Judge’s Comments

Mr. Philbert impressed me as knowledgeable counsel…
Robertson D.J. (Young v. Fogarty, Court File No. SC-12-00254-00, Small Claims Court, Owen Sound)

Both parties’ factums were clear, concise and extremely helpful to me and I am grateful to counsel for their hard work.
Lemon J. (Mudronja v. Mudronja, 2008 CarswellOnt 8080; [2009] W.D.F.L. 712; [2009] W.D.F.L. 728; [2009] W.D.F.L. 762; [2009] W.D.F.L. 799; [2009] W.D.F.L. 803; 173 A.C.W.S. (3d) 871)

Given the detail of the materials filed on the motion and the relative equivalence of the time incurred by both sides, I conclude that the hours claimed by the respondent are reasonable. Mr. Philbert is a 2002 call. The Bill of Costs seeks $225.00/hour for Mr. Philbert; his full indemnity rate is $350.00. I consider the partial indemnity rate sought for Mr. Philbert to be reasonable, and I see no problem with the $80.00/hour sought for the law clerks.
D.M. Brown J. (Urbisci v. Urbisci, 2011 ONSC 3 (CanLII))

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not observe (as I did during trial) that both counsel conducted this case in an efficient, effective and cooperative way that made the difficult task of making a decision in this case easier. I thank them for that.
Le May J. (De Matos v. De Matos, 2016 ONSC 5138)

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not observe again that Mr. Philbert and Ms. Bateman handled a very difficult and contentious case in an efficient, effective and cooperative way. I appreciate their assistance.
Le May J. (De Matos v. De Matos, 2017 ONSC 2045)

Family Law Testimonials

Here I am writing another review for Mr. Shawn M. Philbert and the SMP Law Team because me and my children are over the moon! For anyone reading this review, I won’t waste time writing a nice, generic review. I’m going to speak my truth so that you can make the right choice for yourself when choosing a lawyer. SMP Law is the best decision I ever made.

My ex threatened to contest our marital contract. The whole reason I got the contract in the first place was to protect my children and their future and so that I wouldn’t be put in an awful, stressful situation. Well, sure enough, it was contested! I hired Mr. Shawn Philbert after my initial, free consult and his referral came highly recommended. After that, it was full speed ahead.

Shawn fought hard for me and my children. His compassionate team consisting of Lorrie, Emmanuel and Pedro made me feel valued and protected from day one. No question I had went unanswered. They were always available and explained every process to me in layman’s terms. During the entire process, I was kept in the loop by Shawn and his diligent team. Even when the other side constantly used delay tactics, Shawn’s approach remained straight forward and no nonsense. He did not waste my money playing those typical games.

The first time we won fighting for the validity of the marriage contract, we made case law! You can look it up! After that, incredibly, the interpretation of the valid marriage contract was argued by the other side. Again, Shawn was most strategic and to the point in his defence and we were victorious. Multiple other issues that Shawn was successful with included: costs and my ex’s claims for unjust enrichment and unequal division.

The battle was exasperating for me. I was very stressed out and worried for my children, who suffered greatly from what my ex did. But Shawn fought hard for us. He is direct and concise when communicating with opposing counsel. SMP’s knowledge of the law is impeccable. I say SMP because it’s the entire team that has incredible, meticulous knowledge of the law. Therefore, Shawn and his team made me feel very confident.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to get a prenuptial agreement prior to marriage. It’s imperative. Even after marriage, one can still create a marriage contract. One never expects when entering a relationship that that person would do something so deceitful. Protect yourself, your children and your assets. Its almost compulsory nowadays. I would hate to think about what the outcome could have been had I chosen a different law firm. I’m glad I will never have to find out. Shawn’s successful results are life changing for me and my family.

Life will be good. We will be okay and we will be happy thanks to Mr. Shawn M. Philbert and the SMP Law Team.

(A.V.) June 2023 – Google Review 5 stars

Shawn and his team have been an absolutely pleasure to work with. They have been there with me every step, full support and understanding, never letting me cave in, being very flexible with my own personal situation. The are kind, empathetic and extremely knowledgeable. I highly recommend Shawn and his team and do so any chance I get.

