Roselyn T. Pecus Professional Corporation is a boutique family law firm located in the heart of Vaughan. For the past 30 years, our firm has helped clients all over the GTA find practical, strategic, and cost-effective solutions towards resolving all aspects of their family law issues.
We pride ourselves on providing our clients with an office environment that is warm, welcoming, and comfortable as we understand navigating complex legal issues on your own is not easy, and can be, in fact, quite stressful and daunting.
We work towards developing strong relationships with our clients by proactively listening and understanding their individual goals and needs. We then focus on formulating a tailored action plan to attain their reasonable goals in a timely and efficient manner.
We approach each client matter with empathy, attention, and care, ensuring that our clients are informed of their options each step of the way and that they understand their rights and obligations.
Our objective not only is to strive to achieve our client’s goals, but to ensure that they are stronger when they leave than when they first arrived.
Roselyn is the principal and managing lawyer at Roselyn T. Pecus Professional Corporation with
over 30 years of experience in all aspects of family law. She received her Bachelor of Arts &
Science, Honours from McMaster University in 1987, graduating summa cum laude, and her
Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1990. After articling with a mid-size Toronto
civil litigation firm, she was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1992.
Roselyn is trained in mediation and is a qualified Collaborative Family Lawyer. She has also
been an advocate for children through the Office of the Children’s Lawyer for the past 25 years.
She appears regularly in the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice
throughout the GTA and other areas of Ontario.
Roselyn is a strong litigator and has successfully litigated many high conflict cases in court. She
thoroughly enjoys her litigation practice, particularly trial advocacy. She is sought after by young
lawyers to mentor them as they embark on their first trials and by social workers of the Office of
the Children’s Lawyer to train them as witnesses as they prepare for giving testimony at trials.
As well as litigation, she has extensive knowledge and experience in negotiating and preparing
domestic contracts. Her approach is collaborative in nature and settlement oriented. However,
she does not shy away from litigation and is often referred files that are high conflict or headed
to trial by her peers.
Roselyn is honest, direct, and practical in her advice to clients, regularly advising them on the
merits of their case and conducting a cost benefit analysis on how to proceed with their matter.
She aims to ensure that her clients are stronger when they leave than when they first arrived. She
strives for excellence in all her work earning the respect of her colleagues, judges and most
importantly her clients. She loves her work as it has been and continues to be gratifying serving
clients and improving their situation from one of abuse, great sadness, or grief to one of closure,
growth, and strength.
Education
1990
JD, Osgoode Hall Law School
1987
B.Arts Sc. (Honours), McMaster University
Credentials
1992
Called to the Ontario Bar
Notable Cases
2014
JanChan v. Chan, 2014 ONSC 666Summary
Ms. Pecus represented the Applicant Wife Ms. Chan who was the successful party in this matter. As the successful party, Ms. Pecus was able to recover full indemnity costs for Ms. Chan in the amount of $19,920.67. Ms. Chan’s success can be attributed to Ms. Pecus’ approach in serving a reasonable and timely Offer to Settle prior to trial and the trial judge recognizing the unreasonable conduct of the Respondent Husband.
2012
NovLee v.Belperio, 2012 ONSC 6389Summary
Ms. Pecus represented the Respondent Father Mr. Belperio who was the successful party in this matter. When assessing the parties’ costs submissions, the Honourable Justice McGee found the Applicant Mother’s conduct to be unreasonable due to her failure in not providing notice of the motion to the Respondent Father, or first issuing a Motion to Change the Separation Agreement. Accordingly, Ms. Pecus was able to recover a cost award of $12,000 for Mr. Belperio for the motion.
SepNCL v MB, 2012 ONSC 5422Summary
Ms. Pecus represented the Respondent Father Mr. B. The Applicant Mother brought an emergency motion without notice prior to issuing pleadings and prior to a Case Conference for temporary orders relating to parenting issues. The Honourable Justice McGee recognized that the variation of custody terms are no light matter, and there must be a material change in circumstances in varying the terms of the Separation Agreement. Her Honour also emphasized that “no parent should be caught off guard when the interests of children are at stake. An early motion is not an opportunity for a pre-emptive strike.” The court ultimately found that there was no basis to terminate access for the Respondent Father, it was premature to vary custody as requested by the Applicant Mother, and there was no finding of urgency, as required under Rule 14(4.2) for a motion to be heard prior to a Case Conference. Therefore, the court ruled that there should be no change in the status quo, and costs were awarded to the Respondent Father.
2011
JanH.P. v. W.P.1, 2011 ONCJ 159Summary
Ms. Pecus was counsel for the Respondent Father during a thirteen (13) day high conflict trial involving disputes surrounding the parenting issues of a five (5) year old child. With the representation of Ms. Pecus, the Respondent Father was successful in changing the final consent custody order in favour of the Respondent father. The court found that the Applicant Mother had frequently and repeatedly breached various court orders and various clauses in those court orders. Moreover, after finding evidence surrounding the Applicant Mother’s outrageous and deplorable behaviour which involved her and her partner alienating the Respondent Father from the child, the court ultimately found that she had no understanding or ability to meet the child’s very basic needs. Therefore, the court transferred custody of the child to the Respondent Father and limited the Applicant Mother’s access to 1 two-hour visits per fortnight at a supervised access center.
2008
OctPeers v. Poupore, 2008 ONCJ 615Summary
Ms. Pecus represented the Respondent Father Mr. Poupore in a two (2) day trial involving the significant expansion of his parenting time including overnights. The Respondent Father’s access was initially limited to just three hours, once a week, as well as an additional two hours, once every three weeks. The Respondent Father was able to persevere with Ms. Pecus on his side and obtain the orders he was seeking. The trial judge found that the Respondent Father acted reasonably whereas the Applicant Mother did not. The Applicant Mother was determined to bar the Respondent Father’s overnight access and insisted on going to trial. The Respondent Father served a comprehensive Offer to Settle, and the Applicant Mother failed to respond, nor did she serve an Offer of her own. In fact, the Applicant Mother made no settlement proposals at all. Moreover, the Applicant Mother failed to comply with various terms of the consent signed by the parties. Accordingly, Ms. Pecus was able to recover 60% of the Respondent Father’s Bill of Costs in the amount of $32,000.
With over 35 years of experience working for lawyers in the GTA, Laurie has acquired the skill
and knowledge required to navigate the ever-changing Court system and Family Law Rules. As
a main point of contact for many clients, she is available to assist clients in understanding court
procedures and documents to ensure that clients are met with quality administrative and legal
care. Laurie is dedicated to going above and beyond for our clients and treats each one with the
respect and compassion they deserve.
When not at work Laurie enjoys spending time with her family and two dogs.
