Reviews

Highly satisfied with the level of service I have received from Stephen Durbin. I was really nervous when I found out that my ex was coming after my assets. I found Stephen after going to a few lawyers and he was very knowledgeable and helpful with regards to my situation. This is definitely the guy to go to if you are in a difficult situation with an ex. Highly recommend him!

After interviewing two other divorce lawyers I consider myself very blessed to have met Stephen Durbin. From our first meeting I felt like I was in expert hands and I am so glad that I had his vast knowledge and wisdom to help guide me through this hugely stressful time in my life!

As I had many twists and turns along the way I needed Stephen’s sage advice. What I really appreciated is that Stephen was always such a great resource person when I needed his opinion and he always promptly answered my calls or emails. On one occasion we were to meet for an hour however after he had answered all of my questions he excused himself from the meeting and said that “I did not need to have his clock ticking anymore” and that the junior lawyer could take care of the rest of the meeting. I so appreciated this as some lawyers are known to just keep the clock running and rack up some pretty hefty legal bills. Not with Stephen Durbin! With the skill of a doctor in the Emergency Department he “triaged” my legal situation and helped organize my plan of attack.

I was very fortunate to also have Stephen beside me at my long day of mediation. His laser focus and mental acuity were a great asset to have on my side to help me wade through the myriad of decisions that were made that day. I am very happy to say that with his dogged perseverance and tenacity we were able to negotiate and “hammer” out a deal and not only did I get everything that I had asked for but he was able to convince the Mediator and Opposing Counsel that I deserved more so I got more than what we were asking for!! This was such a huge relief and the best possible outcome to a long arduous process.

Stephen also spent time preparing me “mentally” for my Mediation by carefully laying out my options and different scenarios and also by putting the “fear of God” in me about “Divorce Court!” In the end we avoided going to court by wrapping up everything in one long Mediation day which saved me an “untold” amount of money and more importantly allowed me to remain sane!

It is very freeing when you take the high road and don’t retaliate. Don’t get caught up in the petty “tchotchke” fights, don’t send angry texts or emails to your spouse or put anything in writing that you will regret later and try not to get “hooked” or baited into an argument. Just a few tidbits of advice from someone who is further down the road and walked this painful “Divorce” path and now has better clarity looking back.

Prepare for the biggest battle of your life and you had better make sure that you have a strong legal team backing you up. Stephen Durbin is a very committed professional who is very dedicated to providing his clients with the best level of care. He is also a compassionate and caring individual and provided gentle “nudging”along the way to help me see that I needed to look at things in a different way and to let go of certain things that were not that important in the whole scheme of things.

There are no “guarantees” when it comes to this nasty Divorce process but by hiring Stephen Durbin you are arming yourself with the strongest legal team possible and equipping yourself with the best to wrest back control of your life and get on the path to emotional freedom!! 

I changed lawyers, and when I did Durbin resolved my situation quite quickly. It seemed to be going no where before that !

Lucky for me I retained Mr. Durbin to handle my separation. Steve took the time to explain the process and was very clear of what to expect. He was always on top and one step ahead of all matters. With Mr. Durbin’s Knowledge and integrity he secured a positive outcome. I would definitely retain Mr.Durbin in the future should the need ever arise.

I was fortunate to work with Stephen, Claire and Melissa for my divorce. In a sea of confusion and intimidation that is Family Law – these three people bring clarity, truth and results. Claire is a passionate and extremely knowledgable legal professional. She is a unique breed and I highly recommend her for any Family Law issue. Stephen and Melissa were excellent at validation and discussing the key issues in the case to find a reasonable resolution. If you have an Family Law matter look no further, this is a unique firm that will help you.

I was not happy with my lawyer, so after my situation dragging on for a long time, I fired him. I hired the Durbin team, and quite quickly and without going to court it was resolved.

One of the better lawyers i’ve had and one of the few to tell it to me straight i would have no reservations in recomending him to anyone that asks it was tough negotiations with my ex-wife and it went down to the wire. we came out with a settlement WITHOUT having a trial. i dont think the outcome would have been the same if it wasn’t for Stephen Durbin. Thank You

Went through one horrible lawyer first, screwed things up very badly, and wish I had found Stephen first. Stephen works smart, knows his stuff and was sympathetic to me and my situation as his client. My spouse was insanely unreasonable and antagonistic, highly litigiuous to the point of calling for motions for every detail, and Stephen very professionally smoothed out difficult situations where he could. In the end, I got what I wanted which was to parent my children because of a recommendation from Stephen. Dont shop around – I recommend Stephen if you need a family lawyer who will work for you in your best interests.

