Burlington Divorce Lawyer & Family Law Lawyer.
Feldstein Family Law Group is a divorce and family law firm that serves Burlington from its Oakville office on Speers Road, a short drive east along the lake. Andrew Feldstein founded the firm more than thirty years ago, and its eleven lawyers handle family matters across the Greater Toronto Area. For Burlington clients we act on divorce, separation, custody, child and spousal support, and property division.
8:30 AM to 5:30 PM Closed Saturday and Sunday
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Our practice, and how we approach your file.
Feldstein Family Law Group is a divorce and family law firm founded in 1994. The firm has eleven family law lawyers across four offices in the Greater Toronto Area. Burlington clients are served from our Oakville office. Our lawyers handle divorce, separation, custody, child and spousal support, and property matters under Ontario's Family Law Act and the federal Divorce Act. We do a lot of meetings over Zoom. Many clients never need to meet us in person except at court.
Most mornings, several of our lawyers sit around the table together over coffee and talk through active files. We discuss strategy. We share judgment calls. We challenge each other's thinking. More eyes on a file make the work better.
We approach every step with a cost-benefit analysis. Family law litigation is expensive, and it is hard on the parties and on the children. Some steps are required by court rules and cannot be skipped. Where we have judgment, we tell you what we expect a step to cost and what it should accomplish, and we let you decide.
“Litigation is expensive. It is stressful. It is hard on each of the parties, and it is hard on the kids. If you're going to litigate, there needs to be a good reason to warrant the litigation.”
Andrew Feldstein, FounderMeet the divorce lawyers and family law lawyers who'll be on your file.
Eleven family law lawyers practise across the firm. Every file gets the team's collective thinking. You retain one lawyer and you get the whole room.
Andrew Feldstein
FounderThe heart of the firm. 32 years practising Ontario family law and a father who's been through it himself. He built this team the way he builds everything — with intention and care.
Daphna Schwartz
LawyerThe one clients come to when they've lost faith in the system. Daphna fights with tenacity and listens with the kind of empathy that changes everything.
Anna Troy
LawyerWarm and razor-sharp in equal measure. Clients feel heard the moment they sit down with Anna — and protected long after they leave.
Shana Gordon-Katz
LawyerSees three steps ahead and prepares for all of them. Shana's clients never walk into a courtroom surprised — only ready.
Nick Slinko
LawyerCalm under pressure and meticulous in preparation. Nick has a way of making even the most complex situations feel completely manageable.
Veronica Yeung
LawyerBrings quiet composure to the most heated disputes. Veronica's clarity cuts through chaos and turns uncertainty into a clear plan forward.
Rachel Zweig
LawyerA gifted negotiator who knows the best outcome is one both sides can live with — and one your children can genuinely thrive in.
Lauren Harvey
Associate LawyerCombines meticulous preparation with genuine care. Lauren makes every client feel like they truly matter — because to her, they do.
Quinn Held
Associate LawyerBrings energy and precision to every case she touches. Quinn's sharp attention to detail catches what others often miss.
Kyla Johnson
Associate LawyerThoughtful and dedicated to every case she takes on. Kyla approaches every family's situation with the care she'd want for her own.
Sofia D’Amico
Associate LawyerA fresh voice with deep conviction. Sofia brings strong research skills and a warm, compassionate presence to every client she serves.
Why people choose Feldstein Family Law Group.
People hire divorce and family law lawyers for many reasons. Below are the reasons our clients tell us they chose this firm.
An honest read on your case.
Many lawyers will tell you what you want to hear because it generates more legal fees. We do not. We tell you the realistic range of outcomes, the timeline, and what it will cost to get there, even when that means losing your business to a lawyer who will tell you a more comfortable story.
Eleven family law lawyers, one team.
When you retain a lawyer at this firm, the strategy on your case is what the whole team thinks. Our family law lawyers discuss active files together every morning over coffee.
We understand because we have lived it.
Andrew Feldstein founded this firm in 1994 and has been through divorce himself. He knows the emotional reality of separation alongside the legal one, and so does the team of family law lawyers he built around him.
Real reviews from real clients.
Five-star Google reviews, in clients' own words, about working with our team.
Kyla is an outstanding family lawyer. She handled a very challenging and high-conflict matter with professionalism, precision, and a clear strategy from start to finish. With her guidance, we were able to successfully resolve the matter, including reaching an agreement on an international relocation. Her calm and steady approach helped me navigate a very stressful process, and I truly felt supported every step of the way.
