Beaton Burke Young LLP
Automatically compiled listing. Details may contain errors.8 lawyers · City of Toronto
About Beaton Burke Young LLP
Beaton Burke Young LLP is a Toronto family law firm. Its lawyers represent clients through negotiation, alternative dispute resolution and litigation, draft domestic contracts, and also serve families as mediators, arbitrators and parenting coordinators. The team leans toward cooperative, efficient ways of settling a matter, and it brings its litigation experience to bear when a case needs it.
Four partners lead the firm: Jenna Beaton, Lesley Burke, Sarah Young and Deborah Perkins-Leitman. Richard Glennie, Kira Beck, Amruta Ponkshe and Raquel Simpson round out the group of lawyers, supported by three law clerks, an office manager, a legal assistant, an articling student and an Integrated Practice Program student. One of those clerks, Lisa Young, has worked only on family law files since 2013.
The lawyers come to family law from varied starting points. Lesley Burke spent the first years of practice as a criminal defence lawyer before moving over. Deborah Perkins-Leitman holds a master's degree in Russian language and literature from the University of Toronto and can work with clients in Russian, while Amruta Ponkshe earned an LL.B. at the University of Mumbai.
In 2026 Canadian Lawyer named Beaton Burke Young one of its Top Family Law Firm Teams. The office is at 545 King Street West, Suite 241, in Toronto, and clients can contact any lawyer directly or call the main line at 416 814 6261.
Practice areas
Family law representation
When direct negotiation doesn't succeed or isn't a reasonable option, the firm acts for clients in mediation, arbitration or court, handling both the written and the oral advocacy. Kira Beck has appeared in the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice, and as second chair at the Ontario Court of Appeal.
Domestic contracts
The firm prepares domestic contracts. Sarah Young works with clients on cohabitation agreements and marriage contracts, as well as parenting plans, property division and support arrangements.
Property, support and trust claims
Richard Glennie and Amruta Ponkshe both handle child and spousal support and trust claims. Richard's work also covers complex property claims, while Amruta's takes in property division and tort claims.
Parenting disputes and child protection
High conflict parenting disputes are part of Amruta Ponkshe's practice, and Deborah Perkins-Leitman's broad practice extends to child protection as well as parenting, support and property questions.
Mediation and arbitration
Beyond representing people in arbitration, lawyers at the firm sit as arbitrators themselves. Sarah Young offers both mediation and arbitration services.
Parenting coordination
Every lawyer at the firm can be retained as a parenting coordinator. Lesley Burke accepts a limited number of these files, working with families whose co-parenting relationships have become difficult.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessibleHow Beaton Burke Young LLP works
Beaton Burke Young aims for cost-effective work shaped around each client. Negotiating with a lawyer's help is often where a file begins, and the firm makes a point of explaining every stage so clients can plan ahead and make their own informed choices.
Alongside its land acknowledgement, the firm's people commit to developing cultural competence and to keep educating themselves on Indigenous issues, a duty they tie to their roles as advocates and community members.
Milestones & recognition
- Named one of Canadian Lawyer's Top Family Law Firm Teams for 2026.
- Ranked by Best Law Firms in two practice areas, with the firm's lawyers first recognized by Best Lawyers in 2024.
- Jenna Beaton serves as a Dispute Resolution Officer in the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto, Brampton, Newmarket and Hamilton.
- Two of the firm's lawyers won law school awards: Richard Glennie for highest standing in Children's Law and in Alternative Dispute Resolution at Queen's, and Raquel Simpson for highest standing in an Advanced Family Law Course and Seminar at Osgoode Hall.
In the community
- Sarah Young volunteers with the Advice and Settlement Counsel Project and has represented intervenors in pro bono litigation.
- Sarah Young contributed to the textbook Support Rights and Obligations Under Ontario Family Law, and Amruta Ponkshe's articles have run in the Law Society of Ontario's CPD materials and in Thomson Reuters' Money & Family Law.
- Jenna Beaton presents often at continuing education programs and panels.
Affiliations & connections
- The Advocates' Society: Richard Glennie and Raquel Simpson are members of The Advocates' Society.
- Ontario Bar Association: Jenna Beaton belongs to the Ontario Bar Association's Family Law Section, and Sarah Young and Richard Glennie are also OBA members.
- Canadian Bar Association: Jenna Beaton, Richard Glennie and Raquel Simpson are members of the Canadian Bar Association.
- Litigation Counsel of America: Jenna Beaton is a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America.
Lawyers 8
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Languages on the roster
- Russian
The neighbourhood
The firm's King Street West office is in a commercial building from 1920 on the south side of the street, just east of Portland Street. It's a brick-and-beam building with classical touches: stone piers along the base and a stone cartouche over the north entrance. In 2017 the City of Toronto assessed the property as worthy of a place on its Heritage Register, part of a stretch of early 20th century warehouses that includes the Canadian Kodak Buildings of 1902 and 1904 across the road.
Several TTC streetcar routes serve the address.
Frequently asked questions
- Can Beaton Burke Young untangle a separation that involves a family company or business valuation?
- Beaton Burke Young partner Jenna Beaton focuses on separations with difficult financial questions and layered corporate holdings. Much of that work sits where family law meets corporate litigation, and the partner is at home with both income and business valuation issues. Lesley Burke also handles property division cases involving shared business assets.
- My family case also involves criminal charges or domestic violence. Can the firm help?
- Beaton Burke Young's Lesley Burke takes on complex family files where domestic violence or a criminal charge is part of the picture, and began practising as a criminal defence lawyer before moving to family law.
- Can I use a Beaton Burke Young mediator if I don't have a lawyer of my own?
- Beaton Burke Young offers mediation to people whether or not they've retained a lawyer. Jenna Beaton mediates privately for parties with or without counsel.
- Is there a lawyer at Beaton Burke Young who can meet with me in Russian?
- Beaton Burke Young partner Deborah Perkins-Leitman can assist clients in Russian and studied Russian language and literature at the University of Toronto through a master's degree.
- I've been pulled into someone else's family court case. Does Beaton Burke Young act for third parties?
- Beaton Burke Young partner Sarah Young often represents third parties who end up drawn into family law litigation.
- Does a Beaton Burke Young law clerk help with uncontested divorces?
- Beaton Burke Young law clerk Chelsea Grigg finalizes uncontested divorces and supports the lawyers and their clients through every stage of a file, which also means preparing financial documents and draft Orders.
Where to find them
545 King St West, #241, Toronto, ON M5V 1M1 · 416-814-6261
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This listing was generated by AI from public sources in October 2026. It may contain errors, and we can’t guarantee it’s accurate or complete. Before you rely on anything here, verify it on the firm’s own website. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗
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