When you’re navigating a family law matter in Vancouver, it can have an extremely strong personal and emotional impact. Whether you’re dealing with a divorce, decision-making responsibility, or support obligations, the legal aspects of the process can be daunting.
At Watson Goepel LLP, our Vancouver family lawyers are trusted partners for our family law clients. With deep experience in both litigation and alternative dispute resolution, we’re ready to help you, no matter what your situation looks like.
Our family law team helps families face the future with clarity and peace of mind. To discuss your situation with a member of our firm, call our Vancouver office at (604) 688-1301 or fill out our online contact form today.
Family Law Services We Offer
The Watson Goepel family law team offers a full range of services to help families and individuals facing separation, divorce, parenting, and support-related issues. Our experience is underpinned by balancing negotiation and litigation services with alternative dispute resolution methods, including collaboration, mediation, and parenting coordination.
We have experience helping clients with:
- Separation & Divorce: Whether you need help navigating an uncontested divorce or a contested separation with significant conflict, our Vancouver family lawyers will provide clear guidance through every stage. We will ensure you comply with the Divorce Act, British Columbia Family Law Act, and any other laws that apply. We will also help you understand how your separation date and divorce may affect family property division, parenting, support obligations, and more.
- Child Support & Spousal Support: Our family law team assists in calculating and securing fair child and spousal support arrangements, including cases with complex income structures or self-employment. Our lawyers are familiar with the Federal Child Support Guidelines and the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines (SSAGs), which provide a framework for support decisions.
- Parenting Arrangements: Parenting time, decision-making responsibility, and guardianship disputes are all approached with your child’s best interests as the priority. Our team at Watson Goepel LLP works with parents to develop stable parenting plans that encourage healthy family dynamics and comply with BC family law standards.
- Mediation, Arbitration & Collaborative Law: Our Vancouver family lawyers offer alternatives to court through our collaborative divorce, mediation, and arbitration services. These solutions may be a good option for families who want to resolve their disputes efficiently with less emotional and financial strain.
- Cohabitation, Prenuptial, and Marriage Agreements: With years of combined experience, our lawyers can draft and review your cohabitation and marriage agreements to protect your interests and express your expectations. We understand how useful these types of documents can be for new couples, blended families, high net-worth individuals, and those entering second marriages, which is why we assess every agreement with care.
- High Net-Worth Separation: For clients with complex financial circumstances, we can provide strategic advice on how to divide important assets like corporate holdings, family trusts, investments, international property, and more.
- Wills & Estates Planning: Your will and estate can play an important role in your family life. When your family law matter intersects with estate planning, we collaborate with our wills and estates team to ensure your rights and your family’s future are protected. Our full-service law firm offers legal guidance regarding estate planning, administration, litigation, and more.
- And More
What Sets Our Family Lawyers Apart?
We help clients resolve their family law disputes efficiently and cost-effectively while minimizing unnecessary conflict. We do so by customizing our solutions to address our clients’ specific circumstances.
When you work with our family lawyers in Vancouver, you gain the advantage of:
- Experience & Empathy: We understand how emotionally taxing any family law case can be. Our legal team is experienced in handling both high-conflict litigation and low-conflict negotiation, so we can adjust our approach based on your unique needs. Whether you need strong representation in court or would like to minimize conflict through collaborative family law, we can help.
- Cross-Disciplinary Insight: As a full-service law firm, Watson Goepel LLP has the resources to help you navigate every aspect of your family law matter. Our family law team will collaborate with our in-house estate lawyers, litigation team, real estate group, or business lawyers to ensure every aspect of your legal matter is taken care of.
- Client-Centred Approach: We don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach when helping our clients. Every family is unique, and so is every legal solution we provide. We’ll take the time to understand your priorities and tailor a legal strategy that aligns with your goals.
With our knowledge of local laws and our long-standing reputation in Vancouver and across the province, we can confidently help you navigate your family law matter. To get started with your case today, contact us now.
Frequently Asked Questions: Family Law in Vancouver
We know family law comes with many questions. Here are some answers to a few questions we commonly receive:
How long do family law matters take to resolve?
Every family law case is different, so the amount of time your matter takes to resolve may depend on:
- The complexity of the legal issues you are dealing with
- The willingness of both parties to cooperate
- The method of resolution you choose (e.g., mediation vs. trial)
An uncontested divorce may only take a few months to settle, while matters contested in court can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. Our family lawyers at Watson Goepel LLP will communicate with you early on in the process about projected timelines and how we can manage your case as efficiently as possible.
What’s the difference between separation and divorce in BC?
Separation does not require a legal filing, while divorce does. However, it’s important to remember that being either separated or divorced will affect your support obligations, property division, and more.
If you have questions about the legal status of your relationship, it is best to talk about the details with an experienced family lawyer.
What is a parenting plan?
A parenting plan is a written agreement or court order that outlines how separated or divorced parents will share responsibilities and decision-making for their children. It generally focuses on the day-to-day care and long-term well-being of the child to establish a routine and foster communication between parents.
While you are not legally required to have a parenting plan in British Columbia, they are strongly encouraged and may be required by the court if your divorce is contested. In the province, parenting arrangements (like parenting plans) must comply with the Family Law Act by prioritizing the child’s best interests.
Contact Our Family Lawyers in Vancouver Today
With Watson Goepel, you can trust that your family matters will be handled with care. Whether you need support with guardianship, or divorce, our family law team will be there every step of the way.
To speak to a member of our legal team, call our Vancouver office at (604) 688-1301 or fill out our online contact form now. With offices in downtown and West Vancouver, we’re ready to help individuals across the city and British Columbia.
