents for an IRCC or visa application?
- ABALAW often certifies documents for IRCC, visa applications, travel consent and foreign embassies. Bring government-issued photo ID, since it's needed to complete a notarization.
- I'm not ready to go to court. Can ABALAW give me a 30 to 60 minute consultation, online or in person, just to understand my position?
- ABALAW consultations usually last 30 to 60 minutes, and longer ones can be arranged. They're available virtually or in person, and many clients book one simply to understand where they stand before deciding what to do next.
Where to find them
45 Sheppard Ave E, Suite 900, Toronto, ON M2N 5W9 · 416-821-0202
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