Stephen L. Durbin

Areas of Practice
Family Law

Description
Graduating with a degree in philosophy from York University, Stephen prides himself with mastering the works of the most brilliant minds of western civilization, in his final year being awarded a scholarship in academic achievement, thereafter completing his reading of law at University of Ottawa.

Founding this firm only a few years ago — a firm which far outstrips the growth rate of any other family law firm in Canada and now one of the largest in the country — Stephen established client-focused and child-focused standing policies to assist clients through the difficult process of separation and divorce with the lowest possible legal costs while providing the best possible result as quickly as possible, minimizing the impact to their children.

Associates of the firm have been mentored by him to cultivate strength of character and groomed by him to develop mettle: the kind of heart and mind that draws divorce settlements in clients’ favour and wins divorce lawsuits regularly.

He studied accounting into university, providing him deeper insight into complex matrimonial financial matters, and taught several courses at the Bar Admission Course for the Law Society of Upper Canada for some years, in negotiation, trial tactics and professional ethics.
His earlier professional years were in general practice with a concentration in family law, thus he brings a general knowledge of many areas of practice to family law, which is greatly assistive in that area of practice. He has advocated for clients at hundreds of hearings, both in court and administrative tribunals.

Stephen is a classically trained musician, extremely widely read, an expert whitewater wilderness canoeist and
an avid Nordic skier and outdoorsman, choosing in the urban-dwelling part of his life to get around by bicycle
rather than automobile whenever possible. He has marched shoulder to shoulder with women on International
Women’s Day and created several initiatives in the firm to promote access to justice, particularly for women,
and professional ethics in the broader population of lawyers. He has been regularly in the media and has a
grand plan for improving the less than perfect state of family law in this country.