I was called to the Bar of Ontario in April 1988. Since that time, I have practiced exclusively in the area of family law. I have negotiated agreements for clients and represented clients in arbitration and court proceedings in relation to parenting issues, child and spousal support issues, divorce and property issues. I have also taught at the Bar Admission course and authored one of the chapters in the Bar Admission Course teaching materials. As a full-time family law mediator, I work with clients on their own or together with their lawyers.

I have always maintained a balanced practice, representing equal numbers of male and female clients.

As a mediator, I am available to help common law and married (same sex and heterosexual) couples resolve all issues arising from the breakdown of their relationships, including parenting issues, child and spousal support issues as well as property issues.

I believe that in order to be an effective mediator, one must have strong interpersonal skills, empathy, a sense of humor and confidence.

I also believe that it is very important for mediators to have a solid understanding of the law as it relates to all issues arising from the breakdown of common law and marital relationships. A skilled mediator understands the emotional stages that people experience as they transition through a separation and is able to respect the different life experiences that clients bring to the mediation process.

It is extremely important for a mediator to be creative and to possess strong drafting skills so that agreements which are negotiated during the mediation process stand up to scrutiny and are legally enforceable in the long term.

Finally, it is crucial that family law mediators remain committed to continuing legal education so that they can better serve clients.

It is a combination of all of these skills that I bring to the mediation process.

My role
The mediation process