Andrew is not only incredibly knowledgeable and skilled in family law but also compassionate and understanding. He took the time to truly listen to my concerns, explained the legal process in a clear and straightforward way, and made sure I felt supported every step of the way. Andrew fought for my case's best interests with care and determination, ensuring a fair and favorable outcome. I always felt like I was in good hands.
Ms. Held worked diligently on my behalf to ensure the best possible outcome. She is extremely knowledgeable, direct and confident. It was reassuring to have her support throughout this process. I would not hesitate to recommend her services to anyone in the unfortunate position of needing to settle a family law matter.
How we approach every file.
Family law moves slowly, and the cost adds up quickly. Before each step in your file, we tell you what we expect it to cost and what it should accomplish.
We tell you what each step will cost before you commit.
Family law cases run on the client's money. Court rules require many of the steps in a case, even when a client feels they should not be necessary. Where we have judgment, we apply a cost-benefit lens. Before each step, we tell you what we expect it to cost and what it should accomplish, and we let you decide.
We settle every file we can.
A trial is the most expensive way to reach a result, and the result you reach is often within the range you could have negotiated. When settlement is reachable, we push for it. Most of our files resolve outside of trial.
We litigate when litigation moves the outcome.
Sometimes the other side will not negotiate without pressure. When that is the case, we apply pressure. We do not litigate to vindicate a position or to win a moral victory. We litigate when the litigation is likely to change the result.
Our lawyers discuss active files together every morning.
When eleven lawyers practise in the same firm, every file gets the firm's collective thinking.
Burlington family law lawyers serving Halton Region since 1994.
How a first consultation actually starts.
Calling a divorce lawyer for the first time is hard. We try to make the first conversation simple and direct.
You call.
Our intake team answers. They take you through a short questionnaire that includes a conflict-of-interest check against the other party, which is a required step before any lawyer in the firm can speak with you.
We send a form.
You receive a confidential intake document. The intake team will stay on the phone with you while you complete it if that helps. Many clients prefer to work through it that way.
We match a lawyer.
The intake team identifies which of the firm's eleven lawyers fits your file based on practice focus, location preference, and availability.
You meet.
Your consultation is scheduled. The conversation is honest, including the parts you may not want to hear. We will not promise an outcome. We will give you the realistic range, the timeline, and what it will cost to find out.
Family law matters we handle every week.
Our team handles the full range of Ontario family law for Burlington clients and across the Greater Toronto Area.
Divorce
Filed under the federal Divorce Act for married spouses.
Learn moreSeparation Agreements
Negotiated settlements that resolve all issues without court.
Learn moreDecision-Making Responsibility
Formerly custody. Major decisions for the child.
Learn moreParenting Time
Formerly access. The schedule of time with each parent.
Learn moreChild Support
Calculated under the federal Child Support Guidelines.
Learn moreSpousal Support
SSAG ranges under both with-child and without-child formulas.
Learn moreEqualization of Property
Net family property calculated under FLA Section 5.
Learn moreThe Matrimonial Home
Possession, sale under the Partition Act, occupation rent.
Learn moreChild Abduction & Mobility
Cross-border removal, return applications, Hague matters.
Learn moreWhen a family law matter is genuinely urgent in Ontario.
The standard six-to-eight-month wait does not apply when something cannot wait. Ontario law allows an urgent motion when the facts meet the test set out in the leading case, Rosen. The examples below typically meet the threshold.
A child about to be removed from Canada without consent
An imminent attempt to take a child out of the parent's care
Assets being moved offshore before equalization
A child at risk of physical or emotional harm
Imminent dissipation of matrimonial property
Denial of parenting time amounting to alienation
The statutes, forms, and offices that shape your file.
Ontario family law has three main pieces of legislation and a handful of administrative bodies. Understanding which applies to your matter is the first thing a lawyer will explain at consultation.
Federal vs Provincial Divorce Act vs Family Law Act
The Divorce Act is federal. It governs married spouses only and applies to divorce, decision-making responsibility (formerly custody), parenting time (formerly access), child support, and spousal support.
The Family Law Act is provincial. It governs both married and unmarried spouses, and it applies to property and support. Equalization of net family property applies to married spouses only. The Constitution Act of 1867 gives the federal government divorce and the provinces property, which is why these two statutes exist side by side.
Section 5 vs Section 7 Equalization vs unequal division of net family property
Section 5 of the Family Law Act sets out equalization: each spouse’s net worth on the date of marriage is subtracted from their net worth on the date of separation. The spouse whose net family property grew more pays half the difference.
Section 7 allows unequal division where equal division would shock the conscience of the court. It almost never works. The narrow exception is marriages of less than five years where the matrimonial home was brought into the marriage by one spouse. The Court of Appeal’s decision in Pope v. Pope includes pre-marital cohabitation toward the five-year threshold.
