Raheena Dahya
Raheena Dahya LL.B, LL.M, SPCP Mediator, is the Director of Fair(e) Enough, a violence and conflict resolution consultancy, which offers professional development training, advocacy, research and conflict resolution services.
Her background is in law, having been called to the Bar of England and Wales, with her professional expertise being in domestic violence and specializing in forced marriages and ‘honour’ based violence. Power imbalances and violence prevention are two of her major academic and professional interests. With an international background that has led her to studying and working globally as far as England, Spain and the United Arab Emirates, she has a great sense of cultural diversity and sensitivity, helping to provide clients with pluralistic perspectives on the issues at hand. Raheena is an accredited SPCP Mediator, a unique mediation designation available in London, England, that requires mediators to learn and use psychotherapeutic and counseling psychology techniques in mediations. She is a passionate proponent of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes, and believes that whilst litigation is sometimes the appropriate way to resolve disputes, appropriate parties for ADR processes can benefit in some of the most respectful and empowering forms of dispute resolution.
Shely Polak
Shely Polak M.S.W., R.S.W., PhD (cand) is a doctoral student focusing on high conflict separated and divorced families at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto . She has a wide range of experience in working with both children and adult. She has a private practice conducting custody evaluations for the courts and is also an agent of the Office of the Children’s lawyer, where she is responsible for conducting custody evaluations and assisting in representing children’s legal positions. Shely has experience working as a mediator for separated families, helping separated parents create child focused parenting agreements. She also has a passion for working directly with children. For the past 5 years, Shely has been a group facilitator at JFCS for children who have experienced and witnessed domestic violence. Shely is a Registered Social Worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW) and a member of Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC).
Dr. Barbara Fidler
Dr. Barbara Jo Fidler, Ph.D., C.Psych., Acc.FM, is a registered psychologist and accredited mediator practicing in Ontario, Canada. She maintains a private practice and is a founding member of Family Solutions, a team devoted to working with separated and divorced families. Dr. Fidler provides mediation, arbitration, parenting coordination, and expert court testimony. Her practice also includes child, individual, marital and family therapy and reunification intervention. She provides consultation and training and is on the faculty of the Part-Time LLM (Family Law Specialization) Program at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University. She has been actively involved in the development and training of Parenting Coordination services and was appointed to the AFCC Task Force charged with developing guidelines and standards of practice. Dr. Fidler is currently President-Elect of AFCC Ontario and a member of the High Conflict Forum in Toronto. She is on the editorial board of the Family Court Review and guest co-editor of the January 2010 special issue of the Family Court Review: Alienated Children in Divorce and Separation: Emerging Approaches for Families and Courts. A frequent presenter to the judiciary, family bar and mental health professionals on high conflict families and related topics, Dr. Fidler has published articles and chapters in the areas of separation/divorce, parenting plans and residential schedules, alienation and parenting coordination. She is co-author of three books: Child Custody Assessments: A Resource Guide for Legal and Mental Health Professionals, Challenging Issues in Child Custody Disputes, and A Differential Approach to Children Resisting Post-Separation Contact: A Guide for Legal & Mental Health Professionals.
Dr. Barbara Benoliel
Dr. Barbara Benoliel, Ph.D. is a professional mediator, and facilitator specializing in and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in organizations. She holds degrees in Psychology, Organizational Behaviour, and Criminal Justice. She is the President of Preferred Solutions. Her practice area is in civil and criminal mediation, restorative justice, group facilitation, governance, dispute resolution and system design with family owned businesses, partnerships, large companies, institutions and not-for-profits, governments and unions. She is an original member of the roster of mediators of the Superior Court of Ontario, Toronto, and of the Bank of Nova Scotia.
In her career, she has combined practice with advancing knowledge in the field. She is a course developer and leader at York University in the Alternative Dispute Resolution Certificate Program and at Schulich School of Business, in the department of policy, under the Tannenbaum Chair of Family Enterprise. As well she is a professor of Criminal Justice in the School of Social Sciences at Walden University in Minneapolis Minnesota. She has lectured at Osgoode Law School, Simon Fraser University, Ryerson University, and the University of Calgary. Her current area of focus in research is in the practices and processes of Restorative Justice in intimate partner violence and workplace violence. Barbara is a member of the Advisory Committee for the Integrated Domestic Violence Court in Toronto. She is the Past President of the ADR Institute of Ontario, President of Just People, a justice advocacy collective, and has served as a member of the Board of Canadian Association for Family Enterprise, and the Research Ethics Board of the Hospital for Sick Children.
