Family · Toronto
Top Family Lawyers in Toronto
Family lawyers advise on relationships and children: custody and parenting time, child support, adoption, guardianship and domestic-violence protection. This list compares 7 family lawyers practising in Toronto on verified licences, years in this area, focus and sourced reputation.
- Updated 13 Oct 2026
- Ranking v1.0.0
- How we rank
- lawyers considered
- 7
- 4 verified licences
- 57%
- average years in practice
- 8
The ranking
Score out of 100- 1
- 2
- 3
Theo Brennan
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Sterling & Brook LLP11 yrs in practice3.7(3)Real EstateChild CustodyCriminal Defense+1 moreSpeaks English, Arabic, Hindi
- 4
Vivian M. Nakamura
UnverifiedOf Counsel
Fairfax & Prescott LLP29 yrs in practiceCriminal DefenseChild CustodyFamily+1 moreSpeaks English, Punjabi
- 5
Michael Feldman
PendingOf Counsel
Thorne & Sterling LLP24 yrs in practice4.6(10)DivorceFamilyPersonal InjurySpeaks English, Spanish
- 6
Patrick M. Kaplan
UnverifiedSenior Associate
Prescott & Harrow LLP5 yrs in practice4.2(3)Personal InjuryDivorceFamily
How we rank
Each lawyer gets nine component scores from 0 to 100. The bar shows how many of the 100 available points each component contributed. Weights are fixed for every lawyer in this list and published in full; payment plays no part.
Expertise50%
- Credentials20%
- Relevant experience15%
- Specialization15%
Standing35%
- Verified reputation15%
- Professional recognition10%
- Relevant track record10%
Service & data15%
- Client experience5%
- Profile & data quality5%
- Data freshness5%
Toronto legal resources
- Law Society of Ontario
Lawyer and paralegal directory; referral service.
Choosing a family lawyer
Family cases are often decided by local judges with wide discretion, so local courtroom experience matters. Ask whether the lawyer offers mediation or collaborative law, and how they keep children out of the conflict. Confirm who on the team will actually handle your file day to day.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a family lawyer and a divorce lawyer?
Divorce is one part of family law. Family lawyers also handle custody between unmarried parents, adoption, guardianship and protection orders.
Can custody arrangements be changed later?
Usually yes, if circumstances change significantly. The court applies the best interests of the child when deciding whether to modify an order.