Yes I am. But I don’t practice law in a traditional way.

I stay neutral, so I don’t go to court, and I don’t fight or advocate on behalf of clients. Instead, I use my legal knowledge and training to help people solve problems and settle legal matters.

Examples of my practice areas include: separation, divorce, extended family disputes, elder care conflicts, and civil disputes.

I assist clients in Nova Scotia and P.E.I.

It does not matter where you are located in either province. I primarily meet clients remotely using Zoom.

You don’t have to worry about driving, parking, or going to an office.

Mediation is a voluntary, confidential, and collaborative process where an impartial third-party assists two or more parties through their dispute.

As a mediator, I guide parties through their conflicts in family law, civil disputes, and other areas. Instead of hiring two lawyers for your negotiation, I will help you negotiate for yourselves. If you already have lawyers retained, I integrate them into the process. And going to court is not on the table.

Even if no agreement is made, all discussions and information "stays in the room" - meaning that no party can use it against the other with a lawyer, or in court. This also means that I cannot be called as a witness in court.

This high degree of confidentiality is for the protection of the participants. It means that you can explore ideas, propose solutions, and negotiate in a space knowing that none of your communications or suggestions could be used against you outside mediation.

My standard fee is $180 per hour (plus HST).

This is lower than a lawyer’s fee, which is often $250-$300 (or more) per hour. Mediation is also more affordable because you divide my fee by the number of participants.

Most mediations have two parties, which means each pays $100 per hour.

Read more here: My Fee

Over 90% of my mediations result in a successful settlement of all issues.

Even though no outcome or decision is forced on the parties, I help my clients reach their outcomes voluntarily.

Because resolution is decided by the parties, not the mediator, no mediator can guarantee a resolution. However, good mediators don’t need guarantees - their work speaks for itself.

Read Testimonials about my work here.

You, the participants, retain all decision-making authority at all times. I am a mediator - not an arbitrator or judge.

No decision or outcome will be forced on any party, even including the decision to mediate in the first place.

No, mediation is an effective process for resolving issues regardless of your level of conflict.

People are often surprised to learn that that my process resolves high-conflict situations at about the same success rate as lower-conflict ones.

Although most of my files are not high-conflict, I usually have several high-conflict mediation files at any one time.

Yes I do. As a lawyer, I practiced family law and have assisted many clients in this area. As a mediator, I now use my experience in family law to assist clients with family law disputes, big and small.

It is recognized by psychologists, family therapists, and by legislation across Canada that settling family disputes using mediation is healthier for families than hiring lawyers and going to court.

Using my training in law and dispute resolution, I have designed a process for family mediation that is affordable, convenient, and effective.

Learn more here: Family Mediation

Yes, and this is encouraged. You always have the right to receive independent legal advice (ILA).

In some cases, it is required for you to seek independent legal advice during or at the end of a mediation.

I ensure that all parties fully understand how this works before the mediation starts.

I work with every client one-on-one before the mediation begins to ensure that you are ready to get started.

I will provide information, resources, and coaching tailored to your situation to get you ready to reach a resolution.

If you need outside advice from a lawyer, accountant, or other professional, I will make sure time is set aside for that.

Yes I can. As long as all parties involved agree to participate, I can mediate these types of disputes. This can be in the form of a round-table discussion, or can be done in separate break-out rooms.

The parties may want an open-ended discussion format, or a strict negotiation process of exchanging offers. I have experience in both formats.