Ivan J. Steele is a Toronto family lawyer and an immigration lawyer, in private practice since 2009 . Since 2016, with the exception of uncontested, administrative, and consent matters, Ivan has limited the scope of his family law practice to alternative dispute mechanisms and out-of-court settlements. Ivan obtained Bachelor’s Degrees in English and Sociology from the University of San Francisco and graduated with honours from the University of Ottawa law school (J.D.). He received additional training in immigration and comparative refugee law at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. As an immigrant himself, Ivan is very familiar with the persona and emotional dimensions of the immigration process. Before starting his own practice as a Toronto immigration and family lawyer, Ivan worked for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, articled at Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, and worked for Jordan Battista LLP. In addition to his background in business and law, Ivan is conversant in theories and effective practices for working with children, adults, and their families in a variety of mental health settings. He received extensive training in alternative dispute resolution strategies and collaborative family law.

A dedicated Buddhist and a humanitarian, Ivan’s brand of “lawyering” stands apart from a traditional litigation paradigm. While appropriate in some cases, the litigation model is woefully inadequate and ill-suited to most family law matters. We want our clients to experience law as a caring profession. We are here to provide much more than legal advice – an emotional refuge and a path for our clients to live their lives the way they want. Ivan is passionate about human rights, nationally and internationally. He is also deeply committed to bringing family together in Canada – primarily through his role as a spousal sponsorship or common-law partner sponsorship lawyer in Toronto and other parts of Canada.