About

Child-Centred Dispute Resolution

Practice Areas

As a retired family law lawyer, my practice areas are family law mediation and arbitration. I enjoy the day-to-day work about child-centred parenting dispute resolution. I am located on Vancouver Island, BC. I help families obtain not-litigious, practical resolutions in ways that will promote effective communication and support children.

Experience and Accreditation

I retired from "lawyering" in 2023 with 30 years of family law experience working with separated families as a lawyer, mediator, arbitrator, and parenting coordinator. My current practice is devoted exclusively to mediation and arbitration, helping families move forward after the parents’ separation.

I maintain high professional standards:
Specialist in Family Law

Accredited as a family law mediator and arbitrator in B.C.
Specialist in Family Mediation, Family Arbitration.

I am a fully accredited member of the Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario (FDRIO) and a member of the ADR Institute of BC and ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC).

I am a retired lawyer, a retired member of the BC Law Society.

I am not a member of the BC Parenting Coordinator Roster since I retired from parenting coordinator work in 2025 and am referring out current PC files.

More...

“The price of doing the same old thing is far
higher than the price of change.”

— Bill Clinton

I have pursued extensive training in the area of high-conflict, child resistance to post-separation contact, mediation, arbitration, and parenting coordination.

1980’s

Taught law at the University of British Columbia
Lectured on the law around the province of British Columbia
Wrote law textbooks and lecture materials

1990’s – Early 2000’s

Deputy Registrar and lawyer to the Land Title Office of BC
Administrator and Registrar of the BC Provincial Court
Registrar and lawyer to the Office of the BC Police Complaint Commissioner

2005 - 2020

2005 - 2006 - Lawyer with Greenway Legal Centre in Langley and Surrey, BC
2006 - 2008 - Family Law lawyer specialist (litigation) with Quay Law Centre in New Westminster, BC
2008 - 2017 - Family Law lawyer specialist (litigation & mediation) with partnership in Westside Family Law in Vancouver, BC
2016 - 2020 - Training and practice in alternate dispute resolution at various periods
2019 - Family Law lawyer specialist (litigation) with MacLean Family Law Vancouver, BC
2016 - 2020 - Accreditation in mediation, arbitration and parenting coordination
2020 - New practice model as paperless office in mediation, arbitration and parenting coordination

As a former family law litigator, I have a solid grounding of knowledge and experience in everyday family law issues and specialized high conflict parenting in particular. I have much experience working across cultures and with diverse families. I use web-based video conference and teleconference options, as well as email, when appropriate to minimize cost and maximize efficiency.

I have been on boards, committees, and radio shows as a presenter on family law, parenting coordination, high conflict parenting, and out-of-court case resolution topics.

I think it is important to disclose that my relevant background as a parenting coordinator includes more personal experience too. I am a parent of children with special needs. I have been through separation and divorce and dealt with the parenting plan aspects of that separation with my children as “tweens” and teens. All are now independent adults with whom I have a good relationship. I consider my children to be among my blessings and successes in life.

I have:

100+ hours of core education in child development, parenting coordination, conflict resolution, and arbitration and mediation theory and skills training, including conducting mediations and arbitrations as a PC and family mediator.
Training on ethical issues relating to the mediation process.
Legal training in parenting coordination and ADR dispute resolution.