Tag Archives: Mediation

Don’t Rely the Courts: Mediate Your Parenting Plan!

This is a true, cautionary tale about two families, the “Jones” family and the “Smith” family.  Each family had a mom and a dad and a one year old child. Both marriages were brief: less then 3 years.  Both moms stayed at home caring for the baby while dad worked full time, although Mrs. Smith [...]
Posted in Custody of children, Family Law, Lawyers, Mediation | Also tagged , , | Leave a comment

Should equal parenting time be presumed?

The always-hot topic of post-divorce parenting time is once again in the news. The Canadian Bar Association is speaking out against a Conservative bill that seeks to make 50-50 time sharing for children of divorce the norm. Such a presumption, of course, puts the rights of parents ahead of the best interests of their children, [...]
Posted in Family Law, Lawyers, Mediation | Also tagged , , | 2 Comments

New TV Show on Family Law

I am not going to let my feelings be hurt just because my tv show did not get picked up but Harvey Brownstone’s did. After all, Justice Brownstone is a national celebrity and I am just another mediator. If you have not checked it out yet, take a look at the website for Family Matters, [...]
Posted in Mediation | Also tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Mediation through the eyes of an intern

When you hear the word intern you might envision Dougie Houser, St Elsewhere, ER or Gray’s Anatomy depending on your age. The term “intern” is usually associated with young and eager, eyes brimming with enthusiasm and most often, with the medical profession. So imagine my reaction when at the age of 51, I learned that [...]
Posted in Mediation | Also tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Reflections from AFCC Conference – Denver 2010

I recently returned from spending a week in Denver at the AFCC 47th annual conference. It was my first AFCC conference. In many ways, it had the significant new moments that mark any first occasion. But to me what was most significant about this conference is how it made me reflect on the role mediation [...]
Posted in Mediation | Also tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Peace of mind, don’t settle for less

“Conflict:  a lack of awareness of the imminence of death”. This is one of the best definitions of conflict that I have seen. It comes from one of my favourite books about dispute resolution, “Mediating Dangerously” by Kenneth Cloke. I am often taken aback at how easy it is for all of us, me included, [...]
Posted in Mediation | Also tagged , , , | Leave a comment
  • “Really helped me understand family law as a beginner…”