I’m extremely happy with the service Mr Durban and his associates provided. There attention to detail and the way they streamlined my requests and needs were amazing. With custody of my daughter on the line I have all the faith in the world I will get the results we seek. In my opinion this is the best law firm I have used. And have used others at a great expense and with little result. Contacting Mr Durban was the best move I have made in my divorces case..

My experience with family law is that outcomes are not based on right or morality. Over the past six months I have had my expectations of society and the institutions that have been put in place to protect children completely obliterated. The unfortunate truth is that even when a mother has reason and means to protect her children, in today’s society, despite what we might think about putting the needs of children first, it takes thousands of dollars and an effective lawyer like Stephen Durbin to minimize the damage an abusive spouse can inflict on a family. It also takes a certain amount of luck in being signed to a responsive judge in the courtroom. In my humble yet hard-earned opinion, Stephen Durbin earns his good reputation through outstanding, eloquent, and directed communication and argumentation in the court room itself. I will not hesitate to return to Stephen as a client for this reason because he helped to keep my children safe and they are all I care about. Thanksforthesoup…

After two years of frustration unsuccessfully navigating my divorce case, I decided that it was time to change lawyers. Having interviewed numerous highly reputed divorce lawyers, I decided to retain Mr. Durbin. It was the best decision I ever made. Mr. Durbin is a brilliant lawyer. He continues to prove this time after time with his laudable work ethic, meticulousness and conscientiousness. Moreover, Mr. Durbin’s conduct is always highly professional, and even more importantly, highly ethical. This is evident in the manner in which he approaches new situations. He always thoroughly reviews and researches all relevant materials, and then clearly communicates to me all possibilities and potential consequences. Thanks to Mr. Durbin’s diligence and excellent communication skills, I am able to make informed decisions that I feel comfortable with. I can finally put my worries to rest and concentrate on my other priorities (mainly, my Ph.D. studies), knowing that my case is in good hands.

I’m so lucky to find Stephen from lawyer’s website after having couple horrible lawyers. He is upfront and honest and did what he could do for his clients, he is a truly master in the courtroom. Under his direction and guidance, I won the case in the court which forced my greedy ex to stop her endless lawsuits finally. Steven is not only an great lawyer, but a great friend, he devoted his heart and soul to my case and supported me at any time I needed. He cares his client sincerely and did his best to save the cost for his clients. I strongly recommend Stephen as a family lawyer, he won’t do anything wrong for you. Thank you Steven for your guidance and support! Henry

 After having such a terrible lawyer I almost gave up hope. Then I met Stephen. He was professional and inspiring. He made me see my case from a different point of view. There is no reason to consult anyone other than him.

I don’t know what I would have done without Mr. Durbin. Stephen is truly a master in the courtroom. We had a six day custody trial and everyday he amazed my family and I with his knowledge of the law. He was always honest and upfront with me on my chances of success. He devoted his heart and soul into my case and in the end we were successful in gaining joint custody with my home as primary residence and were also awarded a substantial amount of court costs. Stephen is a great person in and outside of the courtroom and is always there when I need him. I highly recommend Stephen Durbin as a lawyer and as a friend. Thank you Stephen.

It is important that these reviews are not abused, and are used appropriately. Mr. Durbin (we are related) has been my lawyer in a high conflict Divorce that has lasted several years. He is one of 3 Lawyers that I have had. Each lawyer has received slanderous reviews immediately following a motion or Arbitration that are worded almost exactly the same. There are 2 such reviews dated 4/22/11 and 5/3/12 that are no doubt written by my ex-husband (a lawyer) following motions that he lost (and had high costs awarded to me). I feel it is important that people are aware and careful and think about “who” is writing these reviews. It is fair to say that it was Mr. Durbin’s (and my own) success and my ex-husbands losing (and anger as a result) that ignited these 2 bad emails he wrote on this website. I am writing this in hope that people don’t allow angry ex-husbands to sway their choice in a Lawyer. I have had 2/3 GREAT Lawyers and Mr. Durbin did a phenomenal job for me and for my children

I found Stephan to be a very profound person with an understanding of his clients along with the parameters in which he can work with them. Stephan was upfront and honest and did what he could to save money for me as his client even when it would have been very easy to go another route that might have put mire money in his pocket. His honesty and integrity put him in a class of his own in his field.

