Full-service or boutique law firms: When it comes to your family law matter, which comes out on top?

If you are embarking on a separation or divorce you have a wide selection of Vancouver divorce lawyers and law firms to choose from. Should you employ a family law lawyer at a full-service firm that provides legal guidance in many different practice areas, or at a boutique firm that is dedicated solely to the practice of family law? The answer may surprise you!

Family law cases typically involve more than just dealing with the care and custody of children, determining income and support, or the division of family property and the redistribution of joint debts. While most post-separation legal issues benefit from the advice of an experienced family law lawyer, the case in its entirety can also benefit from a full-service law firm.

Advantages of full-service law firms for family matters

Family law cases often involve complex legal matters around issues including tax, immigration, corporate restructuring and transfers, or property sales or transfers between spouses, just to name a few. After a separation it is recommended that spouses redo their Will or any Powers-of-Attorney, or simply update their Estate plan to account for their new circumstances.

All of these legal services are provided in-house at most full-service firms. At Watson Geopel LLP we have a team of roughly 30 lawyers, across multiple practice groups to assist you with your legal matters. Our corporate solicitors can advise on tax, company transfer or sale related issues. We have real estate conveyancers to properly attend to real property transfers or sales. We have Estate lawyers to help plan for the future and to redo Wills or Powers-of-Attorney. We have lawyers who are experienced with personal injury cases, disability cases, employment law issues or other general litigation matters that can arise within a family breakdown.

A family law case can have many moving parts, and may require legal advice in many areas of law. A family law boutique firm can help you with one area of law; family law. This means that other legal matters not specifically related to family law may have to be outsourced, adding a logistical layer that can lead to an increase in complexity and fees.

When going through a divorce or separation, or any other family law matter, consider the whole suite of legal services you may need throughout the process before you choose the lawyer you wish to represent you.

Jonathan Lazar is a Partner, and head of our Family Law Group.