Called to the Ontario bar in 1997 Certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a Specialist in Family Law
Jennifer received her B.A. from the University of Western Ontario in 1991, and her LL.B. and M.S.W. from the University of Toronto in 1995. She completed full service articles with a large Bay street firm and practiced in their family law department after being called to the Bar in 1997. Before joining Basman Smith in 2006, Jennifer practiced family law with a well-known Toronto boutique for nearly ten years.
Jennifer became a partner at Basman Smith in 2007 and was certified as a specialist in family law by the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2009. Jennifer’s practice is focused exclusively on family law. She advises clients on all types of property, support and child-related issues. Jennifer has appeared at all levels of court in Ontario, including the Court of Appeal. She has extensive family law experience, including in high conflict cases and complex custody and access matters.
Jennifer represents children at the centre of contested custody and access cases. As counsel to children, Jennifer provides independent information to the parties and the decision-maker (judge or arbitrator) on the children’s interests, views and preferences. By bringing the voice of the child into the process, Jennifer ensures that the result reached is child-focused.
Jennifer is trained as a comprehensive family mediator. She regularly combines her legal and mental health knowledge to assist clients in creatively resolving their family law disputes. Jennifer conducts mediations and arbitrations and also represents clients in alternate dispute resolution processes. She has trained in collaborative law and parenting co-ordination. Jennifer sits as a Dispute Resolution Officer in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
In addition to representing clients in her private practice, Jennifer continues to lecture in the combined J.D./M.S.W. Program and is cross-appointed as a lecturer at the University of Toronto Faculties of Law and Social Work. Jennifer teaches family mediation to law and social work students as well as instructs in the University of Toronto Continuing Education Mediation Certificate Program.
Jennifer has authored and co-authored numerous papers and articles on family law issues, particularly on mediation/arbitration and custody and access. Jennifer is actively involved in continuing education programs and speaks regularly on various family law and mediation topics. Jennifer is a member of the family law sections of the Ontario and Canadian Bar Associations, Family Mediation Canada (Ontario), the Association for Conflict Resolution, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and the Ontario College of Social Workers.
