Flat Fee Packages for Separation Agreements in British Columbia
We offer a streamlined & peaceful process to help you complete a legal Separation Agreement in British Columbia.
Instead of each hiring your own lawyer, together you hire one highly-experienced family lawyer/mediator to act as your neutral facilitator - not to represent either of you but instead to help you create solutions that work for both of you.
The terms of your arrangement will be documented in a Separation Agreement as required in British Columbia: this is a legally-binding contract between spouses or common-law partners that documents how they will divide property, handle debts, manage their parenting responsibilities, and fulfill support obligations. For a detailed explanation of what exactly a Separation Agreement is, what topics it covers, how best to create one, and pitfalls to avoid, see our blog post What is a Separation Agreement in British Columbia?
Why Choose Modern Separations?
- Flat Fee Packages
- Daytime & Evening Meetings
- Convenient Video Chat Access across British Columbia
- 16+ Years in Family Law
- Nearly 1000 divorce mediations completed
- Accredited by the Law Society of British Columbia, MediateBC, and the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada
Our approach for documenting your legal separation contract works whether:
you have a verbal agreement that simply needs to be ‘papered’ into a legal Separation Agreement; or
you have complicated disagreements that need to be resolved.
“I found Christina to be professional and efficient working with us to meet our deadlines. The package selection approach was very helpful - the system is set up to help you depending on your circumstances. I would highly recommend her services.”
Step #1:
Schedule Your Pre-Mediation Consultation
We are required by the Law Society of British Columbia to meet with each participant individually before we meet all together. This is a requirement even if you are amicable.
The Pre-Mediation Consultation gives you the opportunity to tell our neutral family lawyer/mediator about your situation, and to get information about family law in British Columbia and about our process. It also allows the mediator to ensure that mediation is appropriate for your situation.
Step #2:
Choose a Flat Fee Package
All packages include the drafting of your Separation Agreement if an agreement is reached during the timeline of your package. Extensions are available if it turns out that you need more time than you expected.
Regardless of which package you choose, you will:
- Share and organize your financial documents in our secure Client Portal.
- Receive family law information about your rights and responsibilities for dividing property and debt, paying or receiving child support and spousal support, and your parenting plan.
- Get guidance with approaching sensitive topics and brainstorming to understand potential options.
- Document your terms of agreement with a legal separation contract (the Separation Agreement) as appropriate in British Columbia and in consideration of the Family Law Act and/or Divorce Act.
Your Separation Agreement will address all of the topics that are relevant and important to you, with consideration of the rights and obligations conveyed by the Family Law Act (British Columbia), which may include:
- Determination of family property and debt
- Division of family property and debt (for example, documenting the details of one of you buying the family home from the other so that you can get bank re-financing approved, pension division, etc.)
- Parenting arrangements and parenting time (formerly referred to as custody and access)
- Child support
- Special and extraordinary expenses for your children (such as daycare expenses, extra-curricular activities, medical expenses, etc.)
- Spousal support (also known as alimony)
- Decision-making and communication guidelines
- Interim arrangements, such as use of the family home, management of household expenses, and support, pending the final transfer or sale of the family home
- Other details specific to your family
Step #3:
Sign Your Separation Agreement
Once you’ve agreed on the terms, the final step is to formalize your arrangement by signing the legal separation contract, known in British Columbia as the Separation Agreement.
We will provide you with detailed instructions on how to sign your Separation Agreement so that it will be a legally binding document.
You have the option of obtaining Independent Legal Advice before you sign the agreement (recommended but optional) and in this case the lawyer will be your witness. A notary is not required and is actually prohibited by their professional regulations from witnessing a Separation Agreement. If you choose not to seek independent legal advice, any adult other than your spouse can witness your signature.
Done!
Please know that your separation doesn't have to be the awful battle that you've heard about from your friends. The vast majority of our clients complete their legal Separation Agreement within the timeline of our innovative divorce mediation process.
A fundamental aspect of our innovation in the family law field is ethical pricing as a means of harm reduction for families who are already experiencing the significant financial and emotional stress of separation.
In recent years, the model of flat fee mediation for Separation Agreements which we created has proliferated. Unfortunately though, many firms simply shifted their crushing family law fees into different packaging.
We deliberately keep our prices in a manageable range for families by:
having developed extremely efficient processes through nearly 1000 mediations;
strategic use of technology; and
prioritizing the social benefit of passing on the associated savings to our clients.
Ethical pricing is part of our contribution to the social good.
Frequently Asked Questions
For more detailed information, see our FAQ page.
“I appreciated their flexible hours and seamless/timely delivery of all that was set out to be accomplished. A positive experience.”