Services Provided: Family Mediation, Arbitration, Parenting Coordination, Family Arbitration Screening, Child Interviews and Reports
Hilary practised civil and family law for almost 15 years, and was a partner at a Toronto boutique family law firm when she started her dispute resolution career. She established Riverdale Mediation Ltd. in 2001, where the Riverdale team provides affordable family mediation, arbitration, parenting coordination and arbitration screening services, working with lawyers and with unrepresented parties.
Hilary has developed strategic and focused procedures for the Riverdale team that deliver highly effective outcomes. Hilary is trained by the B.C. Hear the Child Society and the Ontario Association of Family Mediation to interview children and write non-evaluative reports on their views and preferences.
With over 20 years of experience working as a mediator, and then parenting coordinator and arbitrator, Hilary has earned a reputation as a firm, focused and caring professional. She has the experience to help parties reach outcomes that are durable and acceptable, as an arbitrator, parenting coordinator or mediator. She also works closely with all members of the Riverdale team, which takes a collaborative approach to supporting our clients.
As well as leading the Riverdale team, Hilary has provided court-connected family information and mediation services in Toronto since 2011. Through Toronto Family Mediation Services she and several teams of outstanding professionals provide mediation and information services to separating couples in the courts, and subsidized family mediation to all separating couples who seek the service. She is dedicated helping the public access these affordable and high-quality services.
Riverdale is known as well for its training program, where many family mediators, parenting coordinators and arbitrators have learned the theory and skills to become effective dispute resolution practitioners. Read more about our Training programs on the Training Website!
Hilary has also designed the Mediator-in-Training program at Riverdale, where mediation and parenting coordination students gain valuable experience observing and co-working with our team members. Clients using our mediation and parenting coordination services are likely to meet one of our MITs!
Hilary is also a prolific speaker and writer on a wide range of topics in dispute resolution, as a blogger, and for publications such as Law 360 and Slaw.
Hilary has earned professional designations from many organizations. Her work has been honoured with Awards of Excellence from the Ontario Bar Association (2014) and the Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario (2020).
