Ottawa has a deep bench of family law practices, from solo boutique lawyers in Nepean and Kanata to larger downtown firms with dozens of lawyers on staff. Separation and divorce are stressful enough without having to guess who is reputable, so this list draws on Google and Birdeye reviews, firm websites, and public award listings to round up ten firms that are currently practicing family law in and around Ottawa.
1. Daniels Law Firm
Area: Downtown Ottawa, 116 Albert Street · Rating: 4.4 on Google (45 reviews) · Since: over 18 years serving Ottawa
Led by Angela Daniels, this firm handles divorce and separation, child custody and support, spousal support, collaborative family law, mediation, and international child abduction cases. Reviewers consistently point to Daniels' ability to listen and provide genuine support through difficult situations, and the firm also has a strong recommendation rate on its Facebook page.
2. Ottawa Family Law (Clayton Law Office)
Specialty: family law and wills and estates · Rating: 4.1 on LawyerRatingz (24 reviews) · Since: 1998
Darrin Clayton has run his own practice since 1998 and has more than 27 years of experience guiding clients through separation. Clients describe the team as professional, kind, and efficient, with several reviews specifically praising fair, transparent pricing compared to larger firms.
3. The Riley Divorce & Family Law Firm
Area: ByWard Market, 116 Albert St Suite 300 · Specialty: family law exclusively · Rating: 4.6 on Google (33 reviews)
Founded by former journalist turned family lawyer Paul Riley, this boutique firm has more than 30 years of combined family law experience and offices in Ottawa, Toronto, and Kawartha Lakes. Reviewers describe the team as supportive and empathetic during separation and parenting disputes.
4. RPB Family Law
Area: Westboro · Specialty: family law exclusively (litigation, mediation, and negotiated agreements) · Since: 2020
Founded by Ronan Blake, RPB focuses solely on family law matters and is BBB accredited. Reviewers highlight Blake's professionalism and efficiency in settling cases, while colleague Samah Rahman brings a compassionate, results-oriented approach and has been recognized nationally for her negotiation skills.
5. Johnston Family Law
Area: 376 Churchill Ave N, Ottawa · Rating: 4.9 on Birdeye (35 reviews) · Since: over 20 years
Led by Beverley Johnston, this firm covers separation, divorce, domestic contracts, adoption, child support, custody, and property division. Reviews single out Johnston as knowledgeable and fearless in the courtroom, with colleague Adrienne Curran noted for her diligence, and the office staff praised for prompt, organized communication.
6. LMS Lawyers LLP
Area: 190 O'Connor St, downtown Ottawa · Rating: 3.8 on Birdeye (54 reviews) · Since: over three decades in practice
A full-service firm with a dedicated family law team, LMS handles divorce, child custody, and spousal support alongside its criminal, real estate, and civil litigation practices. Reviewers frequently name family lawyer Alyssandra Edwards for her attentiveness in complex, emotionally difficult cases.
7. Davies Law Firm
Area: 275 Slater Street, downtown Ottawa · Rating: 3.2 on TrustAnalytica · Since: 2005
Founded by Tanya Davies, this firm won a 2020 Top Choice Award for family law and handles divorce, custody and access, support, and property division. Reviews are mixed but clients who worked with Davies and colleague Maria Ilie Draga highlight strong communication and professionalism in custody and support matters.
8. Martel Law Office
Area: 644 Montreal Road, Ottawa · Specialty: family law, employment law, and civil litigation
Alexandre Martel is known for explaining complex legal concepts in plain language, and clients cite his responsiveness and affordability, including one case where a divorce and custody matter was resolved quickly. Some reviews note inconsistent communication on billing, so it is worth clarifying fee structure up front.
9. Nelligan Law
Area: 50 O'Connor Street, downtown Ottawa · Since: 1963
One of Ottawa's largest firms, with more than 55 lawyers on staff, Nelligan's Family Law Group is led by Marta Siemiarczuk and includes members of the Virtual Family Law Project, which uses remote arbitration and mediation to help families resolve disputes outside of court. The firm holds an A+ BBB rating and offers a free 20-minute consultation.
10. Kerry Fox Family Law
Area: 90 Centrepointe Dr, Nepean, serving Kanata and Ottawa's west end
Kerry Fox has built her practice specifically around clients in Nepean, Kanata, and the west end, and the office offers Saturday and after-hours appointments for clients who cannot get away from work during the week. We could not verify a Google rating or review count for this listing, so treat it as a lead worth a direct consultation rather than a confirmed top performer.
How We Built This List
This list was compiled from public web sources, Google and Birdeye review pages, and firm websites found during a single research session in August 2026. It is not a paid placement and no business on this list is affiliated with ottown or its operator. Ratings, review counts, and founding years are included only where we found them stated in a source we actually read; several entries omit one or more of these details because we could not verify them. This list was last reviewed in August 2026 and will be revisited periodically as firms and reviews change.
Sources: Google review aggregators including Birdeye and TrustAnalytica, and each firm's own website.
