Samantha de Wit

Types of Unbundled Services Offered

• Initial consultation

• Providing a legal opinion

• Drafting pleadings or other documents

• Reviewing/organizing/listing documents

• Drafting contracts / agreements

• Coaching

• Negotiating

• Providing legal advice before, during or after mediation

• Representing a client at mediation

• Providing independent legal advice on an agreement or MOU coming out of mediation

• Drafting agreement coming out of mediation

• Advising on courtroom procedures, behaviours

• Advising on rules of evidence

• Preparing exhibits

• Preparing submissions or briefs

• Making a one-time court appearance

• Collaborative law services

Mediation

• Does not have family mediation training

• Does not practice family mediation as mediator

• Acted as counsel in more than 15 mediations in the last 5 years.

Approach to Supporting Clients in Mediation

Mediation is one of the best options for clients to resolve their outstanding family matters in such a way that they are in a better position to co-parent going forward and without creating an unfixable break in their relationship by choosing litigation. My goal is to use mediation to help people resolve outstanding issues by working with one other, with the support of lawyers, to come up with a plan that suits their new separated family and benefits the children within that family. I aim to provide calm and supportive counsel through the process so that my client can focus on getting to a settled outcome faster and with less animosity.

Cultural Diversity Experience

As family lawyers, we regularly work with clients of various diverse cultural backgrounds. As an immigrant myself, I know what an important role culture and family values plays when it comes to resolving matters and moving forward. It is important to keep those in mind, and steer clients to an outcome that meets those needs and the needs of Canadian society as a whole.