Spending lots of money and reeling from the service of divorce papers, I foundered about with other lawyers who were no help. Then I found Stephen. He hauled me out of the pit I was in, after being ill–advised by a succession of lawyers, and gave me me hope and a way forward to the point where he secured a capitulationn from the other side and he suceeded in extricating me from a awful situation. My former wife’s lawyer was supposed to be the reigning champion in the area, the name brand for dementedly agrhessive ilawyering, to the detriment of myself, my ex and my children, but Stephen finally brought her her knees after a succession off interim victories, even getting my ex to pay my costs in the process. Highly recommended. It seems he can do no wrong.

In August 2011 Steven Represented me for a case conference in Hamilton. Stephen was awesome he was calm,cool and collected my ex was unrepresented so you can imagine what we had to go through and still with plenty of patience he kept his ground stuck to the reason we were there and we came out on top (at a case conference). I look forward to Stephen representing me through the rest of my case I believe he will get me the proper child support I’m suppose to receive. With Stephen’s knowledge,professionalism and confidence going into the court system I actually don’t feel worried going into the next round. Thank you Stephen Durbin for not only looking out for me but for your guidance as well. L Martin

Words cannot describe how happy i am with the work Steve has done for me. I have not seen my children in 2.5 years as my ex wife alienated the children from me, my previous 2 lawyers didnt do me any favours with any previous agreements we had, in fact the agreements positioned me further and further away from my children. If you are a parent you can relate how difficult it was for me not to see or hear from my children for 2.5 years. When i met Steve he took my large file became very intimate with my situtation and told me directly you will see and have your children within 4 months. As of today (June 2011) i see my children at all their sporting events (4 -5days a week) and this is only the beginning!!His tenacity,his excellent attention to detail and incredible knowledge to the family law has given me the 2 most important things in my life. Steve you are not only an incredible lawyer, but a great friend, i do not know how i can ever re-pay you. My kids and I thank you so much!

Stephen did some urgent corporate work for my company (license agreements for renewable energy technology) when our corporate counsel was overloaded. He was out of his normal area, but I have still rated him a 5 on Knowledge because he researched the subject so quickly and thoroughly that he actually became MORE knowledgeable on the subject than our in-house guy in just a few days. Awesome! I have never seen a lawyer so dedicated to doing not just a great job but an outstanding one. Thanks Steve – I would hire you again in a heartbeat. Tony H.

When I realized my ex-husband (living out of the country) breached my contractual agreement after a lengthy marriage,.. I thought what are my chances to collect?. In a state of confusion I went to Stephen Durbin to review the agreement and he gave me confidence’s to move forward to fight this legal battle, which he thought was a great chance of succeeding. The agreement was complicated plus my ex-husband’s lawyer undesirable, unpleasant, behavior matters and intimidation used to wear me down was at times upsetting. During this legal battle Stephen suggested one of his junior lawyers, which turned out to be wonderful. Stephen was always there to support her and myself when required. At the end we settled thanks to Stephen. My opinion of Stephen is I would highly recommend him.

Highly recommended! I have found that Stephen is always very reachable and plays an active role in coaching and giving feedback to his clients. I have had nothing but excellent feedback to say about Stephen for he certainly is the creme de la creme of lawyers and gets the job done.

Melissa Fedsin brilliant lawyer of Stephen Durbin & Associates. With the aid of Claire Atkinson Senior law clerk both were given a challenging agreement that my ex-husband breached after a lengthy marriage. The agreement for family law was not your norm, but they started digging and digging, digesting, analyzing and putting all it’s pieces together. Also, the bad attitude and matters they had to endure from my ex-husband’s lawyer were certainly not justified. Finally we came to a conclusion to settle, Melissa’s negotiating skills and alertness were superior. I strongly would recommend Melissa as a legal representation in a heartbeat. Thank You Melissa & Claire.

