Prior to COVID-19, I would say that my practice could be run 50% virtually. Enter pandemic, and with a few changes to technology, all of a sudden I’ve been able to operate 100% virtually. In fact, I’ve joked with my team that we could actually legitimately run our office from a beach in Mexico – although they laughed, then quickly realized that I wasn’t kidding! I made some changes … [Read more...] about Virtual Lawyering and Mediating 101 – it’s amazing!
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Planning for Living Together – Questions to Contemplate
Unmarried living together – very common these days! Planning for that cohabitation – less common, but probably one of the most important things you can do. Whether you end up married or not, the law in many jurisdictions provides that once you’ve been living together for a certain period, your division of assets & debts / spousal support obligations / entitlements on separation or death … [Read more...] about Planning for Living Together – Questions to Contemplate
Divorced Co-Parenting During COVID-19
Amid this COVID-19 world pandemic, separated and divorced parents are still coping with trying their best to co-parent. I would be interested to know – has this pandemic crated more cooperation between you as parents or escalated matters? Be Flexible We have kids who are needing to self-isolate in one parent’s home for any given reason, and that is impacting the other parent’s time. How … [Read more...] about Divorced Co-Parenting During COVID-19
I have heard about “mediation” for resolving family disputes – can you explain it?
Similar to the collaborative process which I introduced last month, mediation is a process which can also have tremendous positive effects on families going through separation and divorce. Family Mediation is a safe and neutral environment in which families can resolve their disputes. A neutral mediator facilitates the parties’ discussions, encouraging them to identify and explore their core … [Read more...] about I have heard about “mediation” for resolving family disputes – can you explain it?
January is “International Child-Centred Divorce Month”
There is lots of media attention on January being “International Divorce Month” and January 8th being “International Divorce Day”, but I prefer to bring to light a different term if we are to say that January is a popular month for initiating divorce proceedings – it’s called “International Child-Centred Divorce Month” and it focuses on the importance of focusing on what every parent feels is the … [Read more...] about January is “International Child-Centred Divorce Month”
The importance of an initial consultation
People often ask why they need to come in for an initial consultation. They just have a question that will take “30 seconds” of my time to answer. I often hear frustration on the other end of the phone when they are advised that they need to come in for a consultation to have the answer. Well, it’s important that you understand the purpose of a consultation… as I see it. #1 – … [Read more...] about The importance of an initial consultation
How do I improve transitions for kids between two homes?
We know that toxic stress and chronic conflict negatively impacts kids’ development. When you are separated and need to deal with facilitating a parenting schedule and exchanging kids, stress and conflict can occur especially at the point of the exchange. Here are some tips to reduce conflict during exchanges and improve kids’ experiences of transition times: Reduce the number of … [Read more...] about How do I improve transitions for kids between two homes?
Changes are Coming for Unmarried Separating Couples in Alberta – Jan 1, 2020
There’s a new Act coming into force on January 1, 2020 – the Family Property Act – replacing the current Matrimonial Property Act. The biggest change is that this legislation now gives unmarried separating couples in Alberta the right to automatically divide their assets and debts. This is huge – until now, these separated couples had to prove that there should be a division of assets … [Read more...] about Changes are Coming for Unmarried Separating Couples in Alberta – Jan 1, 2020