Heather Swartz
Heather Swartz, M.S.W., C. Med., Acc.FM, Cert. F. Med., is a partner with Agree Incorporated. She provides civil, workplace and family mediation, delivers customized conflict management training, facilitates Partnering workshops, conducts workplace assessments, restorations and investigations, and provides conflict coaching. In her private family mediation practice she has mediated how and when to separate, parenting plans, child and spousal support, division of property, as well as specific issues around parenting communication plans, access to information, estate and intergenerational issues. As a Supervisor with Peel Family Mediation Services at the A. Grenville and William Davis Courthouse, Ontario Court of Justice (Family), in Brampton since 2002 she has mediated high-conflict, complex and culturally diverse custody, access and support cases. Heather has been an Instructor for Mediation Certificate programs at McMaster and the University of Toronto. For nine years she served the Town of Dundas as a School Board Trustee. Heather has received the Chartered Mediator (C. Med.) designation, Certified Family Mediator (Cert. F. Med.) and the Accredited Family Mediator (Acc.FM.) designation. She has been a member of the Board of Directors for the ADR Institute of Ontario since 2003, and is past President (2008-2009, 2009-2010).
Tom Bastedo
Tom Bastedo, Q.C. Ph.D., Cert.F. Arb., a certified specialist in family law and certified family arbitrator, has taught at the University of Toronto, Osgoode Hall Law School and Atkinson College, on a full time and part-time basis, and lectured extensively on the subjects of mediation, mediation/arbitration and arbitration in Ontario family law both nationally and internationally. He carries on an active family law practice and was the first Chair of the Family Law Specialty Certification Committee for the Province of Ontario. In 2004 he received the Kroll Linquist Avey Award For Excellence in Family Law given by the Ontario Bar Association. He has written numerous articles in the field of family law and in the legal and practical aspects of mediation and arbitration in this province.
Ken Nathens
Ken Nathens is the founding and managing partner of Nathens, Siegel, a Toronto law firm dedicated exclusively to the practice of family law. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1994. Ken holds both a Civil Law degree and a Common Law degree from McGill University where he graduated in 1992 with Upper Class Honours. Ken has experience in all areas of family law, including negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and court litigation. He has been certified to represent clients in collaborative negotiation since 2002.He has extensive litigation experience and has been involved in trials relating to such issues as child custody, the mobility rights of parents, imputing income under the Child Support Guidelines, and the rights of adoptive parents under child welfare legislation. He has recently appeared before the Ontario Court of Appeal arguing on behalf of clients in relation to property and financial disclosure issues. Ken has written extensively on family law issues, including articles published in Divorce Magazine dealing with such issues as the Potential Perils of Collaborative Family Law and vacations in the family law context. He has offered frequent lectures on family law issues for members and staff of the Ontario Federation of Labour. In 2010, Ken was certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a specialist in the practice of family law. He was also appointed a Dispute Resolution Officer of the Ontario Superior Court (Family Division) in Newmarket where he assists litigants to narrow or resolve issues in the early stages of court proceedings.
Richard Teicher
Richard Teicher received his Honours Bachelor of Arts (B.A. Hons.) from York University with a major in psychology and went on to obtain a Masters in Social Work (M.S.W.) at the University of Toronto. Thereafter, Richard studied law at the University of Windsor where he received his Bachelor of Law (LL.B.). After completing law school, Richard went on to the Graduate Studies of Law program at the University of Ottawa and earned his Masters of Law (LL.M.).