(J.F.) January 2023 – Google Review 5 stars

I called Mr. Philbert as I felt I wasn’t making progress with my original lawyer and mediation. From my initial conversation with Shawn I realized that a change of direction was needed. Shawn clearly explained his process and what the next steps were. After sending a letter to the opposing counsel I felt a sigh of relief and knew I was in good hands (I am a non-confrontational person and I needed someone to fight for me). Shawn is very strong and direct when communicating with opposing counsel and I feel well supported. He knows the law inside and out and how to apply it and can pivot quickly during court sessions (when needed) to the extent that the opposing counsel is steps behind. All that being said I also believe the team Shawn has put in place has been a huge advantage. His team is dedicated and passionate when we sit together to discuss strategy – literally everything stops and their focus and collaboration is amazing. I would recommend SMP in a heartbeat.

(R.K.) August 2021 – Google Review 5 stars

If you’re looking for a professional, friendly law firm to represent you and your family’s best interests, look no further. Choosing SMP Law is absolutely the best decision I have ever made! Shawn Philbert’s confidence, knowledge of the law, attention to detail and years of experience helped me feel tremendously secure at a time when I was extremely distressed and my entire future was in jeopardy. Before Shawn stepped in, my situation was difficult and ongoing for more than a year, with no visible end in sight. Shawn made me a promise, that he’d “clean up this mess” in a year or less and he delivered, with 100% success! Even with the ongoing Covid pandemic, the office ran diligently and meticulously, full steam ahead, while some offices had slowed. SMP Law came highly recommended to me by a friend who cared. If you are reading this now, let me give YOU some great advice: If you are going through divorce and need a family law lawyer, hire Shawn Philbert. It will categorically be the best decision you will ever make for yourself and the future of your family.

(A.V.) – August 2021 – Google Review 5 stars

Parental Alienation Testimonials

I met with Shawn and his team and hired him as my lawyer to deal with my separation issues. I will say one thing about Shawn, if you are looking to chat about you feelings, he is not your guy. Shawn always focused on the issue(s). Shawn was very knowledgeable and professional and always gave me options as he guided me through the legal system. His staff were very easy to work with and ensured we met all of the legal timelines for all of the filings.

My case was a very challenging one which involved several court appearances dealing with the matters at hand. All of the key motions we had in court were won by Shawn with costs and he negotiated a great deal for me to resolve the issues. He also dealt with FRO who were pursing me for $116k using an old order that my Ex filed. He also resolved the issue of unjust S.7 Expenses that my Ex was trying to get from me. Finally, as a self employed person, he was able to get my income set as to the amount I actually earned as opposed to six figure imputed income my Ex was trying to get from me for child support. He also dealt with parental alienation issues for me by getting a clause for reintegration therapy in my settlement.

I am very pleased to recommend Shawn and his team as he resolved my issues and this in turn has allowed to go on with life!

(W.S.) – March 2024 – Google Review 5 stars

This feedback is void of the outcome of my case, but I had to give a pre-testimony in regards to the great experience and work produced by SMP LAW Team.

They keep you up to date and engaged in every step of the process of your file by always keeping you in the loop with key information or updates.
Their dedication, empathy and compassion guiding you through this journey puts you at ease as their goal is to seek the best outcome within their power. Not only do they represent you but they keep your level headed to not make irrational decisions with sound advice.
In my particular case I was falsely accused and arrested without investigation, the only person I could think of calling was Shawn. Even though Shawn is not a criminal lawyer, he was able to swiftly guide me through what’s going to happen, what actions I need to take for us to get back on track and get to the finish line.

If you need to hire a team that will be in your corner I would highly recommend SMP Law.

(B.T.) – July 2023 – Google Review 5 stars

Shawn Philbert (SMP) and his team worked so hard to put an end to my case of severe parental alienation. After years of dealing with false allegations, numerous breaches of the court orders, and parental alienation, Shawn was able to secure me joint custody, 50/50 parenting time, and gave me the ability to be a valuable part of raising my daughter.

During the process, Shawn was able to recommend and get implemented professionals who could work with my daughter and I to rebuild our relationship and work through the obstacle we faced.

During trial, Shawn and Lorrie were incredibly organized and prepared for trial. Shawn and Lorrie made the process seem easy and presented as professional, passionate and dedicated.

Thank you Shawn and team. Our family and especially my daughter appreciates your hard work and commitment to me as a father in this system.

(B.C.) – July 2023 – Google Review 5 stars

Litigation Testimonials

Not only is Shawn an excellent family lawyer as shown by all of the other reviews, but in my experience he is also an amazing civil lawyer! My girlfriend and I bought our first house together and the sellers tried to push us out of the deal to make more money, but Shawn used his extensive knowledge of the law and within 24 hours of only threatening litigation, the opposing counsel conceded and we got our house! If it wasn’t for Shawn and his amazing team we wouldn’t have our house! He is absolutely the lawyer you need if you need to win a case!

