I have over thirty years of work experience. I have been practising family law and litigating in the Superior Court of Justice for twelve years. I completed my mediation internship (2015-2017) under the generous supervision of Colleen Currie.
I learned principles of Alternative Dispute Resolution from professors Jackie Huston, Peggy Malpass, and Marina Pavlovic at the University of Ottawa Law School (2005-2008), where I also learned the practice of mediation as taught by Heidi Ruppert, Terrence McCarthy and Richard Moore.
I will be serving a mandate of only one year, as I have previously served a one-year term as president of the Ottawa Chapter. I know we will have a rewarding year together.
In 2008, I graduated law with second-class honours all while running a small acreage which I acquired so I could personally raise and train my spirited Arabian yearling, who is now 18. Though I no longer have the farm, he and I are inseparable. Between 2009 and 2019, I ran my own law office which I opened with a trusted colleague whom I met while articling for the Cabinet Confidentiality Branch of the Privy Council Office.
Since 2019, I have been an associate of Nelligan Law, Family Group, where I continue to build my mediation practice. I also work with the Estates Group in succession planning. Clients can contact me at Nelligan Law.
- I have been an Accredited Family Mediator (AccFM) of the Ontario Association for Family Mediation (OAFM) since 2017.
- I previously served as President of the Ottawa Chapter of the Ontario Association for Family Mediation in 2018-2019.
- I also served as Past-President from 2019 to 2021 during a period of organizational redevelopment for which the membership gave its mandate in 2019, under my first term as President.
- I am licensed as a lawyer-provider of New Ways for Families® a method for resolving high conflict which was created by the High Conflict Institute, in San Diego.
- I am certified as an Online Dispute Resolution Specialist (OAFM).
- For the past two years, I have been a Judge of the Walsh Family Law Negotiation Competition, of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), Ontario Chapter.
- I have completed 42 hours of advanced-level training in Insight Mediation with Dr. Cheryl Picard (author: Practising Insight Mediation) and with Colleen Currie.
- I am empanelled with Collaborative Practice Ottawa.