International Child Abduction Family Lawyers - Hague Convention Cases Experienced Counsel for Cross-Border Custody Disputes
In a child abduction case, it’s crucial to seek legal representation from a lawyer specializing in family law and international child abduction, as these cases are complex and time-sensitive. Child abduction is a serious concern that can arise following separation or divorce, especially where there is high conflict between parents. In some cases, one parent may take a child to another country without the other parent’s consent, triggering urgent legal action. These cases are legally complex, emotionally charged, and extremely time-sensitive.
At Bobila Walker Law, we represent clients in Canada and internationally in cases involving child abduction under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. We act swiftly and strategically to secure the return of children who have been wrongfully removed or retained across international borders, and to defend against wrongful return applications where appropriate. Our law firm has been historicially involved
We understand the urgency these matters require. Our firm has significant experience in Hague applications and works with international counsel when necessary to ensure cohesive, cross-border strategies. Whether you are seeking to locate a missing child, prevent an unauthorized departure, or defend your parental rights, we offer practical, results-driven legal support every step of the way.
Bobila Walker Law has a proven track record of assisting parents in child abduction cases, including those involving international jurisdictions.
Our firm regularly represents parents whose children have been wrongfully removed from Canada or brought into Canada without consent. Whether under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction or through domestic court proceedings where the Convention does not apply, we act swiftly and strategically to protect parental rights and ensure the best interests of the child are addressed.
At Bobila Walker Law, we understand the urgency, emotional toll, and legal complexity involved in these matters. We provide experienced representation in both initiating and defending against return applications, and we collaborate with international counsel when necessary to secure effective cross-border solutions.
Bobila Walker Law is committed to protecting the best interests of children and achieving fast, effective resolutions in international abduction matters.
What Is the Hague Convention?
The Hague Convention is an international treaty designed to protect children from abduction across international borders by a parent or guardian. The Convention’s primary goal is to ensure the prompt return of children to their country of habitual residence so custody disputes can be resolved by local courts in that jurisdiction.
Over 100 countries—including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong—are signatories to the Convention. Canada has implemented the Convention through federal and provincial legislation, including Ontario’s Children’s Law Reform Act and the International Child Abduction Act.
Our Services in Hague Abduction Cases
Bobila Walker Law offers strategic advice and representation in both inbound and outbound abduction cases:
Outbound (Child Taken from Canada)
If your child has been wrongfully removed from Canada to another country, we can:
- Prepare and submit Hague return applications to the relevant Central Authority;
- Work with foreign counsel to ensure the child’s safe return;
- Seek interim relief from Ontario courts to preserve custody rights.
Inbound (Child Brought to Canada)
If you are defending a Hague application in Ontario, we can:
- Help assess whether any of the Convention’s exceptions apply (e.g. grave risk, consent, child’s objections);
- Represent you in Ontario Superior Court proceedings;
- Assist in parallel custody or access litigation where appropriate.
How Are International Child Abduction Cases Handled in Canada?
In Canada, international child abduction cases are resolved through a careful balancing of parental rights and the best interests of the child. Canadian courts have increasingly recognized the importance of considering a child’s views and preferences, particularly in high-conflict cases involving international borders. This shift in judicial approach requires experienced legal counsel who understand how to gather, present, and assess children’s evidence in accordance with both domestic law and international legal frameworks.
When a child is wrongfully removed from Canada or brought into Canada from another country, the legal response depends on whether the country in question is a signatory to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (the “Hague Convention”). Canada is a signatory, along with over 98 other countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, and most European and South American nations.
If both Canada and the foreign jurisdiction are parties to the Hague Convention, a streamlined legal process is available to seek the return of the child to their country of habitual residence. These applications are time-sensitive and must be brought forward without delay. If the country involved is not a signatory to the Hague Convention, more complex legal remedies will be required, often involving bilateral agreements, diplomatic channels, or domestic custody proceedings under Canadian family law.
At Bobila Walker Law, we help parents navigate the legal complexities of international child abduction cases in and out of Canada. We provide strategic representation in Hague Convention applications, judicial return proceedings, and high-stakes custody disputes involving multiple jurisdictions.
For Urgent and Effective Help with International Child Abduction Cases, Contact Bobila Walker Law
Few situations are more distressing for a parent than discovering their child has been taken to—or is being kept in—a foreign country without consent. At Bobila Walker Law, we provide prompt, strategic, and experienced legal support in international child abduction matters, including those under the Hague Convention.
Our team has deep experience navigating complex cross-border family disputes. We work with trusted legal professionals worldwide to ensure that international cases are handled efficiently and in the child’s best interests. Time is critical in abduction cases, and we act with urgency from the moment you contact us.
If your child has been wrongfully removed or retained across borders, or if you are facing a Hague return application, contact Bobila Walker Law without delay. Reach us online or call 416-847-1859 to speak with a lawyer today.
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our Team
DANIEL
WALKER
MANAGING PARTNER
Daniel Walker is the Managing Partner of Bobila Walker Law and a seasoned litigator whose practice focuses on complex estate, civil, and family disputes. With a reputation for navigating high-stakes matters involving fiduciary breaches, multi-jurisdictional assets, and intricate legal frameworks, Daniel combines legal precision with strategic insight across several intersecting practice areas.
