Family Law Considerations When Acting for Families With Children With Disabilities

Presenter: Melanie Battaglia is the founding partner of Battaglia Law. She represents individuals in family law, education and guardianship matters. Melanie’s family law practice encompasses all aspects of family law, including parenting issues, child and spousal support, domestic contracts and property issues, including complex tax and business law issues and shareholder’s remedies. Prior to founding Battaglia Law, Melanie was a partner at PooranLaw, specializing in supporting families with disabilities in family law and education law matters. Earlier in her career, Melanie maintained a civil and family litigation practice at prominent Bay Street firms in downtown Toronto, and family law boutique firms. She has acted for family, estate and real estate lawyers in professional negligence matters.

Melanie also represents young adults living with a disability in their parents’ family law matters and children and youth with disabilities in education law matters, with a particular focus on accommodations, discipline and safety issues at school. Melanie relies on her extensive volunteer work with the autism community and through the special education advisory committee of her local school board to successfully advocate for the children and youth that she represents.

Melanie has been recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada for her expertise in family law and you can find Melanie on ReferToHer – experienced female lawyers to whom you can confidently refer work. Melanie is routinely consulted by other family law lawyers on disability related issues in family law, including child support for adult “children” living with a disability and for specific information on education and therapy supports for children living with autism. She was recently successful at the Ontario Court of Appeal [J.F.R. v. K.L.L., 2024 ONCA 520 (CanLII)] in a seminal decision affirming the rights of adults living with disabilities who remain under parental charge to procedural fairness and natural justice, including the common law presumption of capacity, in family law litigation between their parents.

Melanie has published in the areas of family law and social justice matters, and is a past contributor to The Lawyer’s Daily, a division of LexisNexis Canada. An avid runner and varsity athlete, including completing the Chicago and Boston marathons, Melanie has received awards for excellence in combining academic and athletic achievement

Abstract: The webinar will provide information and practical considerations for family law lawyers when acting for clients with a disability and/or with children living with disabilities when assisting with developing parenting agreements and negotiating child support, including support for children over the age of majority unable to withdraw from parental charge due to their disabilities.

Deadline to register: Wednesday May 7th at noon.

Meeting link and materials will be sent a day prior to the event.