Liam McAlear
1 lawyer · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 579 handling Family Law.
Accepts Legal Aid
Free consultation
Virtual appointmentsAccepts Legal AidFree consultationVirtual appointmentsAbout Liam McAlear
Liam McAlear operates a sole law practice in downtown Toronto as a barrister, solicitor, and notary public, working mainly in family law, civil litigation, and criminal law. The practice has represented clients before the Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Court of Justice, and various administrative tribunals for more than 15 years. McAlear generally favours negotiation, mediation, and arbitration over a trial, acting as alternative dispute resolution counsel wherever the process allows, and in appropriate cases can also serve as an impartial mediator for both sides of a dispute rather than acting for just one.
McAlear holds an LL.B. from the University of Ottawa, having served there as Senior Editor of the Law Review and Division Leader of the Community Legal Clinic, along with a B.A. in Modern Languages and Literatures from Trent University, with study abroad in Quebec, Spain, and France. Articling was completed with a litigation firm in downtown Toronto. Fluent in English, French, and Spanish, McAlear has taught English as a second language in Spain, Mexico, and South Korea, volunteered in Chiapas, Mexico, and lived among Inuit communities in Nunavut. Other background includes a Canada World Youth exchange between Quebec and Rwanda, tree planting the firm's site describes as totalling more than 250,000 trees, and completed mindfulness meditation retreats, including one at Plum Village.
Practice areas
In the community
- McAlear sits on the Legal Aid Ontario criminal and family law panels, taking on eligible cases through the province's legal aid system.
- McAlear is a member of JusticeNet, a referral service that connects people who do not qualify for legal aid but cannot afford standard legal fees with lawyers offering reduced rates.
- McAlear has chaired programs for the Ontario Bar Association.
- The firm's website keeps a compiled list of no cost and low cost legal clinics, legal aid resources, and support services across the Greater Toronto Area for people who need help the practice itself does not provide.
- The firm publishes legal commentary on its blog, including analysis of Criminal Code and Charter case law on topics such as bail and sentencing.
Good to know
Virtual appointments
By appointment
In-person servicesFees & payment
Free consultation
Legal aidLawyers 1
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The office is on University Avenue in downtown Toronto, a stretch of the street lined with the city's main courts. The Superior Court of Justice courthouse at 361 University Avenue, used mainly for criminal and family matters, is a short walk away, as is Osgoode Hall at 130 Queen Street West, home to the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Law Society of Ontario. For a practice built around family law, criminal law, and civil litigation, that puts the firm close to most of the courtrooms where its own cases are actually heard.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the firm handle divorce and family law disputes?
- Yes. Family law is one of McAlear's main areas of practice, covering matters such as separation, parenting arrangements, child and spousal support, and division of property, with negotiation or mediation used before a case goes to a hearing wherever that is possible.
- I've been charged with a criminal offence. Can Liam McAlear represent me?
- Yes. The practice represents clients in Ontario Court of Justice and Superior Court of Justice criminal matters and has done so for more than 15 years, and McAlear is on the Legal Aid Ontario criminal panel for clients who qualify for legal aid.
- Can Liam McAlear act as a mediator instead of representing just one side?
- In appropriate cases, yes. McAlear can provide impartial mediation and dispute resolution services to both parties in a disagreement, in addition to representing individual clients through negotiation, mediation, and arbitration.
- Is a first meeting with the firm free?
- The firm offers a free, private, and confidential initial consultation, and also offers unbundled legal services for clients who only need help with part of a legal matter rather than full representation.
- What languages can I get help in?
- McAlear is fluent in English, French, and Spanish.
- Where is the office and is it near the courts?
- The office is at 393 University Avenue, Suite 2000, in downtown Toronto, close to the Superior Court of Justice courthouse at 361 University Avenue and to Osgoode Hall.
Where to find them
393 University Ave. Suite 2000, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1E6 · 416-358-6375
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