One of the most common fears during separation is cost. Traditional family litigation in Ontario can quickly become unpredictable. Hourly billing, court attendances, adjournments, and procedural delays often extend both the timeline and the financial burden. Flat fee family mediation offers a different structure. What Is Flat Fee Mediation? Flat fee mediation provides clarity about […]

Why is your separation date important in the calculation of your Net Family Property? When a couple separates, they need to calculate their Net Family Property in order to come up with an equalization payment. The first step is to calculate the property value of each party at the date of marriage and at the […]

Why is knowing your family’s financial situation so important? It is quite normal and frequent to see one spouse in charge of most of the finances/investing and the other spouse in charge of the household, children’s activities etc. As archaic or old fashion as this may sound, you would be surprised how many of my […]

Separating or Divorcing, how can a mediator help… Some say that “it takes family members on average approximately four to eight years to recover from the emotional and financial expense of a bitter divorce”. The problem with litigated divorces, in most cases, is that there is no possible resolution of the emotional issues, how can […]

The importance of knowing the true value of your pension in Marriage or Divorce. So many people don’t think of their pension as being an asset and unfortunately quite often, they also don’t realize its true value until it’s too late. A lot of my clients who have pensions, don’t know the type of pension […]

Some Useful Information What Happens Next: Information for Kids About Separation and Divorce, published by Department of Justice, Canada – www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family Tug of War: A Judge’s Verdict on Separation, Custody Battles, and the Bitter Realities of Family Court, by Justice Harvey Brownstone, ECW Press, 2009 Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement without Giving In, Roger Fisher and […]

Why is Full Financial Disclosure important? If you and your spouse are in the process of separating or getting a divorce, you can imagine that the most painful part of the process will center on money. In order to make the right financial decisions for yourselves and your children, it is crucial for each party […]

A little something about your mediator It seems I have always loved helping others, and this, from a very young age. I am known to have a knack for ‘active listening’ and the ability of bringing people together and fostering relationships based on trust and respect. I am approachable to all, no matter the gender, […]

Mediation/Arbitration…what is it all about? Mediation-Arbitration or Med-Arb, is an approach that combines the benefits of both techniques. The sessions start with the parties trying to collaborate on an agreement with the help of the mediator, or the med-arbiter. This process follows the usual mediation process, initial individual meetings, followed by sessions with both parties. […]

Facilitation – What is it all about? People deal with conflict or change in different ways. Some people are extremely emotional some others keep everything bottled up inside. Some get very angry and some are very sad. Some listen to their heart and some, more logical beings, think with their brains. Some want to talk […]

What is spousal support and am I entitled to it? In Ontario, spousal support is almost always paid by the spouse with the higher income to the spouse with the lower income. How is spousal support calculated? The Ontario Family Law Act specifies the factors judges must consider when calculating spousal support or alimony:• Financial […]

Le Plan Parental Qu’est-ce qu’un Plan Parental?Un plan parental est un document écrit dans lequel est décrit la manière dont les parents élèveront leurs enfants après une séparation ou un divorce. Certaines personnes utilisent les termes juridiques, comme « garde » et « accès » pour désigner ce type d’arrangements mais dans un cas de […]

The Benefits of Mediation • Effective Process: The success rate is usually around 80%-85%. • Better Results: The resolution is created by the parties and is therefore tailored to their specific needs and interests. Studies show that this results in less breaches of agreement reached. • Speed: Mediation can be arranged in a short period […]

Parenting Plans and the Secret Ingredient. A parenting plan is a written document that outlines how parents will raise their children after separation or divorce. This document once finalized by the parties, reviewed by legal counsel can also be signed by a judge and become a court order, enforceable by the court. I often get […]

Mediation vs Litigation Most people don’t realize that when they go through lawyers to settle their differences, I’m referring to cases of separations and divorces because that’s my area of expertise, what they end up paying their lawyers is much more than just the hourly lawyer fees. In an article Gail Johnson wrote back in […]

Why do we have conflicts in the workplace? Many disputes arise out of a failure by either party or both parties to communicate, understand or consider the needs and interests of the other. People tend to simply focus on “Who is right and who is wrong?” This makes them incapable of considering the possibility that […]