Melissa is a superb lawyer who have worked with me through my heart-wrenching case involving myself and my ex for the past year. She is like a pitbull in action with superb and noteworthy of recognition, holding high standards of client care and having great expertise in the field of family law..

My Ex-wife was unreasonable and unwilling to negotiate a fair contract which would allow both of us to move on with our lives. The first attorney I used was great but inexperienced. My Ex partners lawyer was a seasoned veteran, needless to say he had his way with us during the initial 4 way meeting. After months of opposing council stonewalling I switched to Melissa. I was impressed by her confidence, poise and maturity for such a young lawyer. She was immediately able to get the ball rolling. In court she made my Ex-wife’s lawyer look as if he just graduated from law school, always 3 steps ahead of him. All I wanted out of this very difficult ordeal was to have a chance to move forward with my life. With the aide of her law clerk (Eryne Crough) Melissa Fedsin was able to procure a settlement that was even better than I had anticipated. I can’t thank Melissa Fedsin enough, truly she is the best of the best!

Melissa is absolutely a fantastic lawyer and I highly recommend her. I just read the previous review and I had the exact same experience. A long drawn out 5 year divorce battle and Melissa was my 5th lawyer who by far was the BEST and brought it to conclusion. She is incredibly bright and has a huge capacity and remembers details that I couldn’t even remember. She is tenacious and professional and at the same time was able to gain the trust of my ex and convince him to negotiate which no other lawyer could do as he was highly unreasonable. The end result was full custody, no spousal payments and a settlement that was palatable. I cannot say enough about Melissa other than don’t waste your time dealing with anyone else especially if you are going through a high conflict divorce. Truly an outstanding lawyer who has a very big and bright future ahead of her.

I was under time constraints and needed to find a competent, efficient Lawyer. Zeba and her team went above and beyond to ensure that my questions were answered and concerns addressed. Prompt replies to questions. She utilized all the teams resources, knowledge and experiences to bring about an optimal result. I can’t thank her enough. As a single mother, it was imperative that I get a fair outcome. What touched me what that Zeba actually cares about her clients. As situations like mine can be trying and emotional. She went over and above and ensured that I had covered all aspects in my case. I thank her and her team and would recommend her without hesitation. Even with the time constraints, she was professional, courteous, and listened to my concerns and addressed them. Strongly recommend this lawyer. Thank you Zeba.

I highly recommend Zeba Haider and her assistant Kaila Scarrow from Stephen Durbin and Associates in Oakville. They were great to work with, knowledgeable and friendly. Zeba worked hard to help me reach a fair settlement, and navigate through a very difficult separation.

I had been engaged in a 2-year custody dispute with my ex-wife who was desperately seeking to reduce our 50-50 access schedule to one that would have our daughter only see her father 1 out of 14 days, and hiding her income. Her counsel refused to negotiate, was attempting to bankrupt me, and were trying to cause damage to the parental bond I shared with my daughter. I did not know where to turn, but then I sought the assistance of this firm. I am happy to report that thanks to the hard work of the Lawyers and clerks at Stephen Durbin and Associates, and especially Angela Grant-Lee, a final settlement was reached that maintained the equal parenting that our daughter deserved all along. And we did not need to have a costly and emotionally draining trial. Angela and the rest of the Stephen Durbin team outclassed opposing counsel in every way, they were more knowledgeable, wrote briefs more articulately, and were more professional in the courtroom. Thank you from a very happy Father.

Kevin and Claire are a great team, without a doubt they have taken the burden off my shoulders, I can sleep at night knowing they have my back on this very painful divorce. Claire is meticulous about the details and gets it right the first time. My experience has been a good one so far, I am sure yours will be too. (1/26/17 – LR)

Though the case has yet to be fully resolved this is a very good lawyer who explains everything in a very precise manner, leaving no room for doubts. If you are in a difficult divorce with a manipulative person, this is a great person to help. He always answers everything as soon as possible, leaving no room for doubt. If you are Losing focus he always brings it back into perspective and all of it centers around what’s best for the kids. Also eloquent and perceptive. My family and I are very grateful with his and Claire Atkinson’s work, their perfect handling of urgent situations involving kids that could easily have gone out of control. Already tension is minimized which kids can sense, just because they kept things from going crazy.