Richard was called to the Ontario bar in 2000 and has worked exclusively in the field of family law since that time. Richard’s experience in the family law field is quite extensive. Richard has held positions with the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General Family Justice Division, has practiced family law at a well-respected boutique family law firm, a large Bay Street law firm and in the last few years has opened his own family law practice. In addition, Richard is also a qualified collaborative family law lawyer. Richard looks forward to using his educational background and work experience to the benefit of individuals who seek to mediate their disputes.
Cheryl Goldhart
Cheryl Goldhart has practiced exclusively in the area of family law since she was called to the bar in 1987. She is certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a Specialist in Family Law. She specializes in negotiating complex agreements in all areas of family law and litigates in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Ontario Court of Justice, and the Court of Appeal. She is also an accomplished mediator and arbitrator. She is the past Chair of the Ontario Bar Association, Family Law Executive, and past member of the Canadian Bar Association (Federal), Family Law Executive. She has worked as a Dispute Resolution Officer at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for the past 12 years. Cheryl is a past member of the Panel of the Children’s Lawyer of Ontario, representing children in custody, access and child protection cases. She is a member of the Bench and Bar Committee of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Toronto), and the Family Law Committee (Toronto). She has been a family law instructor for the Bar Admission Course of the Law Society of Upper Canada and is a frequent lecturer on various topics in family law. Over her years of practice, Cheryl has written numerous articles for the Bar Admission Course, professional journals, periodicals and magazines. Cheryl has been certified as a “Best Lawyer in Canada” for family law 2008, 2009, and 2010.
Ilana Tamari
Ilana Tamari has been in private practice since 2002, where she provides assessments, counseling and consultations in the area of custody and access and divorce and separation. The various services she offers range from Section 30 Assessments, to Parenting Coordination and developing parenting plans. As an adjunct to the services listed above, Ilana also provides consultation to lawyers under the auspices of the Office of The Children’s Lawyer, a branch of the Attorney General. She draws on her strengths as a detail oriented, compassionate and results focused therapist, to assist her clients, who hail from a diverse population of individuals and groups of adults and children in the Greater Toronto Area. Ilana holds a graduate degree in child psychology from the University of Toronto and completed an Extern Program in Family Therapy through the George Hull Centre. Since 2002, she has focused on cases involving separation and divorce and custody and access matters. Prior to this, Ilana worked as a therapist and psychometrist for 9 years in various Children’s Mental Health Centres in Toronto and Ottawa, where she provided therapy and conducted neuropsychological assessments and oversaw the day to day running of a head-injury clinic. In addition, Ilana Tamari provided Young Offender Pre-disposition Reports and Neuropsychological Reports for Ontario Courts. Ilana has contributed to various segments on parenting issues for GLOW magazine, Canada’s Health and Beauty Magazine. Ilana is a member of The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. She participates in a monthly peer consultation group with Dr. Barbara Fidler around Parenting Coordination matters, Section 30 Custody and Access Assessments and high conflict families. Ilana also is an active participant on the High Conflict Forum. She is also a certified member of the OACCPP and was a Board Member of the OACCPP and chaired the Professional Conduct Committee, and sat on the Ethics and Governance & Risk Management Committees.
Nicole Tellier
Nicole Tellier graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1986 and was called to the Bar in 1988. Her practice is restricted to family law. She appears in all levels of court, with four cases in the Supreme Court of Canada. She has extensive experience in resolving and litigating complex financial matters and difficult custody and access cases. She offers mediation and arbitration services. She is a former Director of the Advocates’ Society and former Executive member of the OBA and continues to be actively involved in those organizations. She has been engaged in law reform by testifying as an expert before numerous federal and provincial justice committees on criminal, constitutional and family law issues. She contributes widely to Claudette Reimer continuing Claudette Reimer’s legal education programs, including judicial education, in Ontario and elsewhere. In 2010, she received the Ontario Bar Association Award for Excellence in Family Law.
Claudette Reimer
Claudette Reimer is passionate about her work as a family relations mediator. She has completed over 1000 court onsite and offsite mediations and has helped families lower conflict levels through mediated discussions. Some of Claudette’s mediations occur with separated parents on their court day (onsite) but she also helps parents develop parenting plans in offsite mediation.Credentials/Experience: Bilingual, Board of Directors – Secretary, Former Manager of the Centre, Accredited by Ontario Association for Family Mediation (OAFM), Social Work background, Developed and continues to coordinate the Centre’s internship program, Involved in peer mediation and family mediation training, Past Director at OAFM, Conflict and parenting coaching.
