Best Lawyers in Canada for Family Law

Vanessa Amyot is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Vanessa, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Vanessa is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Gary has been practicing as a lawyer for more than 20 years and is the managing partner of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP. Gary also has extensive training as a Mediator and has participated in numerous Mediation, Arbitration and Judicial Dispute Resolution hearings. In addition to the practice areas of Wills and Estates, Mediation and Family Law, Gary is also an experienced litigator. He has appeared before all levels of Court in Alberta. Currently, Gary’s practice is focused primarily on Es...

Wanda has been practicing as a lawyer for more than 20 years and is a returning partner of Kirk Montoute Dawson LLP. A family law practitioner, mediator, arbitrator and parenting coordinator, Wanda Dawson has argued successfully at every level of Court in Alberta. She has extensive training and experience in many methods of litigation and conflict resolution, including collaborative law, lawyer-assisted mediation, arbitration, interest-based negotiation, and parenting coordination. Wanda&rsqu...

Jenna Beaton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Jenna, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jenna is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Lindsay A. Gates is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Trusts and Estates. Lindsay A., who practices law in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lindsay A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Stacey has practiced exclusively in the area of family law since her call to the Bar in 2014, and between 2010 and 2014 she worked and/or volunteered with Family Justice Services (now Resolution Services) at the Calgary Courts Centre as a judicial clerk/intake worker assisting individuals with Family Law matters. Stacey believes that clients are best served through the use of alternative dispute resolution processes such as mediation and arbitration, and as such will encourage people to consi...

David Kellerman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. David, who practices law in Montréal, Quebec, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Herschel Fogelman is the founder and principal of Fogelman Law in Toronto. He has been named a Best Family Lawyer in Canada every year since the Best Lawyer rankings began. Herschel is also an experienced and highly sought after mediator and arbitrator, able to deftly navigate and settle complex and sensitive family law matters. Herschel is ranked as Consistently Recommended in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. The directory, similar to Best Lawyers, is based on annual peer review surveys...

Richard Pollock is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Richard, who practices law in Winnipeg, Manitoba, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Richard is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Yaël Lachkar is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Yaël, who practices law in Westmount, Quebec, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Yaël is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Michael is a skilled and strategic litigator, negotiator, and problem solver who provides tactical, sensible, and proactive advice to his clients. He meticulously prepares clients for mediations, hearings, arbitrations, and trials, taking the necessary time to explain the finer details of each case. He is experienced in dealing with cases at all levels of court, including the Divisional Court, the Ontario Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada. As a partner at Epstein Cole, Michael&...

Todd is a highly skilled litigator and trial lawyer with wide-ranging courtroom experience spanning all levels of Court in British Columbia. Todd settles as many files through agreements or mediation as possible, but in the event of an impasse he litigates the matter to a resolution. Todd’s practice areas include the division of high net-worth assets including complex corporate structures, trusts, foreign property, and pensions. He practices in all manner of parenting and custody litiga...

Helen Low, KC is the leader of Fasken’s Wills, Trusts, Estates and Charities Group in BC. She assists clients with contentious disputes regarding wills, trusts, inheritances, powers of attorneys and elderly and incapable family members, as well as estate planning for both simple and complex estates with a goal to avoid post-death disputes. She has been litigation counsel on a broad range of cases, including: challenges to estate plans; variation of wills and trusts; abuse of powers of a...

Tamasine Davies has been a family law lawyer for over 30 years. Tamasine is the Managing Partner at Soby Boyden Lenz. She has been with Soby Boyden Lenz since 1994. Tamasine earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta in 1991. She attended Dalhousie University, in Nova Scotia, Halifax from 1991 to 1994 earning her Law Degree. Her past work experience includes legal research on Aboriginal Treaty Rights and issues and facilitating Confederacy and Chiefs’ Conferences. Tamasi...

Doug is a senior family lawyer who has practiced family law for over 36 years. His practice is largely mediation and arbitration of family law disputes. Often Doug is acting as a mediator/arbitrator in a hybrid process that combines the benefit of both mediation and arbitration. In addition, Doug assists a few select clients in reaching resolution through negotiation, collaborative law, mediation, arbitration, and when necessary through litigation. Admitted to the Alberta Bar on January 10, 1...

Emma Ferguson is a member of our Wills, Estates + Trusts Practice Group. Emma has a broad wills, estates and trusts practice. She advises clients on all aspects of estate and incapacity planning, including wills, alter ego, joint partner and family trusts, powers of attorney and healthcare representation agreements. Emma has experience assisting clients with disabilities or their family members with planning to protect government disability benefits and advises clients on adult guardianship m...