| Karen has been practicing family law for
over 18 years, and she prides herself on her ability to focus on the individual client's
needs and interests. Approximately 10 years ago, Karen added equine law to her practice. Karen was appointed as a Dispute Resolution Officer for the
Ontario Superior Court of Justice in the Region of Peel in 2008/09. She hopes to be part
of this project when it is reintroduced to Peel.
Karen has had many years' experience on the panel for the
Office of the Children's Lawyer, representing children. Karen has two children herself,
and this parenting experience adds an extra dimension to her ability to support her
clients through a separation process.
In addition, Karen is trained in mediation,
collaborative law, and arbitration. Through this experience and training, Karen can
tailor her services to the client's individual needs. Karen supports her clients in
identifying their needs and goals, and she works with them to create a strategy to achieve
them.
Karen is an active executive member of the Peel-Halton
Collaborative Practice Group and she is now qualified to train new collaborative
professionals in both level one and two.
Karen continues with her volunteer work in the community,
and is proud to be serving as the Chair of the Dressage Canada Board. Karen is a proud
sponsor of Tom Dvorak on her horse, "Corrigan", at the Grand Prix level in
dressage, and she is also an active dressage rider and competitor on her second horse
“Whisper Champion”.
| Work History |
|
| Current |
Practicing equine law and family law in
Erin, concentrating on mediation, mediation/arbitration and collaborative family law (and
training other professionals in collaborative practice. Member of DRO panel for Peel. |
| January 1997 to 2006 |
Practicing in association with three other
lawyers in Streetsville. Member of panel for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer.
Contributed articles on Equine Law for GaitPost magazine. |
November 1993 to
December 1996 |
Sole practitioner, practising in
association with Nancy M. Mossip (now Her Honour Justice Mossip) |
January 1992 to
November 1993 |
MOSSIP, TELLIER: Associate
Lawyer |
| 1989 to 1991 |
Research student at Osgoode Hall Law
School part-time, for Professor Carol Smart, visiting professor, and Professor Mary
Jane Mossman |
| Summer 1990 |
Ontario Legal Aid/Legal Clinic System:
Research Study on the training of community legal workers in Ontario Legal Clinic System |
| Summer 1989 |
Community Legal Worker, Mississauga
Community Legal Services |
| 1987 to 1990 |
Part time instructor Humber College,
Lakeshore |
| 1980 to 1988 |
Community Legal Worker
Halton Hills Community Legal Clinic
Representing clients mainly in the area of social assistance; community development, law
reform, community legal education. Six-month secondment representing clinics before Social
Assistance Review Committee Task Force in Ontario, chaired by George Thomson. |
| Memberships |
Peel Law Association, Wellington Law
Association, Canadian Bar Association, Rotary – Mississauga (Past member), East
Wellington Advisory Group for Family Services (Past member), Ontario Association for
Family Mediation, Family Mediation Canada, Peel/Halton Collaborative Family Law Group
(executive), Collaborative Law Association of Waterloo-Wellington, International
Association of Collaborative Practitioners (IACP), Canadian Equestrian Federation, Ontario
Equestrian Federation, Dressage Canada, United States Equestrian Federation, Caledon
CADORA (past). |
| Education |
|
| 2008, 2009 |
Train the Trainers: Ontario Association of
Collaborative Law |
2006, 2007
2008, 2009 |
Powerful Non-Defensive Communication |
| 2007 |
Family Law Arbitration: ADR Institute of
Ontario Inc. |
| 2007 |
Assessing for Domestic Violence and Power
Imbalances in Family Arbitration |
| 2007 |
Collaborative Family Law Training Level Two |
| July 2000 |
Collaborative Family Law Training Level One |
| April 1996 |
Advanced Mediation for the Family
Practitioner |
| April 1995 |
Mediation for the Family Practitioner |
| February 1992 |
Called to the Bar of Ontario |
| 1991 to 1992 |
Bar Admission Course - Toronto (articling
year waived by the Law Society of Upper Canada in recognition of my work in legal clinics,
upon recommendation of Phil Epstein and George Thomson) |
| 1988 to 1991 |
Osgoode Hall Law School, LL.B., including
intensive program in Immigration and Refugee Law |
| 1975 to 1979 |
University of Toronto, B.A. (Hons.), major
in sociology, minor in criminology |
| Volunteer Work |
|
August 2009 to
Present |
Dressage Canada Board member, Chair 2010 |
September 2001 to
September 2008 |
Board of Governors of St. John’s
Kilmarnock School, Chair from September 2006 to September 2008 |
September 2001 to
2006 |
Board of Directors of Mississauga Community
Legal Services, and member of Personnel Committee |
| January 2003 to present |
Officials Committee, Dressage Canada |
| 1994 to 1997 |
Member of Rotary |
| 1988 to 1993 |
Board of Directors, East Wellington
Advisory Group for Family Services, held positions of President and Vice-President |
| 1990 to 1991 |
CBAO: Paralegal Committee |
| 1986 to 1989 |
Action For Change: Committee on Domestic
Violence in Halton Region, held position of Chair |
| 1979 to 1981 |
Ontario Association of Corrections and
Criminology: Elizabeth Fry representative |
| 1977 to 1979 |
Volunteer Court Worker: Elizabeth Fry
Society |
| 1975 to 1977 |
Volunteer Probation Officer for Young
Offenders |
|
