It is 6 am on the morning of the second day of trial. I have been up for hours. When I slept I dreamed of the trial. I am reminded of what it means to live and breathe a case. We opened our case yesterday. The judge is hard to read, nodding and listening and…
How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. How do you get to trial? Prepare, prepare, prepare. I am a week away from a family law trial. I am busy preparing: compiling briefs of all of the material that has to be served and filed, culling all of the documents I want to…
Last week, I attended the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (Ontario Chapter) conference. It was inspiring and enjoyable to spend time with professionals all of whom work with families going through separation and divorce. There were lawyers and social workers and psychologists and judges. There were individual speakers on topics ranging from challenging clients…
Buying property is expensive. Nowadays, many first time buyers are assisted by the kind contribution of parents or in-laws. If someone in your family is generous enough to provide you with funds, make it clear whether these monies are a gift or a loan. It can make a difference down the line if the marriage…
I have arrived. A new building. A new office. A new parking lot. A new document management system. Even a new iPhone. My new mantra is change is good. If I say it enough times, it becomes the truth, right? My last day at Basman Smith LLP was Friday, August 12, 2016. Then I took…
