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FDR Updates, FDRIO in the News

Downey committed to expansion of Unified Family Court, unveils changes to LAO duty counsel

Amanda Jerome for The Lawyer's Daily
Posted on December 3, 2019 at 12:58 pm / 0

This article was originally published by The Lawyer’s Daily, part of LexisNexis Canada Inc. November 26, 2019 Expansion of the United Family Court (UFC), a smooth transition during amendments to the Divorce Act, and changes to Legal Aid Ontario’s (LAO) duty counsel, were priorities outlined by Ontario’s Attorney General, Doug Downey, at the fifth annual Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario (FDRIO) Conference. Downey, the keynote speaker at the conference held in Toronto on Nov. 18, said the Ministry of the Attorney General is reviewing the federal amendments to the Divorce Act to “determine how changes will impact our family…

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FDRIO in the News

A discussion with Audrey Isenor – Executive Director of Community Justice Alternatives of Durham Region

FDRIO
Posted on November 5, 2019 at 6:20 pm / 0

FDRIO:  What is Community Justice Alternatives of Durham Region, and who are the members and users of your organization? Since 1981, Community Justice Alternatives of Durham Region (CJADurham) has provided Durham Region residents with programs and services that: contribute toward the prevention of crime develop safer communities address social issues and the rehabilitation of offenders, and promote stronger communication and healthier family well-being. Our website https://www.cjadurham.ca has information on all of our services and programs and we invite you to browse this information. FDRIO: What do you believe are the most important elements of a community justice approach?   We pride ourselves…

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FDRIO in the News

James Colin MacDonald: An Appreciation 

by Clifford Nelson
Posted on November 5, 2019 at 9:09 am / 0

Jim MacDonald died on September 19, 2019 at his summer home on Prince Edward Island. His passing has caused me to reflect on his career and on his importance to the development of family law in Canada. Jim graduated as a lawyer in British Columbia practising there for a short time before moving to Ontario in the 1960’s. He met Lee Ferrier; they decided to practise law together, though unsure, in the early days, what type of practice they should develop. At that time, there were few specialist law firms. A chance remark from Joe Pomerant, who was a young…

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FDRIO in the News

Interview with Jim Melamed, CEO of Mediate.com

Hilary Linton, J.D., LL.B., LL.M.(ADR), Acc. FM
Posted on November 5, 2019 at 9:01 am / 0

This interview by Hilary Linton, a Toronto family lawyer, mediator, arbitrator and trainer at Riverdale Mediation Ltd, and a Director at the Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario (FDRIO), was done for publication in the FDRIO November 2019 newsletter. Jim will be speaking at the FDRIO annual conference November 18, 2019 in Toronto. For full conference details click here. To sign up for the free monthly FDRIO newsletter click here. Jim Melamed began mediating in 1983 and was the first President and Executive Director of the Oregon Mediation Association (1985). After this, Jim served for 6 years as Executive Director…

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News & Updates

393 ASC: Information Night and Lawyer Training

FDRIO
Posted on November 1, 2019 at 12:07 pm / 0

The Bench and Bar Committee for the Superior Court of Justice at 393 University (Family) is thrilled to announce a new project – 393ASC (Advice and Settlement Counsel).  Beginning in January, 2020, we will have 2 lawyers every Tuesday and Friday at 393 University Avenue to provide private Duty Counsel services on the 9th floor.  Our roster lawyers will be available to provide summary advice on all family law matters, assist in negotiating consents, and even appear in Court.  Self represented litigants will be able to access these services by paying $200.00 per hour plus HST to the roster lawyer by…

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News & Updates

The 2019 Crowe Soberman Award goes to …

FDRIO
Posted on October 3, 2019 at 11:05 am / 0

Dr. Rachel Birnbaum The Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario (FDRIO) has announced that Dr. Rachel Birnbaum is the recipient of the 2019 Crowe Soberman Award of Excellence. The award is given annually by FDRIO to an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to the field of family dispute resolution in Ontario. For full details click here. Dr. Birnbaum is cross appointed to Childhood Studies and Social Institutions & Social Work at King’s University College, Western, Ontario, where she teaches about children’s participation in the justice system and social work ethics and the law. Dr. Birnbaum has extensive clinical…

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FDR Updates

Cliff’s Notes

Cliff Nelson
Posted on October 3, 2019 at 10:08 am / 0

November 2019 Newsletter Hello again! I hope you have enjoyed a good summer; the weather certainly helped. While my summer was relaxing, the Ontario Courts continued, as always, to work very hard. Numerous reserved decisions have been released over the past few months that will be helpful to family arbitrators and mediators. Neither time nor space will allow me to canvass more than a sampling. In Khan v. Ahmed [2019 ONCA 614] the Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal over an access issue brought by the father of two young children .Their mother had died; the mother’s brother (maternal…

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FDR Updates

To Impute, Perchance to Deem (Act 1)

Shmuel Stern
Posted on October 3, 2019 at 10:01 am / 0

Case Law Review – October FDRIO Newsletter A separated couple comes to you for mediation. They had a rocky relationship. The mother conceived their daughter when she was just 19, while yet still in high school. The father was 25, sharing an apartment with his cousin and working sporadically as a reluctant tool and die maker, a job he fell into. They separated a bit later and the father even started a court case to determine paternity, but then they reconciled and married (!) then, sadly, separated on a final basis within a year of marriage.  The father never earned…

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FDR Updates

Do Changes to the Divorce Act Create a Cultural Shift in Family Dispute Resolution?

