Category Archives: Separation & Divorce

The ways in which family negotiations are done is in the midst of a major shift. Family law professionals must be prepared to use a variety of tools to ensure a safe and equitable process. Part 2 of this blog series suggests more tips for safety planning in high-risk cases. 11.Ensure that the confidentiality of safety disclosures, in all processes, …
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The following excerpt from “Safety Planning in Family Law Cases: An Emerging Duty of Care for Lawyers?” is part 1 of a 3 part series which offers some helpful suggestions for safety planning and screening in high-risk cases.   Take all clients through extensive screening interviews before choosing a dispute resolution process and a professional to provide that process. Ensure …
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  FDRIO’s recent Unconference on May 4th introduced legal professionals to the perspective of LGBTQ+ parents in family law. Guest speakers touched on struggles faced by LGBTQ+ families in family law, including; fertility and what that means for coordinating parent access, child custody and parent decision making. With transgender parents, one or both parents might not be biologically connected to the …
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On January 29, 2016, I went ‘live on-air’ on Voces Latinas, a Spanish radio talk show in Toronto to talk about Mediate393 and what it is like being a roster mediator. I began the show by providing information about Mediate393 and the services offered by our team of roster mediators. The mediators at Mediate393 are comprised of mental health professionals …
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Deciding to separate is just the first of many difficult decisions facing co-parents. Once it is evident that the relationship is over, questions about the future and the family begin to present themselves, and they present themselves fast and furious. Questions such as -where will the children live? Where will I live? Who if anyone is staying in the home? …
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A new service for determining and adjusting child support for cooperative parents has been set up by the Ontario government. Under the new service, which launched April 4, either parent may apply online to use the service. The goal is to give parents who can cooperate with each other  an accessible and affordable way to establish and adjust child support …
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In this part 4 of this blog series, Hilary sets out four practical ethical “rules” which should be considered in mediation practice Four suggestions Given the unique vulnerability of family mediation clients, and taking what exists already in the form of codes of conduct for family mediators, the following is a set of practical ethical “rules” which should, in my view, be the minimum …
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Recent statistics show that the most frequent users of Ontario’s free Family Law Information Centres are lawyers, and that the public who uses these free information services and free or subsidized information and mediation services are highly satisfied with them. _______________________ In Ontario, everyone who starts or receives a family court application must attend a MIP. (Mandatory Information Program). Statistics …
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