Lorne MacLean, KC named a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers
This prestigious recognition for BC’s best international family and high net worth lawyers reflects Lorne MacLean KC and MacLean Law’s record-setting achievements, including the highest spousal support, child support, lump-sum spousal support, special costs, and financial penalties awards. These accolades were earned through exceptional expertise in high net worth and ultra-high net worth family law.
Membership in the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL) is highly prestigious because it is an invitation-only organization for the most experienced and skilled international family law specialists in their countries, recognizing lawyers for significant expertise in family law with a substantial international component to their practice. The rigorous, selective application process and the organization’s commitment to improving international family law administration and justice highlight the high standing of its members.
Best International Family Lawyers on Why IAFL Membership is Prestigious 604 602 9000
- Peer-Recognized Expertise: Members are recognized by their peers as being the most experienced and skilled in their respective countries.
- Invitation-Only: Membership is not open to everyone; it is by invitation only after a rigorous application process.
- Rigorous Criteria: Applicants must demonstrate significant expertise in family law and a substantial international component to their legal practice.
- Focus on High Standards: The IAFL is committed to maintaining a high level of expertise within the organization.
- Influence and Networking: Fellows can provide legal advice, network, and contribute to law reform in the field of international family law.
- Global Recognition: Membership signifies an individual’s standing within the global community of international family law practitioners.
MacLean Law – Family Law Firm of the Year
Lorne MacLean, KC received the invitation because of the consistent demonstration of exceptional skill, experience, and integrity in handling complex cross-border family law matters.
The IAFL’s rigorous selection process ensures that only the most accomplished family law practitioners from around the world are invited to join its ranks. Candidates are evaluated on their breadth of international experience, proven record of success in high-level or precedent-setting cases, and their reputation among peers, judges, and clients for excellence and professionalism.
Being elected as a Fellow of the IAFL is a mark of global distinction and peer recognition, signifying that a lawyer operates at the highest level of competence in international family law. Fellows gain access to an exclusive global network of leading legal experts spanning more than 50 countries, enabling collaboration and insight-sharing on complex issues such as international divorce, cross-border asset division, relocation disputes, and jurisdictional challenges.
Membership in the IAFL not only reflects professional excellence and global credibility, but also allows lawyers to contribute to the advancement of international family law practice through education, mentorship, and cross-border cooperation.
Both Lorne MacLean, KC and Fraser MacLean were recently named members of the prestigious LCA – The Litigation Counsel of America,. A close-knit, peer-selected, and aggressively diverse honorary society of 3,500 of the best international trial lawyers you will find anywhere. Lawyers are vigorously vetted for skills, expertise, and service; an invitation-only collegial network of lawyers who effectively represent clients across North America and around the world.
Best International Family Lawyer Lorne MacLean, KC
Lorne MacLean, KC (King’s Counsel), the founder of MacLean Law, is one of the country’s most experienced and respected family and divorce lawyers. He has dedicated his career to achieving exceptional results for clients across British Columbia and beyond. Under his leadership, MacLean Law has been nominated three consecutive years for Best Family Law Firm in Canada, winning the top national prize in 2024.
Recognized as a Top 25 Canadian Lawyer, a BC 500 Leading Business Professional, and a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, Lorne’s achievements reflect his standing as a leading authority in complex and high net worth family law. His firm has also been honoured by Canadian Lawyer Magazine and Lexpert as a three-time consecutive winner (2023–2025) of the Family Law Firm of the Year Award of Excellence, cementing its position as a premier practice in the field.
Throughout his distinguished career, Lorne has set multiple Canadian family law records, including the highest interim and permanent spousal and child support awards ($100,000+ and $116,000+ per month respectively), the largest special costs award ($1.5 million), and groundbreaking rulings in international asset freezing orders (Mareva injunctions) and child custody under the maximum contact principle. His precedent-setting results and tireless advocacy continue to shape the landscape of high net worth and international family law in Canada.