Estate, Trusts & Fiduciary Litigation
Daniel’s principal area of expertise lies in wills, trusts, and estate litigation. He has extensive experience litigating matters involving:
- Contested will challenges
- Breaches of fiduciary duty and trust
- Power of attorney disputes
- Guardianship and capacity litigation
- Dependant’s relief claims under the Succession Law Reform Act
- Complex intestacies
- Trust rectification and variation applications
He also routinely acts as an estate trustee or executor on behalf of domestic and international clients and serves as Power of Attorney for Property and Personal Care.
Passing of Accounts (Contentious & Non-Contentious)
Daniel advises beneficiaries and fiduciaries on passing of accounts applications, with a focus on tracing assets, scrutinizing expenditures, and litigating claims of misappropriation or negligent administration.
Complex Family Law & Cross-Border Litigation
Daniel brings unique expertise to family law disputes:
- High-value family litigation involving international property, hidden assets, and jurisdictional disputes between Canada and Europe.
- Advises clients through every phase of separation, divorce and related disputes.
- Handles contested and collaborative matters alike, including division of family property (from personal assets to complex business interests), child-custody and support issues under the Federal Child Support Guidelines, and spousal maintenance.
- Enforcement of prenuptial, postnuptial and cohabitation agreements, represents clients in mediations, arbitrations and trials, and manages post-judgment enforcement or variation applications to ensure court orders remain fair as circumstances change.
German-Speaking Legal Services
Fluent in German, Daniel frequently advises clients on civil litigation, probate, and estate matters with ties to German-speaking jurisdictions. He also speaks Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian, and is equipped to manage cross-border mandates involving multiple legal systems.
Professional Background
Prior to entering private practice, Daniel served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) in Ottawa. During law school, he worked with:
- The in-house legal team at Rogers Communications
- The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Daniel regularly appears before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, including the Estates List and Commercial List.
Guardianship and Power of Attorney Disputes
Daniel Walker is a trusted Ontario litigator whose practice is devoted to adult guardianship and capacity law. Drawing on extensive courtroom experience and a deep understanding of the Substitute Decisions Act, he guides families and individuals through the complexities of contested guardianship applications with clarity, compassion and precision. Whether an urgent interim order is required to secure a vulnerable adult’s property or comprehensive preparations must be made for a full hearing, Daniel navigates every procedural step and ensures his clients know what to expect at each stage.
Estates Administration
Drawing on deep expertise in the Estates Administration Act and the Estates Act, he oversees probate applications, ensures timely compliance with statutory obligations and protects fiduciaries from personal liability. Recognizing that even straightforward estates can give rise to contested issues—whether challenges to joint-account strategies, claims under Pecore v. Pecore or disputes over executor conduct—Daniel provides proactive counsel to prevent costly delays and litigation.
Beyond routine administration, Daniel advises on the management of high-value and complex estates and trusts, including investment oversight, cross-border transfers and the settlement of debts prior to distribution. He drafts and negotiates mediation agreements in mandatory estate-dispute mediations, handles fiduciary accounting and, where necessary, advocates for clients in contested proceedings. With a focus on preserving estate value and safeguarding trustee and executor interests, Daniel delivers dependable legal counsel tailored to each client’s unique situation.
Civil and Commercial Litigation
Daniel Walker is a seasoned civil and commercial litigator who advocates for individuals, corporations and partnerships in complex business disputes. Drawing on a thorough command of Ontario’s Rules of Civil Procedure and decades of courtroom experience, he guides clients through high-stakes shareholder oppression and partnership breakdown claims, negotiates and litigates breaches of contract and other commercial obligations, and resolves contentious real-estate and property-ownership disputes. Whether you face allegations of defamation that threaten your reputation or professional-negligence claims that endanger your practice, Daniel marshals tailored strategies—combining vigorous trial advocacy with pragmatic settlement negotiations—to protect your interests and achieve commercially sensible outcomes. From case inception through appeal, he manages every procedural step, coordinates expert evidence, and provides clear advice so that you always understand your options and the likely path forward.
Elder Abuse & Elder Law
With extensive experience under the Substitute Decisions Act and related legislation, Daniel Walker combines proactive planning—drafting carefully tailored powers of attorney and guardianship applications—with decisive legal action to secure urgent relief where seniors’ safety or assets are at risk.
Whether you’re concerned about unexplained injuries, unauthorized financial transactions or signs of neglect in a care facility, Daniel provides clear, compassionate guidance every step of the way, coordinating with medical and financial experts to investigate allegations, freeze suspect transactions and restore decision-making authority to the vulnerable adult. His priority is ensuring that every client and family he serves obtains prompt, practical protection and peace of mind.
Whistleblower Protection & Crisis Management
Daniel provides legal support to whistleblowers, professionals, and institutions navigating:
- Professional discipline proceedings
- Matters of national security and confidentiality
- Public sector accountability under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA)
- International immunity and state actor litigation
With deep experience handling workplace-related and service-related human rights disputes, Daniel guides clients through every stage of the process: from initial fact-gathering and document preparation to mediation, Tribunal hearings and, if necessary, appeals. He pursues remedies ranging from financial compensation and reinstatement to public-interest orders requiring systemic policy changes. By blending pragmatic risk management with rigorous advocacy, Daniel ensures that his clients remain compliant with Canada’s shifting human rights landscape and that those who suffer discrimination obtain prompt, effective redress.
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The firm was kind and compassionate in dealing with my situation, and was always available to answer any questions that I had. I ended up winning my appeal and am now able to pursue my goal
