Rites Law
4 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 14 law firms listed in Downtown Toronto, and one of 5 handling Family Law.
Accepts Legal Aid
Accepts Legal AidAbout Rites Law
Rites Law is a family law firm based in Toronto, founded by lawyer and accredited mediator Darlene Rites. The firm negotiates, litigates, and mediates family law disputes, including parenting arrangements, child and spousal support, and the division of property. Rites has appeared before the Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada, and holds mediator accreditation through the Ontario Association for Family Mediation as well as Alternative Solutions Counselling. Rites was also formerly on the roster of Toronto Family Mediation Services (formerly Mediate393), which offers government funded family mediation through the Superior Court of Justice and two Ontario Courts of Justice.
The firm is on the Legal Aid Ontario panel, so eligible clients can use a certificate to help cover representation, and Rites serves as a domestic violence advice counsel for both the Barbara Schlifer Commemorative Clinic and Abrigo. Beyond family law, Rites Law offers notary public services, including travel consent letters for children, and puts half the proceeds from that work toward the Wema Centre, a shelter for street children in Mombasa, Kenya. Rites speaks Portuguese and Spanish in addition to English, and the firm has offices in Toronto and North York.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Darlene Rites has practised family law for over a decade, litigating at the Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada.
- Accredited family mediator with the Ontario Association for Family Mediation, which requires formal mediation training and supervised practical experience.
- Also accredited as a mediator through Alternative Solutions Counselling.
- Formerly on the roster of Toronto Family Mediation Services (formerly Mediate393), a government funded family mediation program connected to the Superior Court of Justice and two Ontario Courts of Justice.
- Member of the Legal Aid Ontario panel, and serves as a domestic violence advice counsel for the Barbara Schlifer Commemorative Clinic and for Abrigo.
In the community
- The firm donates half the proceeds from its notary public services to the Wema Centre in Mombasa, Kenya, which supports street children.
- Founder Darlene Rites spent a week at the Wema Centre in 2024, joining daily activities with children at the centre and taking part in its outreach visits.
Fees & payment
Legal aidLawyers 4
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Law schools
- Lincoln Alexander School of Law, Toronto Metropolitan University, Osgoode Hall Law School 2 of 4 lawyers
- Languages on the roster
- Portuguese, Spanish
Who handles what
Offices 2
The neighbourhood
Rites Law's main office sits on College Street, which forms the northern edge of Little Portugal, a west end Toronto neighbourhood built up by Portuguese immigration and still home to Portuguese storefronts and restaurants along College and Dundas Street West. Darlene Rites speaks Portuguese as well as Spanish, alongside English.
A second office on Bakersfield Street in North York gives clients on that side of the city a closer place to meet without a trip downtown.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Rites Law handle both mediation and litigation for family law disputes?
- Yes. The firm negotiates and litigates family law matters, and its founder is also an accredited mediator, so clients can work through mediation or go to court, depending on what the situation calls for.
- Can Rites Law help with parenting time and decision making after a separation?
- Yes. The firm's family law practice covers parenting arrangements along with child support, spousal support, and dividing property.
- Does Rites Law accept Legal Aid Ontario certificates?
- Yes. The firm is on the Legal Aid Ontario panel, so eligible clients can use a certificate to help cover representation.
- Can Rites Law notarize documents or prepare a travel consent letter for my child?
- Yes. Alongside its family law work, the firm offers notary public services, including travel consent letters, and puts half the proceeds from that work toward the Wema Centre, a children's shelter in Kenya.
- Is a mediated family law agreement legally binding, and is mediation private?
- A mediated settlement is confidential, with no public court file, and once it's drafted and signed it carries the same legal weight as a court order.
- Where are Rites Law's offices located?
- The firm has an office on College Street in Toronto's west end and a second office on Bakersfield Street in North York.
Similar firms in City of Toronto
BSG LLP (Beshay George Soliman LLP) is a full-service law firm based in North York, serving clients across the York Region and the Greater Toronto Area. Founded in 2025 by Andro George, Kiro Soliman, and Samuel Beshay…
Business & Corporate Law
Family Law
Real Estate Law
Wills, Estates & Trusts
YBC Law is a small law firm based in North York, Ontario, serving communities across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. It practices family law, real estate law, estate planning, corporate law, and offers notarial s…
Family LawReal Estate LawWills, Estates & TrustsBusiness & Corporate Law
Yang Wang Law Professional Corporation is a North York firm founded by Yang Wang in 2016. It serves the local Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking community with real estate transactions, business law, family law, and wil…
Real Estate LawBusiness & Corporate LawWills, Estates & Trusts
Notary & Commissioner ServicesListing compiled from the firm’s public website in August 2026. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