Kevin has been working with me for the past 8 months or so and I am happy to say he has been a pleasure to work with. Kevin knows his stuff and keeps me on point, therefore not wasting my money. The opposing lawyer is a psycho (I’m not kidding) and he is managing her well. I would recommend Kevin if you have a business and difficult opposing counsel.

I had called a few law offices, the only one who responded quickly was Stephen Durbin and Associates. My lawyer, Kevin Caspersz, my paralegal, Claire Atkinson are so professional! There have been emergency situations regarding my kids, and Kevin and Claire were immediately responsive. The firm has been prompt, handled all inquires in a timely manner so I was never left wondering what was happening. They have worked hard to keep my costs low, and I have been so satisfied with my choice of law firms. I even had an immediate call for general query I had about wills and estates, a totally different matter than my divorce. I was so impressed! I have always appreciated being consulted and listened to by the staff at Stephen Durbin’s firm. I got lost at the courthouse and they even called me back to tell me where to find where I had to be! This is a full service, professional firm, and my lawyer, Kevin Caspersz is amazing. I totally recommend them. JM

I utilized Kevin for my separation, although it was an extremely lengthy process, Kevin was helpful, and always available to answer my questions. We successfully wrapped up the process and were able to avoid court. Thank you Kevin for your support and assistance.

Kevin helped me out with issues related to child support, the FRO and prolonged angst in dealing with my separation agreement and ongoing court orders. He was very responsive and straight forward in dealing with the matters at hand. Kevin easily assessed the situation and we set a course of action that would put this life changing experience behind me after almost 10 years. His guidance was very helpful in arriving at a fair settlement given an unfair and costly process.

Kevin Caspersz is a professional, hard working, and smart man. He thinks creatively, and responds promptly. Always. I am in a high conflict divorce, fighting for my kids, and equality, and Kevin has helped me remain calm and focused. He is completely truthful and respectful, and will tell me when something is imperative to go to court on, or if it can be handled out of court. I have complete trust in Kevin, and I sincerely tell you he will go above and beyond any expectation you have of a lawyer. Kevin will have your back and make you feel like everything is going to be okay. When I couldn’t get an answer from other firms I had called, Durbin and Associates called me in 5 minutes. I met with Kevin, and was so relieved. I 100% endorse him. H.M.

I would highly recommend Kevin if you are looking for a family lawyer. I really appreciated how quick he got back to me, always the same day. He gave me excellent advice and I was able to resolve my matter with a postive outcome so I can go on with my life!!! Thank you Kevin for all your work, understanding and patience!!!

Kevin provided me excellent service during a lengthy period of time. He responded quickly when needed and provided sound, reasonable advice. His professional manner in an emotionally charged area of law practice is extremely valuable. Much appreciated.

My Name is Habib, I found Kevin’s professional expertise and knowledge to be very beneficial. He definitely gave me confidence and new hope towards my divorce case involving my daughters. He provided me new ideas and avenues that my previous lawyer had never mentioned. I highly recommend Kevin Casperz to anyone who has family conflicts. Keep up the great work Kevin!!

Kevin Caspersz is a very professional and knowledgeable lawyer. His ability to rationalize any situation is invaluable. I was facing an up hill battle with my ex-wife, and thanks to Kevin, the playing field was leveled. Kevin is very diligent with returning calls and listening to any situation. I strongly urge anyone looking for a family law lawyer to contact Kevin, you will not be disappointed.

I could not be happier with the results Kevin and the Durbin team gave me. They put the nails in the coffin of my ex-husband very quickly and was worth every penny.

Ms. Chowdhury was very good at her job and offered great advice. She was a very good and timely communicator. Her fees were reasonable and justified her effort and help. I am very satisfied with her work and would recommend her to anyone. She helped me resolve my access and child support issues in court and I am grateful to her.

I used Sadia Chowdhury for my recent child custody and access case and choosing Sadia was the best decision I made. Sadia is very compassionate, understanding and knowledgeable while she always maintained her professionalism. Sadia always offered valuable advice and was truly dedicated and to my case; I always feel that her heart is in it both for me and my daughter. Sadia definitely deserves a 5 star rating in all categories and I highly recommend her to anyone in need of a great family lawyer.