Shelley L. Hounsell-Gray, KC
Blackburn Law
Bedford, NS
Shelley Hounsell-Gray, Q.C. has practiced family law for over 22 years. Shelley is trained in mediation and collaborative family law. She enjoys working with clients to find timely and affordable solutions to resolve their legal problems, and to help recognize and promote the interests of children.
Shelley often participates in specialized continuing education programs, and enjoys sharing ideas and learning from others. She is an adjunct professor at the Schulich School of Law. She routinely collaborates with provincial and national advisory groups on law reform and policy, and with the Family Law Subsection for the CBA she is working to find ways to improve the practice of family law. Shelley is often called to present on family law at programs offered by the National Judicial Institute, the National Family Law Program (Canadian Federation of Law Societies), the Canadian Bar Association, Nova Scotia Legal Aid, and for community organizations. More recently Shelley has been asked to develop website content for family law websites to improve public access to reliable legal information. She was appointed Queen's Counsel in 2019.
Fareen L. Jamal
Jamal Family Law Professional Corporation
Oakville, ON
Fareen is sensitive to the difficult emotional issues involved in separation, gives priority to children’s well-being, and is practical in her approach.
She strives to achieve results quickly and efficiently. Her effective negotiation skills and persuasive advocacy bring value to her clients as she successfully represents them both in and out of court.
As a trained professional in Collaborative Family Law, Fareen is also a member of the Peel/Halton Collaborative Family Law Association. She values Collaborative Family Law for preserving the dignity of the parties and the ongoing parenting partnership.
Fareen Jamal is an accredited family law mediator designated by the Ontario Association of Family Mediation (OAFM). Family mediation is the neutral facilitation of family dispute resolution. The negotiating parties enter the family mediation process voluntarily and maintain control over the agreements made. Fareen designs an enabling process to ensure the environment is a safe place to have a difficult conversation.
Fareen was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2004, after obtaining her LL.B. at the London School of Economics. Fareen completed her LL.M., specializing in family law, in 2012, from Osgoode Hall Law School.
Fareen represents children as a member of the Office of the Children’s Lawyer Panel.
Fareen was the 2014 recipient of the Heather McArthur Memorial Young Lawyers Award bestowed by the Ontario Bar Association.
James E. Peterson
Paine Edmonds LLP
Vancouver, BC
Jimmy joined Paine Edmonds in 2008 as an office clerk after graduating from high school in North Vancouver. He worked at Paine Edmonds for 12 years as an office clerk, receptionist, legal assistant, summer student, and articling student before becoming an associate in May 2020. Jimmy clerked at the Nova Scotia Supreme Court (Family Division) and worked as a researcher for the Access to Justice and Law Reform Institute of Nova Scotia. He has appeared in the BC Provincial Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Appeal. He practices personal injury and family law. He is an author of the British Columbia Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Practice Manual.
Jessica A. Schofield
Taylor McCaffrey LLP
Winnipeg, MB
Jessica is a partner at the law firm of Taylor McCaffrey LLP in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She practices primarily in the area of family law but also handles civil litigation as well as intellectual property matters and has acted as counsel in regulatory matters. She regularly appears in both the Court of Queen’s Bench and the Court of Appeal in addition to acting as counsel in mediation and arbitration matters.
Jessica is also the Director of Membership for the executive of the Manitoba Bar Association, the President of the Future Leaders of Manitoba and regularly volunteers with the law school including acting as a judge for the National Family Law Negotiation Competition.
