Kawartha Collaborative Practice

This week we feature one of our lawyer members, Garth Whitford. Garth practices in Lindsay, Ontario and has offices in Lindsay and Minden, Ontario. Garth graduated from Carleton University in 1986 having obtained an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Law in Psychology. In 1989, he then completed a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration at Carleton University. Next, Garth completed his Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Toronto in 1991 and was called to the ...Continue reading

This week we feature, Douglas Lamb, one of our Financial Professionals. Doug believes a Financial Professional, experienced in Family Law matters, can be an invaluable and cost-effective asset to clients in their separation/divorce work, especially fulfilling a Neutral role as part a Collaborative Team. The Collaborative Process enables clients to respectively develop a Settlement that meets their interests and needs rather than an impersonal court imposed one. Doug has be...en providing trusted Financial advice for over forty years and Collaborative Practice and Divorce Financial Planning services for over fifteen years. His credentials include o Chartered Accountant (CA) o CFP (Certified Financial Planner) o EPC (Elder Planning Counsellor) His services include o Discussions and information on Process Options including: Kitchen Table Collaborative Process Mediation o Financial Disclosure, including: Preparation Explanations o Settlement Options, including: Identification Preparation Explanation & Evaluation including Short & Longer-Term Impacts o Longer Term Financial Plans He is passionate in working with clients to ensure they understand the process they are undertaking, the decisions they are going to face, the short- and long-term implications of settlement options they will be presented with. He welcomes the opportunity to provide a no cost initial consultation to ensure that clients fully understand the role he can play in their process. Some fun facts about Doug: - He has been a dedicated and supportive member of the Kawartha Collaborative Practice Group executive for many years. - He enjoys spending time both at his home in Toronto and at his second home in the Kawarthas. - He enjoys spending time with his grandchildren and seeing the world through their eyes. For more information or to contact Doug please contact him at the following: Address R.R. #1 Fenelon Falls Telephone 416-886-1555 Email [email protected] Website FinancesFirstDivorce.ca or http://www.kawarthacollaborative.com/douglas-lamb

This week we profile one of our Financial Professionals, Mark Noxon. Mark restricts his practice solely to dealing with matrimonial matters. He focuses on the financial aspects of separation and divorce, working closely with clients and their legal counsel. Combining his technical knowledge with creative thinking helps generate settlements that optimise the financial outcome for both spouses, and helps them move forward. Mark can provide business valuation and income determi...nation services, where desired. Mark is trained for, and very experienced in, acting as a financial neutral in collaborative proceedings, but also works in the mediation and traditional processes. Mark is a Chartered Accountant (CA) and Chartered Business Valuator (CBV). He has furthered his knowledge of the financial aspects of family law through obtaining the Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) designation. Mark also holds a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designation, which is helpful for those cases where some financial due diligence may be necessary. Some fun facts about Mark: - Mark has a son in school in Peterborough and a cottage in Haliburton Highlands, and is very familiar with the Kawarthas. - Mark is an avid ATV’r , snowmobiler and cyclist, with an unusual love for Italian racing bicycles. For more information about Mark please see http://www.kawarthacollaborative.com/mark-noxon or contact his office at 416-707-8089.

This week we feature one of our lawyer members, Susan Peel. Susan has been a lawyer for 28 years. She is passionate about assisting couples resolve their family law disputes as peacefully as possible. Susan’s law practice is restricted to Settlement work which means all of her time is spent settling her clients’ cases with a focus on collaborative law and mediation. Susan genuinely cares about her clients’ emotional wellbeing as much as their financial wellbeing. Susan... restricts the number of files she takes on to her caseload so that her clients receive timely service when they need it. Susan offers both in person and state of the art online services. Some fun facts about Susan: - Susan is a founding member of Kawartha Collaborative Practice and was the Chair for the first four years until passing the torch to Chantel Lawton. - Susan and her husband have three adult children and one zany granddaughter. - Susan is an avid hiker and has plans to trek internationally, as soon as she can find a plane to take her away.... For more information about Susan please see her profile at: http://www.kawarthacollaborative.com/susan-peel Or contact her office at 1-705-878-4820 or [email protected]

