Step 4 - Legal Review
Separation Pathways works with family lawyers who believe in what we do and trust our process. As a result, they offer their services to us at a reduced rate, and we pass these savings on to you.
The legal review process begins with your memorandum of understanding from step 3 being turned into a separation agreement. You will then each be assigned a lawyer who will review the separation agreement and provide you with independent legal advice. This is to ensure that each of you understands and is comfortable with the separation agreement before you sign it.
Once it is signed by you both, it is a legally binding document.
Why Choose Legal Review?
If you’re separated — or just beginning to consider separation — you may be searching for a family lawyer or divorce lawyer near you to guide you through the process. At Separation Pathways, our professional family law lawyers provide expert legal support at significantly reduced rates compared to traditional litigation.
We believe legal help should be accessible. That’s why our in-house family lawyers are available to help you finalize your Separation Agreement with care, clarity, and compassion — without the typical costs of going to court.
What’s Included
- ✅ Legal review of your Memorandum of Understanding
- ✅ Final Separation Agreement drafted with one of our professional lawyer
- ✅ Independent Legal Advice (ILA) for each of you from one of our trusted in-house family lawyers
- 1.5 hours per person for Child and Property packages
- 2 hours per person for Comprehensive packages
A Better Way Forward: Our Mission
Separation Pathways is a not-for-profit organization founded by leaders in family law, mediation, and arbitration with over 200+ years of combined experience. We help people navigate divorce and separation with less stress, lower costs, and better outcomes for families.
We offer an alternative to the traditional legal route — no court battles, no surprise fees, no delays.
Why Our Family Lawyers Are Different
Hiring a traditional divorce lawyer or going through the court system can cost 10x more than working with Separation Pathways. Our process is built around respect, resolution, and affordability, whether you’re:
- Searching for a separation lawyer in Toronto, Ottawa, or anywhere in Ontario
- Seeking a divorce and family lawyer near me
- Looking for help with a separation agreement without a lawyer or trying to avoid costly legal proceedings
We help families across Ontario by offering family mediation, followed by a legal review — often saving thousands of dollars in legal fees.
💡 Pro tip: If you’re thinking “I need a family lawyer near me” — start with our four-step process to save time and money.
The Four-Step Separation Process
- Intake – We assess your needs and ensure Separation Pathways is a good fit.
- Joint Separation Planning Meeting – Meet with a neutral mediator to align your goals and prep for mediation.
- Mediation – Resolve key issues like parenting, property, and support through a professional family mediator.
- Legal Review (This Step) – Turn your mediated agreement into a legally binding document with support from our in-house family law lawyers.
Serving You Across Ontario
Whether you’re in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, London, South Western Ontario, northern Ontario, or anywhere in between, our divorce lawyers and family court lawyers work remotely and affordably. We’re proud to support families in:
- Urban centres and rural communities
- Common-law separations
- Legal separations involving children, property, or support needs
Ready to Begin?
Contact our team to learn more about how our family lawyers can support you — affordably, quickly, and compassionately, or get a no-obligation consultation to help answer your questions.