I remember the first time I walked out of a training course in domestic abuse. Having lasted several days, the course left me sobered. It left me reeling. Do millions of individuals across Canada and the United States alone live out this nightmare daily as we go about our lives?

I went on to complete my training and began applying these teachings in my work with mediation clients. TheRead more »

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A separation agreement is a vital document within the divorce process. The separation agreement details the terms a couple has agreed upon in relation to their divorce. While the document 

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Upon separating, one question men and women find themselves asking is “How do I find a lawyer??” The prospect of entering divorce proceedings is a daunting one. Throughout the process, your lawyer becomes your advocate, advisor, interpreter, and partner as you navigate the legal field. However the question remains – “How do I find the right lawyer for my case who is analytic, experienced, thorough and compassionate. And how do I keep costs down?!”

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What is alternative dispute resolution ADR displayed over picture of wedding bands on a table

What if there was a different way of resolving post-marital conflict? One that instead of tearing people apart helped them to come together, see eye to eye and work on finding solutions that benefited everyone? Marital breakdown is most often predicated by some level of conflict. Disagreements and destructive communication wear away at a couple’s relationship until their union has crumbled – and it’s precisely at this point that these two individuals are expected to sit down and establish the terms of their divorce, including parenting plans, property division and support.

Couples often assume that drawing a case through the court system is the only way to come to a divorce settlement. This is, after all, the illustration that the media has given us for years now. However in recent decades forms of alternative dispute resolution have gained popularity as more cost effective, efficient and solution oriented avenues for negotiating divorce settlements. Professionals are now assisting their clients in building cohesive co-parenting relationships, rather than engaging in an all-out courtroom battle.

Alternative Dispute Resolution, or ADR, refers to alternative methods used to keep legal conflicts out of court. There are a number of primary forms of ADR that are available to those navigating the divorce process, ranging from those where decisions rest in the hands of the parties themselves, to those where decision making authority is given over entirely to a third party.Read more »

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