Donna is one of our family lawyer members, and focuses solely on settlement work in Peterborough and Whitby. Despite being a lawyer with 32 years of experience, Donna sees her work as constantly evolving by trying to find the most effective way to help clients resolve their legal issues. How can challenging issues be resolved in a dignified and constructive way and at the same time ensure that legal expenses are reasonable? The collaborative process is often the best solution... because clients have the benefit of expertise from lawyers, family professionals and financial professionals. Donna looks forward to working with clients on a new online dispute resolution platform which streamlines collaboration between the parties and professionals. Some fun facts about Donna: - Donna has a keen interest in technology dating back to jobs in the 1970s and 1980s using the Wang word processor and Apple computers - She attended Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation to learn how to manage difficult conversations (which has been helpful in family law negotiations and with family members!) - Donna has snowmobiled and driven on Lake Temagami, experiences which have taken her way beyond her comfort zone

This week we feature one of our lawyer members, Russell Alexander. He has various offices in the GTA and central east Ontario including Markham, Whitby, and the City of Kawartha Lakes. Russell is a graduate of University of Toronto and obtained his law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the Bar by the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1998 and commenced his practice in Lindsay, Ontario. Russell works exclusively on divorce law and family related matters, inc...luding custody, spousal support, child suppoort and divorce. Russell is an experienced litigator who has used his advocacy skills to win many family law trials for his clients. But he also understands the emotional and financial costs of litigation, which is why Russell works to resolve as many cases as possible without going to trial. He is a fully trained Collaborative Practice lawyer and is a member of the Durham and Kawartha Collaborative Practice Groups. Russell has presented at the Solo and Small Firm Conferences in Toronto as well as the American Bar Association's Tech Show, the LSUC's 'Opening your Law practice' conferences, the OCLF conference "Full Team Ahead". Russell was also the Chair of the LSUC's Family Law and Technology program. Some fun facts about Russell: - He likes KFC on Fridays! - He used to have shoulder length long hair. - He is the youngest of 4 boys. For more information about Russell please see http://www.kawarthacollaborative.com/russell-alexander or contact his office at 705-324-0111.

This week we are featuring one of our lawyer members, Chantel Lawton. Chantel practices primarily in Lindsay, Ontario and has a settlement based practice. Chantel is both a Collaboratively Trained Lawyer and an Accredited Family Mediator. Chantel recognizes that separating is emotionally, financially, and legally challenging. At perhaps one of the most sensitive times in a persons life, significant decisions with long term impacts are being made. Helping families throug...h that transition, with dignity, is important. It is important to Chantel that she provides her clients with the support they need, and access to the professionals they may need, to help them identify and achieve their goals. Chantel likes to meet with her clients and learn from them what they need, what are their priorities, and help them choose what steps to take and what process may best meet their needs. In the Collaborative Process we will work with financial professionals, to develop a financial plan for your future, and parenting professionals to develop a plan for your children, as needed. The Collaborative Process is focused and tailored for your unique family and is designed to help your family move forward, to be okay, and to ultimately have finality and peace. The Collaborative Process allows you to have the right team to support you through each aspect of your separation. Some fun facts about Chantel: 1. She is currently the chair of Kawartha Collaborative Practice. 2. In her spare time Chantel likes to involve herself in creating music and in recent years has been involved with the Kawartha Lakes Concert Band. 3. She enjoys camping with her family. For more information about Chantel see http://www.kawarthacollaborative.com/chantel-lawton or to contact her call 705-878-9949 or email at [email protected]

Meryn Steeves is one of our lawyer members, and has a busy Family Law practice based in Peterborough. She earned her Juris Doctor at Dalhousie Schulich School of Law in Halifax, NS, with a specialization in Health Law. Before starting her practice, Meryn completed a placement in the Legal Department of the IWK Children’s Hospital and articled with a full-service firm in Halifax. Meryn adopts a collaborative approach to legal problem-solving, applying her knowledge, creativity, and advocacy skills to ensure that clients receive the most effective and practical solutions to their legal issues. She believes that the collaborative process is the best fit for many families as they navigate the changes brought on by a separation.

