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Collaborative Divorce allows you to divorce with dignity, respect, and cooperation. Each spouse retains a lawyer, and both lawyers conduct settlement negotiations to combine your ownership of the process with the assurance of legal protection. The process includes other Collaborative Divorce professionals, such as financial planners and therapists. You, your spouse, and your Collaborative Divorce team agree to be cooperative, forthcoming, and willing to work together to achieve a resolution. If you can't reach an agreement, both lawyers (and their respective law firms) as well as the other collaborative professionals must withdraw from the case.

Lawyers

Dawn Bennett practises family law at one of Mississauga's largest law firms. She's studied law in England and Canada, and is a member of the Collaborative Family Law Practice Group. Dawn uses the Collaborative process to give her clients more power to determine the results obtained in their divorce.

Anne Freed has 26 years' experience as a family lawyer and mediator, and she holds a Master's of Law in Alternate Dispute Resolution. Anne wants the public to have access to information, understand the process, and work towards a civilized and cost-effective resolution for the family. She is a firm believer in the collaborative process as a Win/Win method of accomplishing these objectives.

Laura Fryer is a partner with McGee & Fryer who has practised family law since 1994. Laura feels collaborative law is the optimal way for separating couples to resolve disputes in a respectful and effective way. Founding member and past Chair of York Collaborative Practice. Currently sits on the board of the Ontario Collaborative Law Federation.

Judith Holzman has practised family law for over 30 years. She feels that the customized settlements and the speed with which Collaborative Divorce allows people to settle their differences and reach their goals allows for less stress on the parties and their children and a brighter future for everyone.

Sheila Kirsh, Chair and Founding Member of Collaborative Practice Toronto, has practised family law for over 25 years. She has expertise in resolving parenting problems, division of family assets, and support disputes. Sheila is excited about Collaborative Divorce and welcomes the opportunity to help you through the difficulties of separation and divorce in a private and respectful way, while maintaining a healthy relationship with your children and preserving your financial assets.

Heather McGee is a partner at McGee & Fryer. Practising in Markham since 1991. Served as President of both the York Region and Ontario Bar Association and is currently a member of the Attorney General's Working Group on Family Law Reform. Heather is dedicated to helping families and children in transition and welcomes collaborative law as an empowering choice for her clients.

Douglas Millstone
(416) 289 7996
e-mail: dmillstone@bellnet.ca
Website: www.DMillstonelaw.com

Douglas Millstone has practised family law since 1976; advocating in court, negotiating principle-based settlements, mediating, and arbitrating. He has represented hundreds of children in custody and child-welfare cases for the Office of the Children's Lawyer. Nothing has energized him more than empowering people to resolve their issues through collaborative family law. He is a founding member of Collaborative Practice Toronto and has served on its executive.

Ken Nathens is a partner in the divorce and family law firm of Nathens, Siegel LLP. He assists clients with custody and access disputes, support issues, and property matters using collaborative law techniques, negotiation, and litigation. He is on the board of directors for the York Region Collaborative Law Association.

Brahm Siegel is a partner at Nathens, Siegel. In addition to collaborative law, he maintains an active mediation/arbitration practice and speaks at family law conferences. The co-author of McLeod Family Law Rules, he's also the consulting editor of Consolidated Ontario Family Law Statutes and Regulation and has been published in Canadian Family Law Quarterly.

Larry A. Silverberg  is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1975. He practises Family Law in Toronto and York Region and surrounding areas. Larry has been participating in Collaborative Law negotiations since 2000 and believes that this process is truly an ideal alternative in settling family issues. He is a founding member of Collaborative Practice Toronto and serves on the Executive of the York Regional Collaborative Practice Group.

Susan Lynn Surtees practises collaborative family law exclusively and is the Vice-Chair of the York Region Collaborative Practice Group. Susan is thrilled to offer her clients the option of collaborative law, as she strongly believes that families benefit both emotionally and financially from the collaborative process.