Children's Law Reform Act Parenting issues for unmarried parents
The Children’s Law Reform Act is the provincial mirror of the Divorce Act’s parenting provisions. It governs decision-making responsibility and parenting time for parents who were never married, or who choose not to claim under the Divorce Act.
Questions Burlington divorce lawyers and family law lawyers hear first.
Our intake team gets these questions every week from Burlington residents. The answers are in plain language.
Which courthouse handles family law matters from Burlington?
Family matters originating in Burlington are filed at the Milton Superior Court of Justice, Family Division, at 491 Steeles Avenue East, Milton. The same courthouse hears matters from Oakville, Milton, and Halton Hills. Together, these municipalities make up Halton Region.
How long does it take to get a first court date in Burlington?
For non-urgent matters, six to eight months from filing is typical. Urgent matters can be brought forward through an urgent case conference, or through an urgent motion under the Rosen framework where the facts meet the legal test for urgency.
Do I have to attend court in person?
Many appearances are now scheduled by Zoom. In-person attendance still applies for trials, certain motions, and some case conferences depending on the judge's preference. Our lawyers attend Newmarket in person regularly.
What is the Mandatory Information Program and do both spouses have to attend?
The MIP is a required educational session before most family law matters proceed in Ontario. It is now delivered online with short scheduling windows. Most judges expect both parties to complete it; some check directly.
My marriage was under five years. Is that relevant to property division?
Yes. Section 7 of the Family Law Act allows unequal division of net family property where equal division would be unconscionable. Marriages under five years where the matrimonial home was brought into the marriage by one spouse are one of the narrow cases where Section 7 succeeds. The Court of Appeal's decision in Pope v. Pope includes pre-marital cohabitation toward the five-year threshold.
My spouse cheated. Does that affect property or support?
In Canadian family law, adultery is irrelevant to property division and support amounts. The only narrow exceptions are (1) significant marital funds spent on an affair partner, which can be clawed back as a dissipation claim, and (2) absence from parenting because of a new relationship, which can affect a parenting-time analysis.
Do you represent both husbands and wives?
Yes. The firm acts for both sides in roughly equal measure. A lawyer who has only ever represented one side of the table has a blind spot. Acting for both teaches you what the other side is preparing.
How much does a Burlington family law matter cost?
Cost is a function of conflict and complexity. Files where both spouses reach a quick resolution can settle in the low-thousands range. Highly contested matters with business valuations, hidden assets, or extended parenting disputes can extend into six figures. At consultation, your lawyer will give you a realistic range for your file based on the facts. The range is an estimate, not a guarantee.
Can I represent myself in Burlington family court?
Yes. You have the right to self-represent. The risk is that family law statutes are full of permissive language. A judge may order something. Lay readers see "may" and assume the order will follow. Experience tells you how rare it is for a judge to exercise that discretion. A senior practitioner will tell you they have seen a particular order made twice in fifteen years. The other recurring trap is filing under the wrong act. The Divorce Act, Family Law Act, and Children's Law Reform Act each cover overlapping ground for different categories of family, and filing the wrong relief delays cases. It can also foreclose arguments that would have worked under a different statute.
Can I just use AI tools to draft my own documents?
Approach carefully. AI tools confidently quote case law that does not exist. One of this firm's own lawyers caught her first hallucinated authority recently. The cited case looked clean, but the reasoning ran against everything an experienced family law lawyer would expect. Self-represented parties without that baseline cannot tell the difference, and they file the brief anyway. AI is a useful drafting assistant in trained hands. It is a serious liability without legal expertise to verify what it produces.
Your Family Deserves a Conversation. Not a Sales Pitch.
Whether you’re ready to move forward or just beginning to explore your options, a conversation is the right first step. No pressure. No obligation.
Fill out the form and a member of our team will reach out within one business day, often the same day.
- Monday
- 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Tuesday
- 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Wednesday
- 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Thursday
- 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Friday
- 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday
- Closed
- Sunday
- Closed
Serving Families Across Ontario & the Greater Toronto Area
Four Feldstein Family Law Group offices across the GTA, close to where our clients live, work, and raise their families.
Feldstein Family Law Group represents clients across the Greater Toronto Area, including Toronto, Markham, Oakville, Mississauga, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Unionville, Stouffville, Aurora, Newmarket, Brampton, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough, Burlington, Milton, Georgetown, Woodbridge, Maple, King City, and the surrounding communities of York Region, Peel Region, Halton Region, and Durham Region.