Dispute Resolution Services LP

Education

Advocates’ Society - Mediation Workshop Harvard Law School Course 1999
Bar Admission Course, Osgoode Hall, Toronto, 1987
Bachelor of Law, Osgoode Hall Law School, Downsview, Ontario, 1985
Bachelor of Arts, York University, June 1982
University of Toronto, Faculty of Arts, University College, 1979 - 1980

Awards, Scholarships and Certificates

2006- Certificate of Honour- North York General Hospital
2005- Certificate from The Hospital for Sick Children
1999 Certificate of Recognition, Ministry of Attorney General -Superior Court of Justice Family Information Session
1999 Certificate -Advocates’ Society Mediation Workshop (Harvard Law School Course)
1982 York University - Award for Academic Distinction
1982 York University - Dean’s Honour List
1981 York University - Dean’s Honour List
1980 University of Toronto - Dean’s Honour List
1979 Entrance Scholarship - York University
1979 Ontario Scholar
Intramural Athletic Championship Award
Drama Award

Work Experience

Rachel E Baron - Barrister and Solicitor - June 1999 to present time. Sole practitioner.
Practice Restricted to Family Law - Solely responsible for extensive family law files from inception to completion. Meeting with client, preparation of financial statements with scheduled material and back-up information, net family property statements, drafting of pleadings, applications, motion material and factums, attendance at examinations, appearing on motions, research, settlement meetings, drafting of domestic contracts, meeting with assessors, meeting with forensic accountants, meetings with actuaries, meeting with expert witnesses.
Negotiation of Separation Agreements and Minutes of Settlement, appearances in the Superior Court of Justice and Ontario Court of Justice.

Files included custody/access disputes, paternity, child and spousal support claims, variation applications, complex property disputes and domestic contracts.

Mediation of family law matters relating to support, property and custody. Attendances at Mediation sessions and participation in Arbitrations.

Dispute Resolution Services LP - March 2006 to present. Private dispute resolution of family law matters. Joined team of respected dispute resolution practitioners with a wealth of experience in mediation.

Jodi Feldman - Barrister and Solicitor - January to May 1999 - Contractual position - Practice Restricted to Family Law (same as above).

Ricki D. Harris - Barrister and Solicitor - July - December, 1998 (Maternity leave). Contractual Position - Practice Restricted to Family Law - Responsible for extensive family law files from inception to completion including drafting of motion material, application material, Factums for the Superior Court of Justice and Court of Appeal, negotiation of Separation Agreements and Minutes of Settlement, appearances in the Superior Court of Justice and Ontario Court of Justice.

Ricki D. Harris - Barrister and Solicitor - Contractual Position from October 1996 to May 1997. (Maternity Leave) Practice restricted to Family Law. Responsible for extensive family law files from inception to completion, including drafting of motion material, application material, and Factums for the Court of Appeal. Appearances at the Ontario Court of Appeal, Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Justice.

Howard J. Feldman - Barrister and Solicitor - January 1995 to September 1995 - Associate Family Law and Estate Law. Contractual Position.

Contractual Work - May 1994 - December 1994 - Family Law and Law Society files for Epstein, Cole, Dymond & Associates and Chusid, Friedman

Epstein, Cole - January 1989 - October 1993 - Associate
Responsible for extensive family law files from inception to completion. Tasks included meeting with client, preparation of financial statements with scheduled material and back-up information, net family property statements, drafting of pleadings and motion material, attendance at examinations, appearing on motions, research, settlement meetings, drafting of domestic contracts, meeting with assessors, meeting with forensic accountants, meetings with actuaries, meeting with expert witnesses, attendance at trials and hearings.
Assisted and reported to senior counsel on files and prepared and drafted material for senior counsel.

Assisted senior counsel on trials and appeals and conducted research.

Files included custody/access disputes, Hague Convention disputes, paternity, adoption disputes, support claims, variation applications, enforcement of support orders, complex property disputes involving extensive assets and domestic contracts.

Assisted senior counsel with Law Society files including preparing letters to the Law Society, drafting of pleadings, and attendance at settlement meetings.

Chusid, Friedman - February 1987 - December 1988 - Associate
General litigation including Family Law - approximately six months - attendance on motions, preparation of pleadings and examinations.

