My Approach for Resolving Marital & Family Disputes
"I bring a common-sense approach to my clients. My goal is to get you in and out of the settlement process as quickly and cost-effectively as possible."

Some lawyers tell clients to sit in the corner, be quiet and to only speak when spoken to. This is not the relationship that I have with my clients. This is a partnership. I know the law and have worked with clients through thousands of separations. However, the client knows his or her life history, desires, goals, his or her spouse, his or her children.

I believe it is possible to be both a zealous advocate and an enthusiastic peacemaker without sacrificing the needs and safety of my clients. Even in the most enmeshed and highly conflicted of family law disputes, sensitivity towards the traumatic experience of divorce can be a potent tool for restoring balance and dignity to the process.

I have a particular way of practicing family law, bringing a common-sense, cost-effective approach to the issues. My goal is to get you in and out as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.

Some lawyers tell clients to sit in the corner, be quiet and to only speak when spoken to. This is not the relationship that I have with clients. This is a partnership. I know the law. I have over 15 years of experience in family law. I have worked with clients through thousands of separations. There is a wonderful support staff here for clients. However, the client knows a lot that we do not know. The client knows his or her life history, desires, goals, his or her spouse, his or her children etc. Together we need to achieve a result that works for the client.

Resolving a family law file is sometimes like making a puzzle. We have to make sure that we have all of the pieces then we have to put the pieces together into a new whole that works for everyone. Separation is about transition - from the old family into the new family.

Going through a separation is very difficult. We are all sold the story that we will end up sitting side by side by our spouse in rocking chairs on the front porch in our golden years. (This is really a fallacy as the couples that manage to stay together that long are often sitting on the porch hitting each other over the head with their umbrellas). I have heard that on life’s Richter scale separation is in the top five along with other tumultuous events such as death of a spouse, death of a child, loss of a long term relationship etc.

Emotions are okay. It is okay to feel angry, upset, depressed. This is a natural response to what you are experiencing. If the events are fresh and you were not feeling these emotions then that is when we should be worried. As a result, it is important to recognize that this is a delicate time. Where family law can go off the rails is when clients start to think with their hearts and not their heads. I will encourage you to make decisions with your head.

This is a time of renewal and transition. Believe it or not, you and your spouse and your children will come out the other side of this separation and everyone will be okay. Often with the passage of time and some gaining of perspective things can get better. The literature says that children are not adversely affected by separation - they are adversely affected by conflict arising from separation. As the adults involved in this process we all (myself included) have a duty to ensure that we reduce conflict so as to protect the children.

I have been asked many times over the years - how do you do what you do - how can you be a "Divorce Lawyer"? We prefer the term "Family Law Lawyer". It really depends on how you view your fellow human beings.

Some lawyers think that family law clients are somehow broken or imperfect and what they need is the lawyer to be a white knight to lead them into battle and to salvation at the other end of the battlefield. The best analogy that I have come up with so far is that I am kind of like a Sherpa - one of the native guides who leads adventurers up the mountain. I have been along this trail before and I am here to guide you. We are working together.

I have a lot of faith in the human spirit. I am generally very proud of my clients and how they behave during this difficult time. I believe that if we all approach the issues in a civilized, dignified way that on every file there is a result that can be achieved that addresses the needs of all parties. I believe this because I have seen it happen time and time and time again.

There is a perception out there that lawyers will ‘drag it out’ so that they can make more money. Like any profession there are some bad apples who may let their self-interest affect their advice. That will not happen in my office. I take my professional responsibility to my clients very seriously. My goal is to get you out of your current difficulty with a reasonable solution as quickly as possible.

It turns out that my approach is also great for the health of my practice. A lot of my new files come from referrals from previous clients. If you retain me and I deal with your file in a practical, common-sense, cost-effective manner then you are going to give my name to a friend, family member, colleague etc. who needs a lawyer. As a result, it is in my best interests to provide the type of legal services that I provide. My current practice is a testament to this fact. My office is busy and successful. This success is a direct result of the type of representation that I have provided to clients to date.

I had a file with another lawyer who has a reputation for ‘milking’ the file. At the end of the file, he said to me that if I had any work that I was too busy to take that I should refer it to him. My thought was twofold: no way would I refer to him and also that validates my approach because I am extremely busy and he is not.

If you want a lawyer who has over 15 years experience, practices exclusively in the area of family law, has a solid reputation as a lawyer who resolves files, listens to clients, is available to talk to clients, has an excellent support staff and is focused on getting you in and out, then I am the lawyer for you.

You can see the testimonials section for comments that my previous clients have made.
 

 

Clayton Law Office 2571 Carling Avenue, Suite 207 Ottawa, Ontario K2B 7H7. Telephone: (613) 596-2424