This week we feature one of our lawyer members, Garth Whitford. Garth practices in Lindsay, Ontario and has offices in Lindsay and Minden, Ontario. Garth graduated from Carleton University in 1986 having obtained an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Law in Psychology. In 1989, he then completed a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration at Carleton University. Next, Garth completed his Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Toronto in 1991 and was called to the ...Continue reading

This week we are featuring one of our lawyer members, Jason Ward. Jason and his wife, Karissa, co-own WARDS LAWYERSPC, which is now one of the largest full-service law firms in Central Ontario. Jason’s practice includes both traditional and collaborative family law, and he is also a qualified and accredited mediator. In 2019, WARDS LAWYERSPC was recognized by the Chamber of Commerce as the Employer of the Year in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Both Jason and Karissa, respective...ly, have also been awarded the Business Leader of the Year Award by the Chamber. Karissa has also been honoured as the Extraordinary Woman of the Year in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Their law firm has received annual recognition as the favourite law firm in the area for more than a decade. Both Jason and Karissa serve on a variety of local boards and offer advisory services to local non-profit and charitable organizations. In addition, they passionately donate and actively participate in many youth mental health awareness initiatives in the area. More information about Jason is available at www.wardlegal.ca. Jason and WARDS LAWYERSPC are also active on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. You can learn more about Jason at http://www.kawarthacollaborative.com/jason-ward Some fun facts about Jason you may not know.... Jason has three teenage kids Wards Lawyers’ annual Kids Road Hockey Tourney is the largest event of its kind in Canada (all in support of kids’ mental health) Jason’s brother, Simon, is the lead singer/songwriter for The Strumbellas, a famous Canadian band Jason’s sister is a lawyer, too (former Crown Attorney in Toronto) Jason’s father, Brian, was a long time lawyer in Lindsay (mostly criminal and family)

This week we feature one of our Family Professionals, Jonathan Paynter. Jonathan graduated from McMaster University with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in 1997 and a Bachelor of Social Work (Summa Cum Laude) in 1999. He worked in the Child Welfare and Youth Justice systems for a few years with children and their families. He then returned to school to complete a Master of Education in Counselling Psychology from the University of Toronto (2006). He worked in the Ontario Coll...ege system for a few years as a counsellor and then transitioned into working in the Family Court system, completing custody and access assessments, parenting capacity assessments and Youth Court assessments. He has also worked in private practice since 2008 and, in September 2019, opened a full-time private practice, providing psychotherapy and counselling to adults, couples and children. He has specialties in the areas of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy and couple’s counselling. Jonathan has pursued many educational opportunities in addition to his university education, including certificates in Collaborative Family Law, Advanced Family Mediation, Family Arbitration, Relapse Prevention and Actuarial Assessment of Risk. Some fun facts about Jonathan: - Jonathan lived overseas for most of his childhood and a good chunk of his young adulthood, including in Switzerland, Thailand, India, France and China. Jonathan's father was a diplomat which led the family to various countries. - Jonathan spent a summer working at a top-notch winery in the Champagne region of France, where he gave tours of their wine cellars and tastings after the tour. - Jonathan continues to love travelling and has lived in or visited to over 20 countries so far, with many more planned! - Jonathan went to the same public school as Justin Trudeau for a time and was in the same class as his brother, Sacha. Jonathan comments that "we were so young, and it was so long ago, there's no way that he would remember me. I don't remember him, either, but remember a day when the Trudeau kids slipped away from the bodyguards assigned to protect them and they were frantically speeding around my neighbourhood in their menacing-looking black car (tinted windows, of course) looking for him. They stopped me and my friends and briefly interrogated us to find out where they were, not that I knew anything. I believe that they just went to a friend's house in the end, but I'm sure the bodyguards got a tongue lashing from their dad!" For more information about how Jonathan can assist you contact him at 705- 927-0193 or at [email protected].

This week we feature one of our lawyer members, Susan Peel. Susan has been a lawyer for 28 years. She is passionate about assisting couples resolve their family law disputes as peacefully as possible. Susan’s law practice is restricted to Settlement work which means all of her time is spent settling her clients’ cases with a focus on collaborative law and mediation. Susan genuinely cares about her clients’ emotional wellbeing as much as their financial wellbeing. Susan... restricts the number of files she takes on to her caseload so that her clients receive timely service when they need it. Susan offers both in person and state of the art online services. Some fun facts about Susan: - Susan is a founding member of Kawartha Collaborative Practice and was the Chair for the first four years until passing the torch to Chantel Lawton. - Susan and her husband have three adult children and one zany granddaughter. - Susan is an avid hiker and has plans to trek internationally, as soon as she can find a plane to take her away.... For more information about Susan please see her profile at: http://www.kawarthacollaborative.com/susan-peel Or contact her office at 1-705-878-4820 or [email protected]

