James Singer Family Law
1 lawyer · York Region
One of 204 law firms listed in Markham, and one of 72 handling Family Law.
About James Singer Family Law
James Singer Family Law is a sole-practitioner family law firm in Markham, Ontario, with an office in the city's Buttonville area. James Singer has practised law since 1989 and has focused on family law exclusively since 2003. The practice concentrates on two things: outcomes for children, including parenting time, decision-making responsibility, and parental alienation, and the financial side of separation, covering child support, spousal support, and the equalization of property built up during a marriage or a common law relationship.
Singer has argued cases at the Ontario Court of Appeal involving whether Ontario courts had jurisdiction to increase child support when a Michigan child support order was already in place, and the continuation and later termination of spousal support. According to the firm's case summaries, the arguments in Politis v. Politis established an important precedent. Before turning to family law full time, Singer also argued a case at the Court of Appeal that resulted in reversal of a summary judgment on slip-and-fall notice requirements in a claim against the City of Toronto. Files stay with Singer directly rather than being passed between lawyers, and law clerk Maria Kirshenblatt, who has worked with Singer for 20 years and became the firm's exclusive clerk in 2020, handles filings and often attends court alongside Singer.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- James Singer has practised law since 1989 and has focused on family law exclusively since 2003.
- According to the firm's case summaries, Singer's arguments in Politis v. Politis at the Ontario Court of Appeal established an important precedent. Singer has also argued Court of Appeal cases on child support jurisdiction and on the continuation and termination of spousal support.
- Before concentrating on family law, Singer argued Myshrall v. City of Toronto (2001 CanLII 24165 ON CA), which resulted in the Court of Appeal reversing a summary judgment dismissal of a client's slip-and-fall claim against the City of Toronto on notice-requirement grounds.
- Maria Kirshenblatt has worked with Singer for 20 years and became the firm's exclusive law clerk in 2020.
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office sits on Woodbine Avenue at Highway 7, in the part of Markham known as Buttonville. The neighbourhood takes its name from John Button, who settled there in 1808, and runs along the Woodbine corridor roughly from Highway 7 north to Sixteenth Avenue. The building at 8901 Woodbine is a two-story professional and medical office building in the Markham Business Park, sharing the block with a long-term care residence and a medical clinic. For decades the area was also known for Buttonville Municipal Airport, a general aviation field that operated from 1953 until it closed in 2023 and is now slated for redevelopment.
Frequently asked questions
- How long has James Singer Family Law been handling family law cases in Markham?
- James Singer Family Law has practised family law exclusively since 2003, building on a law career that goes back to 1989. The firm is a sole practice, so every file is handled directly by Singer rather than passed between multiple lawyers.
- I think my ex is trying to alienate our kids from me. Can James Singer Family Law help?
- James Singer Family Law handles parental alienation as part of its child-related family law work, along with parenting time, decision-making responsibility, and Voice of the Child reports from the Office of the Children's Lawyer. The firm treats early intervention in alienation cases as important and has represented parents in contested parenting disputes at trial.
- How does James Singer Family Law handle spousal support and property division?
- James Singer Family Law works on the financial side of separation, including child support, spousal support, and the equalization of property built up during a marriage or common law relationship. The firm has argued spousal support cases at the Ontario Court of Appeal, including one where support continued after trial and another where it ended after a spouse repartnered.
- My partner and I want to sign an agreement before we move in together. Does the firm handle domestic contracts?
- James Singer Family Law prepares domestic contracts, including cohabitation agreements and separation agreements, under Ontario's Family Law Act. Before a client signs, the firm reviews what that client would be entitled to without an agreement, since that comparison matters as much as the terms on the page.
- Is mediation or arbitration faster than going to court for a Markham divorce?
- James Singer Family Law offers mediation and arbitration as alternatives to litigation. In arbitration, a private arbitrator issues a binding decision without the scheduling delays or the one hour motion limits that apply in court, and the firm has found that clients can end up paying less overall despite an arbitrator's fee, because the process moves faster than a court case.
- Where is James Singer Family Law located and when can I reach the firm?
- James Singer Family Law is based in the Buttonville area of Markham at 8901 Woodbine Avenue, Suite 219. Clients can reach the firm by phone or email, with contact details listed on the firm's website.
Where to find them
8901 Woodbine Ave, Suite 219, Markham, ON L3R 9Y4 · 416-223-2007
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Family LawListing compiled from the firm’s public website in September 2026. Verify licence status in the Law Society of Ontario directory ↗