I was "called to the bar" (became a lawyer) in 1987, after having articled for a year representing children at the Office of the Children's Lawyer (as it is now called).
Looking back over the years, there have been a number of principals that have kept me motivated:
· people in disputes should have the opportunity to be heard;
· the harm done to children, when their parents separate, should be minimized;
· spouses should continue to parent together, as best they can;
· lawyers have an important role in deescalating conflict; and
· disputes need to be resolved and people need to be able to move on.
As a family law lawyer, I had the opportunity to encourage parents to reach arrangements that work for the children and themselves, with as little conflict as possible. I have also worked to ensure my clients not only have the chance to "speak", but that they are heard.
I worked in a small firm (Defaria & DeFaria) for about fourteen years. I then took a job with Legal Aid Ontario as the Supervisor of the Peel Family Duty Counsel, then the Lawyer Manager of the Peel Family Law Service Centre. After fourteen years with them, I returned to private practice for about eight years.
My focus has always been on providing services to help resolve family law disputes out-of-court and, if necessary, through the courts. However, of late, I have moved from providing services as a family law lawyer, to providing family law mediator.
My goal is to help clients resolve their family law disputes by providing unbiased assistance to both parties to reach a settlement. I am doing by working at the court-based mediation (Peel Family Mediation Services) and through private family law mediation. (I have moved away from assisting people as a lawyer.)
I am enthusiastic about bringing, to my role of mediator, my many years of experience as a lawyer and my long devotion to helping people resolve their family law disputes.
Gerard J. Michaud
March 2024