The award-winning team of Vancouver Best International and High Net Worth Family Lawyers has built an unmatched reputation for excellence and results in some of the most complex and high-stakes family law cases in Canada. Over the years, lawyers such as Fraser MacLean have set multiple precedents and achieved record-breaking results including the highest spousal support awards, highest child support awards, largest lump-sum spousal support payments, and the highest special costs, fines, and penalties ever ordered in British Columbia.
Maclean Law won the Family Law firm of the year in 2024 and has been a repeat nominee for the last three years.
MacLean Law has been involved in dozens of landmark international family law decisions, particularly those involving multi-jurisdictional and high net worth disputes. With one of the largest teams of Mandarin-speaking Ultra High Net Worth Family Lawyers in Vancouver, our firm provides a rare combination of cultural understanding, global reach, and courtroom success that few can match.
International Child Custody Lawyers – 604 602 9000
The MacLean Law team regularly represents ultra-wealthy clients from around the world, including those with assets and business interests in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and other major international financial centres. Our firm’s victories on behalf of Mandarin-speaking and Chinese-heritage clients have attracted significant international media attention, with coverage of our record-setting wins appearing on front pages across Canada and abroad.
At MacLean Family Law, we continue to set new legal benchmarks and deliver strategic, powerful results for our clients. We work to protect global wealth, secure fair outcomes, and shape the future of high net worth family law in Canada.
Best Vancouver International Family Lawyers 604 602 9000
Our award-winning Vancouver ultra-high net worth family lawyers have set multiple precedents, achieving record outcomes for clients includes the highest spousal and child support awards, the largest lump-sum spousal support, significant special costs, and the most substantial fines, penalties, and jail sentences in family law cases involving spouses who defied court orders.
MacLean Law has secured decisions for high net worth family law disputes for over 41 years. Additional awards and accolades include:
- Canadian Lawyer Magazine Leap Canadian Family Law Firm of the Year 2024 nominated three years in a row from 2023-2025
- Top 25 Canadian Lawyers, Fraser MacLean
- Lorne MacLean, KC named Canadian Lawyer Magazine Top 25 Canadian Lawyers
- Business in Vancouver BIV 500 Award, Lorne MacLean KC
- Top Choice Best Vancouver Family Law Firm, 2016-2025
- Best Three Rated family lawyers, Vancouver, Surrey, Richmond 10 years plus
- Top Vancouver Family Law Firm Consumer Guide for multiple years
- MacLean Law has achieved multiple wins in the SCC, BCCA and BCSC courts, establishing precedents for “maximum contact” for children, highest spousal support interim awards, highest spousal support permanent awards, highest special costs awards, Mareva Injunctions across the World, Anton Pillar raid successes, 6 month jail time for catching opposing party on hiding income and assets, highest fines awards, relief in cases of parental alienation and more.
High Net Worth Divorce Family Lawyer Fraser MacLean
Canadian Lawyer magazine named Fraser MacLean to its prestigious 2025 Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers list, recognizing him for his outstanding contributions to the profession and his ongoing impact on the legal landscape in Canada. Fraser’s AI advocacy garners headlines, and his day-to-day work in family law is equally transformative. He has diligently built a record of landmark victories in some of British Columbia’s most complex cases:
- Secured one of the largest interim support awards in BC history (Zhang v. Chen, 2023 BCSC 2206, $90M case);
- Convinced the court to reject a Texas custody order on public policy grounds (S.S.C.M. v. A.C.W., 2024 BCSC 1694);
- Succeeded in a 25-day parental alienation trial resulting in parenting enforcement, fines, and court-ordered therapy;
- Overturned final summary judgment in Cho v. Kim, 2023 BCSC 780;
- Prevailed in a 30-day trial involving complex spousal and retroactive child support; and
- Authored a support article cited in Payne on Child Support 2024, a leading national text.
Fraser appears regularly at all levels of BC courts including the BC Court of Appeal and BC Supreme Court, and his reported decisions continue to inspire others and shape the future of Canadian family law.
Contact Kelowna High Net Worth Family Lawyers 604 602 9000
Request a consultation today with MacLean Law.