This week we feature one of our lawyer members, Russell Alexander. He has various offices in the GTA and central east Ontario including Markham, Whitby, and the City of Kawartha Lakes. Russell is a graduate of University of Toronto and obtained his law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the Bar by the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1998 and commenced his practice in Lindsay, Ontario. Russell works exclusively on divorce law and family related matters, inc...luding custody, spousal support, child suppoort and divorce. Russell is an experienced litigator who has used his advocacy skills to win many family law trials for his clients. But he also understands the emotional and financial costs of litigation, which is why Russell works to resolve as many cases as possible without going to trial. He is a fully trained Collaborative Practice lawyer and is a member of the Durham and Kawartha Collaborative Practice Groups. Russell has presented at the Solo and Small Firm Conferences in Toronto as well as the American Bar Association's Tech Show, the LSUC's 'Opening your Law practice' conferences, the OCLF conference "Full Team Ahead". Russell was also the Chair of the LSUC's Family Law and Technology program. Some fun facts about Russell: - He likes KFC on Fridays! - He used to have shoulder length long hair. - He is the youngest of 4 boys. For more information about Russell please see http://www.kawarthacollaborative.com/russell-alexander or contact his office at 705-324-0111.

Carolyn is one of our family professional members, and has been a practicing Social Worker and Mediator for over 20 years. Carolyn has extensive experience in working with children, custody and access, divorce facilitation, child protection and reconciliation therapy. Carolyn has received both Levels 1 and 2 in Collaborative Practice as a Family Professional and is a member of the Board of Directors for Kawartha Collaborative Practice. She believes in the Collaborative appr...oach to Family Law as it allows families to resolve their disputes creatively and cooperatively, working towards a mutually acceptable settlement, without having to allow the court to make decisions on their personal issues. Carolyn has seen great success with families participating in the collaborative law process as the team works towards bridging their differences, creating shared solutions that acknowledge each family members highest priorities, and focusing on the children’s needs when relevant. Fun facts about Carolyn include that she has always loved spending time with kids and worked as a children's swim instructor throughout high school and university. She also had a 160lb dog that regularly enjoyed stealing full pounds of butter and meat off of the counter as a quick snack.

This week we are featuring one of our lawyer members, Chantel Lawton. Chantel practices primarily in Lindsay, Ontario and has a settlement based practice. Chantel is both a Collaboratively Trained Lawyer and an Accredited Family Mediator. Chantel recognizes that separating is emotionally, financially, and legally challenging. At perhaps one of the most sensitive times in a persons life, significant decisions with long term impacts are being made. Helping families throug...h that transition, with dignity, is important. It is important to Chantel that she provides her clients with the support they need, and access to the professionals they may need, to help them identify and achieve their goals. Chantel likes to meet with her clients and learn from them what they need, what are their priorities, and help them choose what steps to take and what process may best meet their needs. In the Collaborative Process we will work with financial professionals, to develop a financial plan for your future, and parenting professionals to develop a plan for your children, as needed. The Collaborative Process is focused and tailored for your unique family and is designed to help your family move forward, to be okay, and to ultimately have finality and peace. The Collaborative Process allows you to have the right team to support you through each aspect of your separation. Some fun facts about Chantel: 1. She is currently the chair of Kawartha Collaborative Practice. 2. In her spare time Chantel likes to involve herself in creating music and in recent years has been involved with the Kawartha Lakes Concert Band. 3. She enjoys camping with her family. For more information about Chantel see http://www.kawarthacollaborative.com/chantel-lawton or to contact her call 705-878-9949 or email at [email protected]

Amelia is one of our lawyer members. Amelia has an extensive social work background and understands what it means to serve individuals in difficult family situations. Her primary focus is on the area of collaborative family law, as it provides a unique and dynamic way to work with families who need access to emotional, financial, and legal support. Amelia was born and raised in Peterborough, and is actively involved in the Kawartha Lakes community. She currently sits on the board of directors for the Children’s Services Council of Victoria County, and provides leadership in humanitarian aid through Hope Grows, a local not-for-profit organization serving the region of Grand Goave, Haiti.

