Family Mediation at Cohen Highley LLP

At the end of a relationship, navigating what happens next doesn’t have to be overwhelming or adversarial. Mediation is a voluntary process that can help resolve family disputes through collaboration, without needing to engage in costly court proceedings.

Mediation is best suited for couples who want to negotiate a fair deal on their own terms outside of the Court process, provided there is not a significant power imbalance. During this process, both parties (and their counsel if retained) work with a neutral mediator to come to an agreement that works best for their unique circumstances. Mediation can be used for specific issues or to try and address all outstanding concerns, as this process is controlled by the parties involved not by a Judge or Adjudicator.

Services offered during full-day Mediation:

• Negotiating parenting time and decision making;
• Assisting to determine the equalization of family property;
• Calculating child and/or spousal support; and
• Drafting separation agreements or parenting agreements from the results of Mediation.

Why choose mediation?

• Privacy – Decisions made will remain between you and your spouse, they will not be searchable on Google or CanLII.
• Control – You get to resolve your family law issues, on your own terms. The parties decide the outcome, not a judge.
• Flexibility – Greater amount of creativity can be used to resolve disputes than would be possible in a courtroom.
• Scope – Mediation can resolve issues that court will often avoid wading into. Ex. who gets to keep the family pet?
• Time – Mediation could occur immediately, depending on the availability of the mediator, whereas it can take over a year to even be scheduled for a trial, especially post-COVID19
• Cost – Mediation is often less financially and emotionally draining than litigation. Using an Accredited non-lawyer can significantly reduce the cost for parties

Affiliations and Memberships

Law Society of Ontario [LSO]
Middlesex Law Association [MLA]
Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario [FDRIO]
Ontario Association of Family Mediation [OAFM]
Alternate Dispute Resolution of Ontario [ADRIO]

To discuss your situation with Iain Sneddon and his team, book a consultation with Cohen Highley today by calling 519-672-9330.

Interested in learning more? Click the links below to hear Iain answer questions submitted by listeners on Corus Radio

What is Mediation?

What are the reasons people choose Mediation?

Why would someone choose Mediation over Litigation?