We are not Marriage Killers

On rare occasions, I am contacted by individuals who are offended by the nature of our business; in their minds, Family lawyers are Marriage-Killers. 

What such poorly informed people fail to acknowledge is that lawyers adhere to strict rules of code, and Divorce Act of Canada (section 9) clearly states that all lawyers are expected to suggest that couples attempt reconciliation and consider marriage counseling, if appropriate. Lawyers are also expected to direct spouses towards mediation and negotiated settlement, rather than litigation as a first step.

Furthermore, lawyers are people, too. They are husbands and fathers, wives and mothers. To suggest that a lawyer would ever somehow seek to breakdown a marriage because it is “good for business” would be largely offensive to most professionals.

I would offer that lawyers are a necessary tool when the relationship breaks down -- and relationships and marriage do break down with growing frequency. A now familiar statistic for Canadians: 4 in 10 marriages will not last.

In the next several blog entries, I will analyze the common “Marriage-Killers” and contrary to some individuals, hearing an announcement on the radio for a Divorce office is not one of those reasons.