Carol is one of our lawyer members, and has been a sole practitioner for over 20 years. In addition to being both kind and talented, she has extensive experience in all family law matters. Although Carol has a busy litigation practice, she believes fervently in collaboration to resolve disputes in this area. Carol believes that the goal of a collaborative practice is to assist disputing parties to work towards a mutually fair and equitable resolution, to end their outstanding... issues without the acrimony, anxiety and costs that often accompany litigation and to protect the integrity and health in family relationships. The collaborative component is not about winners and losers. It is intended to assist the parties to communicate with respect, ultimately helping them negotiate terms that leave everyone as whole as possible. This is especially important when children are involved. During recent Zoom meetings, our membership has been lucky enough to enjoy the company of Carol along with her cats, Donut and Pearl.

This week we are featuring one of our lawyer members, Jason Ward. Jason and his wife, Karissa, co-own WARDS LAWYERSPC, which is now one of the largest full-service law firms in Central Ontario. Jason’s practice includes both traditional and collaborative family law, and he is also a qualified and accredited mediator. In 2019, WARDS LAWYERSPC was recognized by the Chamber of Commerce as the Employer of the Year in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Both Jason and Karissa, respective...ly, have also been awarded the Business Leader of the Year Award by the Chamber. Karissa has also been honoured as the Extraordinary Woman of the Year in the City of Kawartha Lakes. Their law firm has received annual recognition as the favourite law firm in the area for more than a decade. Both Jason and Karissa serve on a variety of local boards and offer advisory services to local non-profit and charitable organizations. In addition, they passionately donate and actively participate in many youth mental health awareness initiatives in the area. More information about Jason is available at www.wardlegal.ca. Jason and WARDS LAWYERSPC are also active on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. You can learn more about Jason at http://www.kawarthacollaborative.com/jason-ward Some fun facts about Jason you may not know.... Jason has three teenage kids Wards Lawyers’ annual Kids Road Hockey Tourney is the largest event of its kind in Canada (all in support of kids’ mental health) Jason’s brother, Simon, is the lead singer/songwriter for The Strumbellas, a famous Canadian band Jason’s sister is a lawyer, too (former Crown Attorney in Toronto) Jason’s father, Brian, was a long time lawyer in Lindsay (mostly criminal and family)

Anna is one of our lawyer members. She was raised on a farm just outside of Omemee, Ontario, where she spent many summers wading through creeks, finding quiet spots to enjoy a good book and cursing square bails. Anna initially attended York University, where she majored in history and philosophy, but, she then, very prudently, went somewhere warm and sunny to complete her Bacholor of Arts in History. Anna continued on at the University of Hawaii where she obtained her Juris D...octor from the William S. Richardson school of law. Anna was called to the Hawaii bar in 2001. Following law school Anna joined the Americorp program and worked with the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii. Anna’s practice focused on family law, and in particular, representation of victims of domestic violence. After enjoying ten years in Hawaii Anna was drawn home to Ontario where she articled with Cornell, Mortlock and Sillberg in Lindsay until she was called to the Ontario bar in 2006. Anna practices in the areas of family law, real estate, wills and estates, corporate law, and agricultural law. She is also a panel member for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, a particularly meaningful component of her practice.

This week we feature one of our Financial Professionals, Laura Abrams. Laura provides services in Lindsay, Peterborough, Cobourg and Durham Region. Specialized training in divorce enables Laura to work with separating couples, their lawyers and family professionals to help the affected parties make informed decisions through the collection, analysis and integration of clients’ financial data and values. Laura will spend time to understand both of the clients’ interests an...d illustrate informed and creative divorce settlements. As a Chartered Financial Divorce Specialist Laura is available to spend time together and/or individually with the clients to educate and support them thru the financial challenges involved in the separation/divorce process. Laura is a proud member of The Academy of Financial Divorce Specialists, the FPSC and Kawartha Collaborative Practice Group and acts as a volunteer on various initiatives. She has over 15 years experience in both investment and risk management. By including a CFDS in the team clients benefit by having one person, a financial professional, acting as the quarterback in the collection and interpretation of financial data. A fun fact about Laura is that she was a Registered Nurse for many years before transitioning into the financial industry. She is a Certified Financial Planner and has a business degree from York University. Laura enjoys spending time with her family at the lake. For more information about Laura please see her profile at http://www.kawarthacollaborative.com/laura-abrams or contact her at her office at 905-485-0070.