Thomas Dart
Posted on October 3, 2019 at 9:54 am / 0

For at least the past 10 years, experts have selflessly conducted several studies concerning the manner in which family law disputes are presently being resolved. Each of these efforts have resulted in recommendations for significant change. Change is never easily obtained and never happens as soon as it should. In its report of April 2013, the Action Committee on Access to Justice recommended changes to substantive family law arguing that: Statutes should not presume that disputes will end up in court in front of judges to be decided in hearings and trials. Our family law statutes should emphasize agreements and…

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News & Updates

AFCC Ontario Draft Parenting Plan Guidelines

FDRIO
Posted on October 3, 2019 at 9:45 am / 0

A conversation with Nick Bala FDRIO: Tell us about the parenting plan guide, and why these materials are being developed? The origin of the project was in part a response to a concern expressed by some more experienced professionals that some of their less experienced colleagues did not seem fully familiar with basic child development concepts, and were sometimes developing parenting plans that were not appropriate, especially for younger children.  There were also concerns about the lack of materials to directly assist parents in Ontario, many of whom do not have professional assistance in making parenting plans. Further, even for…

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News & Updates

The Trainer’s Forum

FDRIO
Posted on October 3, 2019 at 9:41 am / 0

A conversation with Michael Saini FDRIO: What is the goal of the Trainers’ Forum this year? A: The goal of the Trainers’ Forum this year is to provide trainers with an interactive opportunity to explore the use of simulations (standardized actors) while exploring concrete techniques for teaching about trauma-informed mediation (TIM).  Trainers will be provided the opportunity to simulate a mediation session to explore different techniques for keeping the conflict in the “window of tolerance” and to practice responding to trigger points within the mediation process. FDRIO: Why is this important for family and other mediation trainers? A: There has been…

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News & Updates

Mediation Practicum is Coming

FDRIO
Posted on October 3, 2019 at 9:33 am / 0

November 19, 20 & 22 2019 A conversation with Cathryn L. Paul FDRIO: What is the purpose of the Practicum? A: The practicum is to help new mediators’ practice and develop their skills in realistic scenarios.   It can be hard for students to find practical experience opportunities to complete the supervised hours for certification.  We hope that this opportunity will help supplement their work with real clients, or be a starting point that will enrich their education before they start working with real clients. FDRIO: What will happen during the three days? A:  On the first day, there will be…

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FDR Updates

Update on Parenting Coordination in Saskatchewan

By Kayla C. DeMars-Krentz
Posted on August 26, 2019 at 10:43 am / 0

On July 15, 2019 The Miscellaneous Statues (Family dispute Resolution) Amendment Act, 2018 Regulation, as they relate to parent coordinators and family arbitrators, came in to force. For Saskatchewan families this means that an application may be made to a Judge presiding in Chambers for an order that the parties to a family law dispute be directed to parent coordination or family arbitration. The Regulations with respect to collaborative services and family mediation will roll out in the next few months. Soon, it will mandatory that parties certify they have completed one of the four dispute resolution processes before the…

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FDR Updates

Managing Compassionate Fatigue for Family Mediators: Summary of Webinar Presentation By Professor Desmond Ellis, August 13, 2019:

By Sina Hariri
Posted on August 23, 2019 at 12:10 pm / 0

The following (Katz and Haldar (2016)) definition of trauma was presented: “Family violence is traumatic when it “renders a person’s internal and external resources inadequate, making coping ineffective Listening to graphic accounts of traumatic experiences disclosed by their clients can result in Compassionate Fatigue (CF) among practitioners. Indicators of CF include:   “harmful changes in practitioners’ views  of themselves or their profession because of exposure to graphic traumatic experiences of their clients  (that)  result in a state of tension or preoccupation with client traumatic stories…avoidance of such stories  or a persistent state of tension”. Minimally, trauma informed practice involves screening…

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FDR Updates

Starting Out as a Parenting Coordinator: Advice from a Rookie

By Lindsay Kertland
Posted on August 21, 2019 at 5:47 pm / 0

A few years ago, shortly on the heels of completing my mediation training, I attended a session at a conference on – what was to me – a new and rather elusive concept: Parenting Coordination.  Brimming with curiosity, I took my seat and subsequently took on a deluge of information from learned and energetic presenters; they were intelligent, empathetic, kind and inspirational.  But when the session came to a close I staggered out in disbelief that anyone could pursue such a career of conflict.  Over 25% of the presentation had been devoted to “the importance of self care”, with dire…

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