British Columbia
2 lawyers whose firms cover family work in Vancouver. Each lawyer was checked on their provincial law society's public directory before being listed — check again before you hire, as people move firms. Browsing Lawvoo is free.
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Richard Weiland · Partner, Estates & Trusts Co-Chair · Family · Vancouver
885 West Georgia Street, Suite 900, Vancouver, BC V6C 3H1
Co-chairs the firm's Estates and Trusts group and chairs its tax group. He advises private business owners, trustees and charities on tax, estate and business succession planning and trust administration. The firm also has a family law group.
Laurence S. Klass · Partner, Family Law Group Leader · Family · Vancouver
1075 West Georgia Street, Suite 1200, Vancouver, BC V6E 3C9
Leads the firm's Family Law Group. His practice covers divorce, division of property and debt, spousal and child support, parenting time, guardianship and family law agreements, with an emphasis on mediation and negotiation. He practised in London, England before moving to Vancouver in 2007. The firm also covers workplace law, real estate, wills and estates, and personal injury.
Divorce and separation, parenting arrangements, child and spousal support, and dividing property. Divorce follows the federal Divorce Act; property division comes from BC's Family Law Act, which also covers unmarried couples who have lived together for at least two years.
Divorce is federal law, so the rule is the same across Canada: the only ground is marriage breakdown, usually shown by living apart for one year or more. You or your spouse must have lived in British Columbia for a full year before applying.
Under BC's Family Law Act, couples generally share equally any property acquired during their relationship. Property each person brought into the relationship is kept, but its increase in value can be divided. The time limit to ask a court for an order is two years after a divorce order for married couples, or two years from the date of separation for unmarried couples.
Yes, if they lived together in a marriage-like relationship for at least two years. BC's property division rules apply to them in the same way as to married couples. This is different from some other provinces, such as Ontario.
For Vancouver, divorce and property division go to the Supreme Court at the Vancouver Law Courts, 800 Smithe Street. Parenting, support and protection orders can also be dealt with by the Provincial Court at Robson Square, 800 Hornby Street. In BC only the Supreme Court can deal with divorce and property division; the Provincial Court can deal with parenting arrangements, child support, spousal support and protection orders.
To practise law in British Columbia a lawyer must be a member of the Law Society of British Columbia. You can look up any lawyer in the Law Society's public Lawyer Directory, which shows their practising status and any discipline history. Each lawyer on these pages was checked in that directory before being listed, but people move firms, so check again before you hire. Complaints about a lawyer go to the Law Society.
Listings are provided for information only and are not legal advice or a recommendation. Always check a lawyer in the Law Society of British Columbia's Lawyer Directory before hiring them. Looking for a different area? Browse all practice areas.