Smithen Family Law
1 lawyer · City of Toronto
One of 229 law firms listed in North York, and one of 97 handling Family Law.
About Smithen Family Law
Smithen Family Law is a solo family law practice in North York, run by founder Kathryn Smithen, who has practiced family law in Ontario for more than fifteen years. The firm handles divorce, both contested and uncontested, child custody and parenting time, child and spousal support, property division, separation agreements, cohabitation agreements, and family law mediation, and it takes on same sex and LGBTQ+ family law matters as well. Smithen Family Law describes its work as trauma informed, built on the idea that legal representation should help people rebuild, not just settle a dispute.
Kathryn Smithen has a public profile beyond the case file. The firm's site lists features in Maclean's, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, and Law Times, plus a CBC Radio appearance on Definitely Not the Opera. In September 2018, Smithen appeared as an invited witness before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, speaking to intimate partner violence. Smithen Family Law doesn't accept Legal Aid Ontario certificates, but it takes on some pro bono work and refers other clients to Legal Aid designated lawyers.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Kathryn Smithen was named among Law Times' Top Newsmakers in 2011.
- Smithen was featured in the Ontario Bar Association's First 100, Why I Went to Law School campaign.
- In September 2018, Smithen testified as an invited witness before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights on intimate partner violence.
In the community
- Smithen Family Law takes on some pro bono work and refers clients who need Legal Aid Ontario coverage to Legal Aid designated lawyers.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
By appointmentFees & payment
Flat feeLawyers 1
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
Smithen Family Law's office sits in a sixteen storey tower at 4711 Yonge Street, built in 1987 and connected underground to two subway lines at Sheppard Yonge station. That kind of transit access is useful for a solo family law practice: clients coming from across Toronto and the GTA, some of them in the middle of a hard situation, can reach the office by subway without needing a car.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Smithen Family Law handle high conflict divorces?
- Yes. The firm takes on contested and uncontested divorces, including high conflict cases involving business valuations, hidden assets, or disputed parenting arrangements, alongside more straightforward uncontested divorces where both parties already agree on the main issues.
- I'm in a same sex relationship and separating from my partner, can Smithen Family Law help?
- Yes. The firm's same sex divorce practice covers the standard divorce process along with issues that can come up specifically for LGBTQ+ families, such as parentage questions for a non biological parent.
- Does the firm handle child custody and parenting time disputes?
- Yes. Child custody and parenting time are core parts of Smithen Family Law's practice, and the firm works with Ontario's decision making responsibility and parenting time terminology, covering regular schedules, holidays, and decision making protocols.
- Can Smithen Family Law draft a cohabitation agreement before my partner and I move in together?
- Yes. Cohabitation agreements are one of the firm's services, meant to give both partners legal clarity and protect financial stability if circumstances change later.
- Does Smithen Family Law accept Legal Aid Ontario certificates?
- No, the firm no longer accepts Legal Aid Ontario certificates. It does take on some pro bono work and can refer clients to Legal Aid designated lawyers.
- How long has Kathryn Smithen been practicing family law?
- Kathryn Smithen has practiced family law in Ontario for more than fifteen years, working from the firm's North York office.
Where to find them
4711 Yonge St, Suite 1000, North York, ON M2N 7E4 · 416-925-2123
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