Ballantyne Family Law
3 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 579 handling Family Law.
About Ballantyne Family Law
Ballantyne Family Law is a Toronto firm that practices family law exclusively, working out of an office at 10 Alcorn Avenue in the Summerhill area of midtown Toronto. Karen Ballantyne leads the firm and has practiced family law since being called to the Ontario Bar in 2003, after graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2002 and articling at a Bay Street firm. The team of three lawyers handles cohabitation agreements, marriage contracts, separation agreements, parenting issues, support claims and property division.
The firm is trained in the collaborative method and generally steers clients toward negotiation, mediation or arbitration where that fits, while litigating in the Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal when a matter needs to go to court. The team includes Nadine Waldman, called to the bar in 2008, who can advise clients in French and English, and Lily Chapnik, called in 2022, who trained as a social worker before becoming a lawyer. Law clerk Bonnie Frieday, who has worked as a court reporter and legal researcher, handles financial statements and simple divorce applications and liaises with courts and clients.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Karen Ballantyne has practiced family law exclusively since being called to the Ontario Bar in 2003, after graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2002 and articling at a Bay Street law firm.
- Nadine Waldman founded the Family Law Project, which supports unrepresented litigants in Family Court in London, Ontario, while completing a J.D. at the University of Western Ontario.
- Lily Chapnik articled at the Office of the Children's Lawyer, assisting with the representation of children across Ontario, before being called to the bar in 2022.
In the community
- Karen Ballantyne has presented at the Toronto Family Information Session and spoken at Continuing Legal Education programs run by the Law Society of Ontario.
- Nadine Waldman tutors prospective lawyers who are preparing for the bar admission exams in family law and volunteers with the Advice and Settlement Counsel Project in Toronto.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
By appointmentLawyers 3
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 2003–2022 · median 18 years in practice 3 of 3 lawyers
- Law schools
- Osgoode Hall Law School, University of Western Ontario 2 of 3 lawyers
- Languages on the roster
- English, French
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office at 10 Alcorn Avenue sits in a building constructed in the 1930s that was home to hardware wholesalers, including Walker and Sons and White's Hardware, between 1925 and 1950, before it was restored into office space in 1991. It's a low rise brick and stucco building with a landscaped interior courtyard, in the Summerhill area of midtown Toronto just west of Yonge Street.
The area mixes restaurants and small shops with a residential feel and sits a short walk from Summerhill subway station. For a firm whose lawyers appear in courts across southern Ontario, an office that's easy for clients to reach by transit, and easy to find among the neighbourhood's older commercial buildings, is a practical fit.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Ballantyne Family Law handle divorce, custody and support matters?
- Yes. The firm practices family law exclusively and handles parenting issues, child and spousal support, separation agreements and property claims, along with cohabitation agreements and marriage contracts.
- Will my case have to go to court, or can it be resolved without litigating?
- The firm is trained in the collaborative method and generally steers clients toward negotiation, mediation or arbitration when that's appropriate, but will litigate in the Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice or the Court of Appeal when a matter needs it.
- Can Ballantyne Family Law draft a cohabitation agreement or marriage contract before I move in with, or marry, my partner?
- Yes. Drafting cohabitation agreements and marriage contracts that set out how a couple will divide assets and provide for each other is one of the firm's practice areas.
- Does the firm only take cases in Toronto?
- The firm's lawyers appear before the Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, and represent clients on family law matters throughout southern Ontario.
- Can I get help in French?
- Nadine Waldman, one of the firm's lawyers, is able to advise clients in French and English.
- How do I book a consultation with Ballantyne Family Law?
- Call the firm at 416-479-4119 or email to arrange a consultation. The office is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where to find them
10 Alcorn Avenue, Suite 201, Toronto, ON M4V 3A9 · 416-479-4119
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