Adam Black
Adam Black is an associate at Bastedo Stewart Smith where he practices all aspects of family law with particular emphasis on the financial implications of divorce and separation and alternative dispute resolution. Prior to joining Bastedo Stewart Smith, Adam articled with the Ministry of the Attorney General at the Family Responsibility Office. Adam has appeared in Courts throughout the Greater Toronto Area, including the Ontario Court of Justice, Superior Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal for Ontario. Adam has authored and contributed to several papers which have been presented and discussed in various Ontario Bar Association programs. Notably, Adam has prepared a collection of case comments on the issue of judicial intervention in alternative dispute resolution. This work has been included as course materials in various academic and legal education forums. Adam has appeared as a guest speaker at Riverdale Mediation. Adam is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian and Ontario Bar Associations, and the Toronto Lawyers’ Association. Adam is actively involved in the Ontario Bar Association’s Young Lawyers’ Division where he contributes to continuing legal education programs.Adam holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from Ryerson University and a Bachelor of Laws from Queen’s University. Adam was called to the Ontario Bar in 2007.
Nicholas Bala is a professor at the Faculty of Law at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada. He has law degrees from Queen’s and Harvard. He is an expert in Family and Children’s Law, focussing on such issues as juvenile justice, child witnesses, divorce, domestic violence and the legal definition of the family. He has been a consultant on youth justice issues to the Canada’s federal government and to aboriginal groups, and has been a witness before Parliamentary Committees dealing with youth justice reform. He is a member of the Youth Justice Education Planning Committee of Canada’s National Judicial Institute, and is a volunteer at a local youth diversion programme. He is the author of numerous articles on youth justice, and recently coedited Juvenile Justice Systems: An International Comparison of Problems and Solutions (Toronto: Thompson Educational, 2002.
Rob Hammond is a lawyer and mediator, practicing in Brockville, Ontario. As a partner in the firm Hammond & Osborne, his primary areas of practice are family law and family mediation. His clientele has included individuals, families, businesses, municipalities and, as a Crown agent, both federal and provincial ministries. He has appeared before all levels of the Ontario Court systems and a variety of tribunals. He has practised family mediation since 1996. Rob is actively involved in many community initiatives including as current Chair of the Brockville Foundation and a Director of the Brockville Library. He is a past President of the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce and has served as a Director of the Brockville General Hospital, the Brockville Concert Association, Leads and Grenville Interval House and the Brockville and Area Community Living Association.
Trish Crowe has a private practice offering counselling and psychotherapy to individuals, couples and families. Her strong interests are in providing clinical service for children, teenagers, and parents dealing with separation and divorce. Trish is a member of the Clinical Panel of the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, providing clinical investigation and assessment services to lawyers and to the Court in custody and access disputes and in child welfare matters. She has been qualified as an expert witness in the Superior Court of Ontario.
Vicky Visca has 30 years of experience working with children, youth and families in the Quinte area. She has been in private practice for the past 15 years and was, before that, Executive Director of the Durham Family Court Clinic and the Coordinator of the Belleville Family Court Clinic. Vicky specializes in family mediation and child protection mediation, having completed almost 150 child protection mediations. She also conducts Parenting Capacity Assessments for Family Court, and provides assessment and treatment services. Vicky is dedicated to advocating for the protection and well-being of children through the provision of direct treatment services, staff training and development, and partnering with the community.
John Crouchman
John Crouchman has represented private citizens, insurance companies, lending institutions and small businesses in various legal matters, including matters in all levels of the Ontario Court system. As a General Practitioner and Legal Counsel, he has obtained the wide and varied experience in areas of personal injury litigation, commercial and criminal litigation, real estate, wills, estates, and corporate-commercial matters, necessary to identify and resolve clients’ needs. For the past several years he has been actively involved in dispute resolution as a mediator and as an arbitrator promoting reasonable and more cost-effective alternatives to resolving disputes.
