Location: Toronto, ON
Practice Areas: Family Law, Alternate Dispute Resolution, Appellate Practice
"Certified Specialist (Family Law) known for his sensible & effective approach to complex cases."
Separation Calculation of defined Benefit Plan
Question asked 5 months ago
Child support order
Question asked 8 months ago
17 years old, driven from school without parents' permission
Question asked 8 months ago
Child support
Question asked 11 months ago
Divorce financial disclosure
Question asked 12 months ago
Practice Areas |
Family Law, Alternate Dispute Resolution, Appellate Practice |
Bar Licenses |
Ontario |
Experience |
20 years |
John is a Certified Specialist in family law, who is an experienced and respected family lawyer, mediator arbitrator, collaborative lawyer, education lawyer and children's rights lawyer. He is the head of the Family Law Group at Devry Smith Frank LLP, a 50 lawyer full service firm located in Toronto near Lawrence and the Don Valley Parkway and near Highway 401. (A location chosen because it is easy to access from downtown and the "905 area" and has lots of free parking.) John has earned the respect of his clients, judges, mediators and arbitrators for his sensible approach to resolving family law issues, his concern for children, and his understanding of complex financial matters. At paragraph 71 of a court decision, click here, Justice Sherr wrote “Mr. Schuman’s conduct in this case is an example of what lawyers are supposed to do in difficult cases.” John is known for his sensible approach to complex financial matters and his concern for children's rights. John is also the author of the book, the Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law, which is available on Amazon. In addition, John has published articles in referred legal journals on the questioning of child witnesses, allegations of abuse when parents have separated, the role children should place in the court process and the rights of children to direct their own medical treatment. John is also the editor of the “Child in the Courtroom” chapter of Wilson on Children and the Law. He is co-author of the Child Protection Proceedings Chapter in Evidence in Family Law. Divorce Source Radio interviewed John on the topic of children in divorce. John makes regular television appearances in relation to family law matters.
Languages |
English and French |
Publications |
Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law, 2012 Child in the Courtroom Chapter of Wilson on Children & the Law, 2012 Child Protection Chapter of Evidence in Family Law, 2011 |
About Me |
John Schuman is Certified Specialist in Family Law. He is an experienced and respected family lawyer, mediator, arbitrator and collaborative lawyer located in Toronto, Ontario. John is the partner managing the Family Law Group at Devry Smith Frank LLP. John's office is located to conveniently serve clients from Toronto, York, Durham, Peel and Halton, although John has handled cases all over Ontario. John has always practiced in the areas of family law and children's rights. He has become known for his sensible approach for resolving complex financial matters and his concerns for children's rights. John has litigated before every level of court in Ontario, several tribunals and the Supreme Court of Canada. He is well respected by judges, mediators and arbitrators. In a reported decision, Justice Sherr wrote“Mr. Schuman’s conduct in this case is an example of what lawyers are supposed to do in difficult cases.” Several of John's cases are seen as important legal precedents and have been reported in law reports. John's cases involving children's rights have been reported in the national media. John is recognized as an expert in family law and children's rights. He is the author of the book "Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law", which is designed to help non-lawyers with Family Law problems. It is available through Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Devry-Basics-Ontario-Family-Edition/dp/1105271420 . John has also contributed to several prominent legal publications and magazines. John's work on how to question child witnesses remains one of the leading authorities on that topic. His work is listed on his webpage: http://www.devrylaw.ca/family-lawyers/john-p-schuman/ |
Education |
1998 - 1999 Queen's University 1995 - 1998 University of WIndsor 2013 - 2013 Queen's Univeristy 1993 - 1995 Loyalist College |
Work History |
2009 - 2013 Devry Smith Frank LLP 2005 - 2009 Niman Zemans Gelgoot LLP 2004 - 2005 Durham Children's Aid Society 2001 - 2004 WIlson Christen LLP 1999 - 2000 Thomson Rogers 1996 - 1998 Ontario Court of Justice 1998 - 1999 Queen's University at Kingston, Faculty of Law |