Barrister & Solicitor | Family Law · Wills & Estates · Civil Litigation

[email protected] | (613) 730-8865

Timothy N. Sullivan practices Family Law, Civil Litigation and Wills & Estates in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario.

“Tim” to his family and friends, “My Friend” to opposing counsel in court, “TNS” in office memos, and “Dad” to two terrific tax deductions. Hailing from Timmins, he has Northern Ontario depicted in his office and coursing through his veins and stories of his youth as he was born and raised when it was the largest city in North America. It was while delivering The Timmins Daily Press when he learned that -40˚C was the same in Fahrenheit.

Tim left the north for Wilfrid Laurier University where he obtained a BA in Political Science with a General Major in History and years later, returned to his alma mater for a Masters in Poli. Sci. He’d love to discuss with you how former Supreme Court Justice Bertha Wilson, Carol Gilligan’s ethic of care, Jean Piaget’s cognitive development theory and Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development relate to car thefts in New Jersey (or something like that).

After receiving his bachelors degree, Tim traveled Europe and returned to find he was disenfranchised from voting in the Charlottetown referendum. He found self-employment as a court reporter. He prepared transcripts for various tribunals, like the RCMP Service Tribunal, the Ontario Environment Assessment Board and the Indian Lands Claim Commission [sic] but his bread and butter gig was at the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board. His job as court reporter brought him to such wondrous sites as Chatham, Ottawa, and Inverary, Ontario and Sherbrooke and Montreal, Quebec.

In 1993 he seized the opportunity to run a federal election campaign “back home” in a riding spread over 46,000 km² with fewer than 1 voter per km² on average.

Tim started in Ottawa on October 26, 1993 as Legislative Assistant to the Member of Parliament for Timmins-Chapleau, who was the Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources. Research any S.O. 31s from his boss and you will find his fingerprints, often regaling the House of Commons with the successes of the world-famous Queen of Country Pop.

Tim left the second coldest capital city (there is some dispute over this claim) for his Masters, then to balmy Windsor, Ontario for Law where he excelled at (the) Bridge, was a reviewer for The Windsor Review of Legal and Social Issues and brought in diverse speakers such as David Brown of the Securities Commission, the first head of the College of Teachers when it began disciplinary procedures, Bencher and Law Times columnist Gary Lloyd Gottlieb, QC and NDP leader Alexa McDonough. Lawyer and Hockey Hall of Fame star (he was not yet an MP and Cabinet Minister) Ken Dryden PC, OC, Justice Rosalee Abella and Guy-Paul Morin also spoke at the Faculty of Law.

Tim was the first UofWindsor Co-ordinator of Pro Bono Students Canada. Unheralded, Tim is proud to have been top of his class in Evidence and Business Associations.

Tim began Articles at a mid-sized Ottawa general practice firm in the last century and completed his Bar Admission in December, 2001. The flowers he receives on Valentine’s Day* may be for the anniversary of his Call to the Bar (who can know for sure?).

In February, 2002, Tim started as an Associate at a law firm in Perth, Ontario, where he cut his teeth practicing Criminal Law, Real Estate, Family and Civil Litigation, Corporate Law, Administrative Law, Landlord/Tenant and Provincial Offences. He was a roster duty counsel for Legal Aid Ontario in the Perth Courthouse. He sat on the Conflict of Interest Committee of the Lanark Law Association. He was a founding member of the Lanark Collaborative Law Association. He served a few years on Perth’s Business Improvement Area board on whose behalf he made representations to the Town Council related to provincial regulation of storage of hazardous materials. It was in Perth where he fell in love with the Prettiest Town in Ontario¹ and his then soon-to-be bride, now of over 20 years.

Sadly, family and professional circumstances required that he take up stakes and accept a position at a couple of small, general practice firms in Ottawa to continue with his Family Law and Civil Litigation practice. In 2011, with a new assistant, a laptop and a vacant office with only empty boxes for seats, he founded SullivanLaw. (It is nicely furnished now).

Tim continues practicing Family Law, Will & Estates and Civil Litigation. He requalified and resumed his Collaborative Family Practice. He has appeared before the Ontario Municipal Board, the Ottawa Board of Education, the Landlord Tenant Board, the Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice, the Divisional Court and has written submissions for the Supreme Court of Canada.

Tim is a former member of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, representing it on the “Apology Act Task Force”. He is the administrator of the Solo Ontario Lawyers – Private Facebook group to provide support and comfort to small Ontario law firm owners and is a formal Coach/Mentor through the Ontario Law Society’s Coach and Advisor Network and mentors informally to young legal professionals. He is not too proud to say he continues to rely on colleagues for advice and guidance.

In his off time, Tim is a proponent of self-care and mental health for lawyers and encourages meditation to anyone who asks.  He is a proud supporter of the South Ottawa Little League and sits on its board of directors. He has been a puck and ring wrangler for his children’s ice sports at practices when he is not freezing in the stands for games, cheering on from the corner (who can sit during the fast action on skates?)

Tim still misses his Golden Retriever Killarney Tea Rose of 12 years but loves (his wife’s) good boy Denali Summit, whose fur sticks to everything but himself.

Tim loves to ski and believes the best feeling is taking off ski boots with wind burn on his cheeks after a day on the slopes because the Blue Jays don’t play in the winter.

Senior Law Clerk & Office Manager

[email protected] | (613) 730-8865 ext. 116