(M.F.) – September 2023 – Google Review 5 stars

I got Shawn Philbert referral from the Ontario Law Society for a disputed power of attorney for an elderly relative. The case is still active in court and this is pre-feedback. Shawn is an experienced lawyer who is unafraid of opposing counsel’s intimidation/tactics and he stands up for what is right for his client. I deal mainly with Shawn and Emmanuel. Emmanuel is versed in court procedures and work towards deadlines for filing and serving court materials. Emmanuel took my statements and produced complete, concise and comprehensive affidavits. My case is an upbeat battle and complicated with other third party as respondents who constantly changing lawyers and used delayed tactics. Shawn bought forth motion and seeks relief; He forcefully made his case to the judge and challenged opposing arguments. He successfully won the motion with cost awarded to me by the respondent. He won an urgent motion August 10, 2023 with full cost recovery award to me from the respondent.

(Anonymous) – August 2023 – Lawyerratingz 5 stars

Shawn is awesome! 10/10. If you want a lawyer who is professional and knows what he is talking about, this is your guy! He was very informative with the information I was seeking and it made it very easy for me to understand.

(S.C.) – July 2023 – Google Review 5 stars

I purchased a truck from a used car dealership in Toronto. I was excited and felt I was getting a really good deal. I picked up the truck in Toronto from the used car dealership. As I drove to our trailer in Woodstock, the check engine light came on. I called the dealership. They told me to get it looked at. Monday morning I had the truck dropped off at the GM Dealership in Woodstock. The end result the engine needed a $3000 repair. The used car dealership in Toronto gave the GM Dealership the go ahead. The next day the GM Dealership told me they would not repair the truck due to the rotted out frame. The truck started to bend under its own weight when it was being lifted on the hoist. The truck was hot safetied by the Used Car Dealership in Toronto. Then the fun began. After over a week of ignored phone calls, emails and text messages I talked to Shawn. After 7 days of attempted communication my next email included Shawn. The next day by noon I had not received a call or message. Shawn called me to confirm nothing was being done. After we hung up Shawn replied to all on the email. It was short and sweet. It resulted in communication between myself and the used car dealership within minutes of Shawn’s email. They were very concerned I had brought Shawn into the situation. They refunded me the money for the purchase of the truck, along with the money we had spent on the truck at the GM Dealership.
I know without Shawn’s email, I would have gotten screwed and lost all the money in the truck. Thank You Shawn!!

(M.M.) – October 2022 – Google Review 5 stars

Shawn and his is SMP Team represented my family on two complex cases and through my experience his team was there to get us through these difficult times. One of the cases my father passed away several years ago and his place of Employment cut his severance and retirement short, which my Mother was the beneficiary. Shawn and his team empathized with my mother’s situation making her and us feel comfortable through the process during such a difficult time, especially after a loss.

Shawn and his team are consummate professionals who handled my mother’s case with a great deal of care while being diligent, detailed oriented in their research and delivery to reward her a settlement outcome she deserved.

My experience with Shawn is his Team has been truly golden as his team makes you feel super comfortable. They are about bringing best around bringing the human aspect and looking after the well-being of their clients first and providing valued results. In a recent case Shawn’s and his team demonstrated the same level of consistency and professionalism. I would recommend SMP Law for anyone who needs representation hands down.

(S.G.) – November 2021 – Google Review 5 stars

I recently had a consultation with Shawn regarding probate without a will. Shawn was compassionate and honest during the discussion. He offered practical advice on the best approach for me, given my particular circumstances. He suggested ways to save money and emphasized the importance of shopping around for a lawyer to ensure that there is a good fit based on my needs. I appreciated his candor and would recommend him for this reason.

(K.R.) June 2021 – Google Review 5 stars

SMP LAW was the most accommodating and empathetic experience I could’ve ever felt!

They took my matter seriously from the first phone call and gave me an experience of confidence that they would have my best intention!

Shawn Philbert
Is an exceptional lawyer and gentlemen ,really making my first time dealing with everything from personal concerns with my mental and physical health through this league process. To keeping me in the loop with every single step we would take!

Shawn defended not just my name, but defended my innocence as a person. Above anything I could have asked from him!

(J.J.) April 2021 – Google Review 5 stars

I highly recommend SMP Law. Shawn and his team are very knowledgeable and professional. Excellent customer service.

(T.M.) February 2020 – Facebook