Civil Divorce
1 lawyer · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 579 handling Family Law.
About Civil Divorce
Civil Divorce is a small family law practice founded by Victor Chai to help Canadian families through separation and divorce. The firm's office is on Yorkville Avenue in Toronto, and it also uses meeting rooms elsewhere in the Greater Toronto Area, including North York, Markham and Mississauga, along with rooms in downtown Vancouver, Burnaby and Richmond. Chai is a member of the Law Society of Ontario and practices in British Columbia under the National Mobility Agreement of 2002.
Before focusing on family law, Chai worked in corporate law and then as a corporate executive at Manulife Financial, concentrating on private equity transactions. Chai has personal experience with divorce, something the firm says brings empathy to client relationships, alongside a background in Bay Street style corporate work. Civil Divorce describes its approach as diplomacy backed by strength, favouring mediation and negotiated settlement over contentious litigation, though the firm does take cases through the Toronto and Vancouver courts when a negotiated resolution isn't possible.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Victor Chai graduated fifth in Osgoode Hall Law School's 2005 class and later completed the Osgoode Certificate in Family Law Skills and Practice.
- The firm has received two 'Recommended' listings in The Legal 500, based on interviews with clients and peers.
- Chai is admitted to the bars of both Ontario and British Columbia, practising in BC under the National Mobility Agreement of 2002.
Lawyers 1
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
Civil Divorce's Toronto office sits on Yorkville Avenue, in a neighbourhood that started out very differently. Yorkville was Toronto's bohemian coffeehouse and music scene through the 1960s, a stretch of the city where Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot played early in their careers. The Bloor subway's arrival sent property values up, and many of the area's old houses became art galleries, boutiques and cafes. The street the firm works from is now part of one of the city's more upscale shopping districts, a considerable change from its counterculture roots.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Civil Divorce handle divorce through mediation, or only in court?
- Both. The firm offers mediation and lawyer led settlement discussions as a first step, and represents clients in the Toronto and Vancouver courts when a case can't be resolved by agreement.
- Can Civil Divorce draft a cohabitation or marriage agreement before we move in together or get married?
- Yes. The firm prepares marriage and cohabitation agreements meant to head off disputes over property division, income support and child custody before they happen.
- I live outside downtown Toronto. Do I have to come to the Yorkville office?
- No. Civil Divorce also uses meeting rooms in North York, Markham and Mississauga, so clients across the Greater Toronto Area don't need to travel downtown for every meeting.
- Does Civil Divorce practice in British Columbia as well as Ontario?
- Yes. Founder Victor Chai is a member of the Law Society of Ontario and practices in BC under the National Mobility Agreement of 2002, with meeting rooms available in downtown Vancouver, Burnaby and Richmond.
- How do I start a file with Civil Divorce?
- Email info@civildivorce.law with your name, your spouse's name, a phone number and a short description of the issue, and the firm will follow up from there.
- What kind of family law matters does Civil Divorce handle?
- The firm focuses on separation and divorce specifically, covering property division, income support and child custody, through mediation, negotiated settlement or, when needed, litigation.
Where to find them
99 Yorkville Avenue, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario M5R 3K5 · 416-832-8538
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Wills, Estates & TrustsListing compiled from the firm’s public website in August 2026. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