This week we are featuring one of our Family Professional's. Paul is based in Peterborough but provides services in Lindsay, Peterborough and Cobourg. Paul has worked in the Social Work field for approximately 15 years. He is a former Child Protection Worker, and has been a private practice mediator since 2009. Paul went into the field of Dispute Resolution with a vision of helping people through challenging times and difficult transitions in their lives.... Paul is considered an industry leader in Child Protection Mediation, and has presented on this topic at multiple conferences, as well as written books on the topic that have been cited internationally. Recently, he was interviewed as part of a PhD research project in hopes of implementing Child Protection Mediation strategies in Ireland. Paul has extensive experience working with families engaged in high conflict, and uses creative strategies to keep parents focussed on the needs to children in any Dispute Resolution process. He believes in a collaborative process, as it reinforces the model that everyone involved is part of a team striving for the best overall outcome; especially for children. Paul is a retired (volunteer) on-call firefighter, and a current member of After The Call, a critical incident stress management team for First Responders. All of these experiences combined have served him well in his dispute resolution career, as he is able to stay calm while dealing with crisis situations. Some Fun Facts about Paul are: - He was introduced to mediation after a motorcycle accident in 2002. - He plays the guitar & the button accordion & has released some CD's - He completed the Niagara Falls Marathon To have more information about Paul see http://www.kawarthacollaborative.com/paul-brown or contact him at 905-375-2113.

Many of our professionals are utilizing online resources to connect with families and to keep moving towards to a resolution. Reach out to one of us today.

Joe Hilton is one of our financial professionals. Joe is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), and a Chartered Business Valuator (CBV). As a partner with BDO, Joe provides valuation services to the Kawartha region and much of Central Ontario. Joe has worked with separating spouses since 1999. As a CBV, Joe is often relied on to deal with difficult financial aspects of separation including valuing the family business, determining income for spousal and child support p...urposes, and advising on tax issues. Joe believes strongly in helping separating couples settle their financial issues cost effectively through the more respective collaborative process, instead of the more costly, risky and lengthy litigation process. Most of Joe’s free time is spent in hockey arenas with his three children and his wife Shannon. Joe enjoys camping with family and friends in the summer months, and long walks with his German Short Haired Pointer named Moose.

We meet regularly to learn from each other, grow our skills in the collaborative process, and discuss how to serve our clients as effectively as possible. Check out our website at www.kawarthacollaborative.com to find out if the collaborative process is right for you!

This week we are featuring Sherri Bayley. She is one of our lawyer members with offices in both Lindsay and Peterborough. Sherri practices mainly as a family law lawyer. Studying law overseas provided her with an in depth analysis of the origin of common law and that compelled her to develop excellent research skills. She finds those skills are beneficial in unique cases. In addition to having a law degree from the United Kingdom, Sherri completed the Masters Canadian Com...mon Law Program at Osgoode Hall Law School. Throughout her education and experience, Sherri has always been interested in research. As a family law lawyer, I use my well-developed skills to provide clients with accurate legal advice. Continuing legal research is essential to having an in demand law practice. Some fun facts about Sherri are that she is known to be creative and she manages the stressful nature of her career by making time for "silly time". For more information about Sherri and how she can assist you with your collaborative needs, you can reach her at 705-878-6980, or find her on the Kawartha Collaborative website at http://www.kawarthacollaborative.com/sherri-bayley.

Abi is a lawyer member. "I believe that following separation, family relationships should be preserved and not destroyed by the aggression and bitterness that often comes from going to court. My goal is to assist you and your family in reaching a better and amicable resolution. As your collaborative lawyer, I will support you through the whole process so that you feel empowered to make the right decisions, which will be uniquely tailored to your needs and your family needs. I... am committed to working with you to provide unique strategies and resolutions that fit your unique family situation. Having practiced family law in Ontario since 2010, I find that most parties are often dissatisfied with an Order imposed upon them by a Judge. Separating parties often feel like their Judge does not know them and often does not take into consideration what is important or unique to their particular families. I find that collaborative law is a better way to resolve issues arising out of separation, rather than going through court, which is not only stressful and expensive, but also unpredictable. I also find that clients who have control over, or that are involved in, the decision making during their separation are often happier and more likely to follow the agreement reached. As your collaborative lawyer, I will be with you at every step, guiding you through the process in a peaceful, respectful, and less stressful way. I am an English trained lawyer who graduated from the University of Wolverhampton in 1993. I relocated to Canada in 2008, and have been practicing primarily as a family law lawyer in Ontario since 2010. I am passionate about my clients - in assisting them to obtain the best results and in guiding them through the legal system while maintaining dignity."