Corporate, Commercial and Estates - approximately one year and four months - mergers and acquisitions, drafting of shareholders agreements, partnership agreements, tax, preparation of wills, power of attorney and letters probate.

Kelsey, Melnick & Hendler - Articling Position
Six months - real estate - including searches of title, attendance on closings, research.
Six months - litigation - including attendance at motions, judgment debtor examinations, preparation of pleadings and motion material, assisted senior counsel at trial, personal injury claims, and corporate commercial litigation.

Teaching and Education

Osgoode Hall Law School, Professional Development Program L.L.M. in Alternative Dispute Resolution- June 14, 2006 and June 16, 2006. -Coaching students of L.L.M. program with mediation. Providing constructive feedback to graduate students mediating matters.

Speaker at Ryerson University- April 10, 2006 Health Care Law and Mediation

Law Society of Upper Canada- Barrister’s Examination-Item Development Workshop - 393 University Avenue September, 2005 Development of New Competency Based Licensing Examination Questions for Barrister’s Examination

Law Society of Upper Canada- July, 2005 Marking of Research Memorandums for Legal Writing Course

Law Society of Upper Canada-Instructor May 27, 2005 and May 30, 2005 Assess Negotiation Skills.

Law Society of Upper Canada-Barrister’s Examination-Item Development Workshop - 393 University Avenue, 5th floor. November 16-November 18, 2004 Development of New Competency Based Licensing Examination -Creating Examination Questions for Barrister’s Examination.

Law Society of Upper Canada - Instructor of Family Law Course, Bar Admission Course- 1993 to 2005.

Co-chair - Ontario Bar Association Program May 27, 2003 Pre-Nups, Judging Support, Analyzing Custody and other Practice Issues for Family Law Lawyers
Speaker - Financial Disclosure for Pre-Nups May 27, 2003

Law Society of Upper Canada- Instructor Bar Admission Course for Professional Responsibility, Interviewing, Advocacy, Civil Procedure and Legal Writing 1993 to 2003.

Law Society of Upper Canada - 1993- 2003 Examiner of Motions and Interviewing.

Law Society of Upper Canada - Family Law Exam Team 2000 to 2003, responsible for writing and pre-testing Bar Admission examinations for Family law Substantive/Procedural Phase.

Law Society of Upper Canada 2001 to 2004 - Writing and Editing of Bar Admission Reference Material for Family Law including chapter on Divorce (Chapter 3) and chapter on Marriage and Annulment (Chapter 19). Revisions of Bar Admission Materials for 2001 Family Law course. Review and editing of Motion Material for Family Law Course.

Family Information Session, Superior Court of Justice, regular speaker at Family Information Session 1999 to present time.

Pro Bono Students Canada - Funded by the Law Foundation of Ontario - Supervising Students at 311 Jarvis Street Ontario Court of Justice (Family Division). Pilot Project. March 1998

Activities

Dispute Resolution Officer-Superior Court of Justice Ontario - Mediation of Variation Applications and Case Conferences. October, 2003 to present time. Mediation in hundreds of matters relating to custody, access, spousal and child support and property.
Volunteer at Lawyer’s Feed the Hungry Program, Law Society of Upper Canada, Osgoode Hall, September, 2005 to present time.

Co-chair and speaker for Ontario Bar Association May 27, 2003 on Marriage Contracts, Support and other practice issues for Family Law Lawyers.

Superior Court of Justice - 1999 to present time - Instructor for Family Information Session

North York General Hospital - 2003 Sound of Caring Concert - Fundraising Committee

Volunteer Canvasser Canadian National Institute for the Blind 2000, 2001

State of Israel Bonds - Member of Fundraising Committee 2001

Speaker on Family Law for Na’amat - February 1998

Mount Sinai Staff Hospital Medical Staff Association Social Committee (February 1996)

Elected to the Board of Directors of public corporation - JDS Investments Limited - 1991 Responsible for eventual sale of the shares of majority shareholder

Volunteer at Adventure Place - 1979 - summer camp - for children with physical and mental challenges

References available upon Request.

(416) 250-5050
E-mail: rbaron@torlaw.com