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Phone: 416-868-3220
Admitted to the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1979 and Certified by the LSUC as a Specialist in Family Law since 1992.
Practice Highlights
Patrick Schmidt is clearly considered one of the best Family Law practitioners in Toronto, including matrimonial and divorce issues.
Best Lawyers in Canada® has included Patrick in its annual listing since the publication’s first edition in 2006; Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory has mentioned him every year since it began publishing annual listings in 1997. Both rankings are largely based on peer reviews.
Patrick’s solid reputation is built on the time and energy he devotes to his clients and his track record of notable cases. “People going through a difficult divorce come to me because they know that I fight very hard for them,” he says. “I try to find innovative solutions for difficult problems to obtain the best possible result for my client.”
For more than a decade, Patrick belonged to Ontario’s Family Law Rules Committee. Today, he includes membership on the province’s Civil Rules Committee among his professional activities and affiliations.
After nearly three decades in practice, Patrick has developed a distinctive professional style. His philosophy is simple: “I’m passionate about what I do, while remaining objective about my client’s cause. I need to maintain the proper perspective to help him/her prevail.”
Education
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Toronto (1974)
- Bachelor of Laws, Queens University Faculty of Law (1977)
Practice Areas
- Matrimonial Litigation
- Civil Litigation
Professional Activities and Affiliations
- The Advocates’ Society
- The Canadian Bar Association
- The Family Law Rules Committee for Ontario (1992-2004)
- The Civil Rules Committee for Ontario
- The Metropolitan Toronto Lawyers Association
- The International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- Dispute Resolution Officer of the Superior Court of Justice
Publications and Presentations
Patrick has been a seminar lecturer at the Bar Admission Course of The Law Society of Upper Canada and is a frequent contributor to continuing legal education programmes sponsored by The Canadian Bar Association, The Law Society of Upper Canada and others.
Presentations:
Patrick D. Schmidt, How to Run Effective Settlement Conferences and Trial Management Conferences, presented at the Superior Court of Justice on November 9, 2006.
Patrick D. Schmidt, Family Law Film, presented at the Office of Chief Justice Smith for National Judicial Institute on October 14 and 15, 2006.
Patrick D. Schmidt, “Offers to Settle and Costs”, Using the Family Law Rules to Your Advantage.(Ontario Bar Association, 2006)
Patrick D. Schmidt, Select Issues in Child Support, presented at The Law Society of Upper Canada on October 11, 2006.
Patrick D. Schmidt and George Karahotzitis, “Family Law: The Year in Review. Spousal Support – the Status of Spousal Support: Miglin v Tierney-Hynes”, Family Law from Beginning to End. (Ontario Bar Association, 2006)
Patrick D. Schmidt and George Karahotzitis, “Family Law Aspects of Real Estate Transactions”, The 2nd Annual Real Estate Law Summit. (Law Society of Upper Canada, 2005)
Patrick D. Schmidt, “Managing the High Conflict Custody and Access Case”, Advanced Roundtable in Family Law Part II. (Law Society of Upper Canada, 2005)
Patrick D. Schmidt, “Managing the High Conflict Custody and Access Case”, Advanced Roundtable in Family Law Part I. (Law Society of Upper Canada, 2005)
Patrick D. Schmidt, “Problems in Estate Planning for a Separation: Just a Stone’s Throw Away: It’s All Fun and Games until Someone Wants a Divorce”, Family Law Issues for Estates Practitioners. (Law Society of Upper Canada, 2005)
Patrick D. Schmidt, Marriage Contracts, presented at The Law Society of Upper Canada on September 13, 2004.
Patrick D. Schmidt, “Documentary Disclosure: How Much is Necessary?” Splitting the Pie: Dividing Assets when Married and Unmarried Partners Separate. (Law Society of Upper Canada, 2003)
Patrick D. Schmidt, “Evidence in the Pre-Trial Phase, Routes of Appeal”, Pre-trial Strategies for Family Lawyers: Creating the Right Foundations for Settlement or Trial. (Law Society of Upper Canada, 2003)
Patrick D. Schmidt, The Family Court Mediation Program and Internship. (Toronto Advanced Professional Education, Fall 2002)
Patrick D. Schmidt, The Family Law Rules, presented at The Law Society of Upper Canada on October 2, 2002.
Patrick D. Schmidt, “Evidence in the Pre-trial Phase”, Putting your Best Case Forward: Using Evidence Effectively, 2001. (Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, 2001)
Patrick D. Schmidt, “Sample of Cross-Examination of Expert Witness”, Bells, Bears and Family Law. (Canadian Bar Association – Ontario, 2000)
Patrick D. Schmidt, “Contempt as a Remedy for Access Defaults”, Return of the Six-Minute Family Lawyer. (Law Society of Upper Canada, 2000)
Patrick D. Schmidt, Examination of an Expert: A Refresher Course, presented at the University of Ottawa on May 28, 1999.
Patrick D. Schmidt, Chair, Family Lawyer’s Trial Evidence Update. (Law Society of Upper Canada, 1998)
Patrick D. Schmidt, “Cross-Examination on Working Papers/Work Product of Expert Witnesses”, The Art of Cross-Examination. (Law Society of Upper Canada, 1998)
Patrick D. Schmidt, “Cross-Examination of a Psychotherapist”, Experts in the Family Law Process. (Law Society of Upper Canada, 1998)
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