Toronto Family Law Lawyer Pei-Shing B. Wang
I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Mr. Russell Alexander of Russell Alexander, Family Lawyers, a prominent family law lawyer in central Ontario. A respected colleague who services Simcoe County and surrounding areas, Mr. Alexander often attends the same professional development events and conferences that I do.
Family law lawyer Russll Alexander
During the interview, Mr. Alexander and I discussed 5 common divorce questions. In particular, we talked about how to cope with the difficulties that clients experience during a separation or divorce.
Russell Alexander:
How often do people ask you for advice or guidance about separation and divorce, and which jurisdictions do you practice in?
Pei-Shing B. Wang:
I practice in the greater Toronto area as well as remote counties where services in Mandarin Chinese aren’t available. People ask me for advice and guidance about separation and divorce almost every day.
Russell Alexander:
What are the biggest concerns people raise with you about separation and divorce?
Pei-Shing B. Wang:
Most people are worried about the legal fees and going to court. They do not realize that there are options available other than going to court. It’s my duty to educate my clients and help them make the best of this difficult time.
Russell Alexander:
What advice do you have for people looking for a lawyer?
Pei-Shing B. Wang:
Hire someone who you are comfortable with. Interview a few lawyers before you decide. You should be able to communicate with your lawyer without difficulties. For example, if the lawyer you are trying to hire never returns your phone call, that lawyer probably isn’t the one for you.
Make sure the lawyer’s professional approach is compatible with your expectations. If you want to settle but your lawyer wants to litigate, the relationship probably won’t work out well.
Russell Alexander:
What are the top 3 tips you have for people going through a divorce?
Pei-Shing B. Wang:
One, calm down. For everyone who goes through a separation or divorce, it’s a difficult, perhaps traumatic time, but the difficulties will pass.
Two, listen to your lawyer. It’s understandable that people are emotionally charged when going through a divorce. At the same time, emotionally charged people don’t make well-reasoned decisions. Part of the job of your lawyer is to offer professional and objective advice. It may not be what you want to hear, but you need to listen to your lawyer’s advice and the reasons behind it before deciding what to do.
And three, be organized. Lawyers can’t do their jobs if the clients don’t give them proper instructions. Because of the intimate nature of divorce and separation, you are expected to be involved in the process and to provide the information requested promptly. Often cases are stalled because the clients didn’t provide enough information to the lawyers to move the case to the next stage. Being organized will help your lawyer deal with your issues efficiently.
Russell Alexander:
What do you envision for the future of family law?
Pei-Shing B. Wang:
The courts do not adequately address the needs of families going through these transitions. The overwhelming number of cases makes it impossible. While there are cases that should be adjudicated by a judge, they are uncommon. Litigation is costly, and it inevitably destroys whatever little trust is left between the spouses. Hopefully, with time, people will realize that not even judges can make their problems go away, With that in mind, I can see more couples approaching family law issues with a reasonable settlement in mind.
