Family Law Lawyer Toronto

Jennifer Samara Shuber B.A., LL.B., M.S.W., C.S., Acc.F.M., FDRP Med.

Called to the Ontario bar in 1997

Certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a Specialist in Family Law

Accredited as a Comprehensive Family Mediator by the Ontario Association for Family Mediators

Certified as a Family Mediation Specialist by the Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario

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• I received my B.A. from the University of Western Ontario in 1991, and my LL.B. and M.S.W. from the University of Toronto in 1995. I completed full service articles with Borden and Elliott and practiced in their family law department after being called to the Bar in 1997. I then practiced family law with a well-known Toronto family law boutique until joining Basman Smith LLP in 2006. I was a partner at Basman Smith LLP for a decade, practising exclusively family law, before joining the family law group at Beard Winter LLP in 2016. www.beardwinter.com
• I was certified as a specialist in family law by the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2009.
• My practice is focused exclusively on family law. I advise clients on all types of property, support and child-related issues. I have appeared at all levels of court in Ontario, including the Court of Appeal. I have extensive family law experience, including in high conflict cases and complex custody and access matters.
• I represent children at the centre of contested custody and access cases. As counsel to children, I provide independent information to the parties and the decision-maker (judge or arbitrator) on the children’s interests, views and preferences. I also prepare Voice of the Child Reports to document children’s wishes. By bringing the voice of the child into the process in these ways, I ensure that the result reached is child-focused.
• I am trained as a comprehensive family mediator and accredited by the Ontario Association of Family Mediation (AccFM) as well as the Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario (FDRP Med.). I regularly combine my legal and mental health knowledge to assist clients in creatively resolving their family law disputes. I conduct mediations and arbitrations and also represent clients in alternate dispute resolution processes. I have trained in collaborative law and parenting co-ordination.
• In addition to representing clients in my private practice, I lecture in the combined J.D./M.S.W. Program and am cross-appointed as a lecturer at the University of Toronto Faculties of Law and Social Work. I teach family mediation to law and social work students as well as instruct in the University of Toronto Continuing Education Mediation Certificate Program.
• I have authored and co-authored numerous papers and articles on family law issues, particularly on mediation/arbitration and custody and access. I am actively involved in continuing education programs and speak regularly on various family law and mediation topics. I am a member of the family law sections of the Ontario and Canadian Bar Associations, Family Mediation Canada (Ontario), the Association for Conflict Resolution and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.
• I am mother to an amazing and hilarious son. I think tattoos can be an art form. I am proud to be a bit of a nerd. Music is a must. I admit to being a fiction fanatic. I am happiest when I have a pile of new novels to dive into. I love to travel and enjoy the great outdoors. On a recent canoe trip in Kawartha Lakes Provincial Park, the night sky and stars absolutely took my breath away.