Ellen Anderson believes that for most couples who are separating, the collaborative team approach is the best option. Of course it’s always the clients and the situation itself that will determine the choice of divorce process.

Ellen does practise family law through the courts, negotiation, and with the help of mediators. However, when the collaborative team approach is possible, collaboration can provide clients with the best possible return for their investment in legal costs. That is because through collaboration clients make their own decisions about what is fair for themselves and for their children at the time of separation. Collaboration also teaches clients skills to manage changes as they move forward with their new restructured family. And the collaborative approach generally provides clients with the fastest, least expensive, most personal and most satisfying resolution of their family law situation.

Ellen took Level One and Two Collaborative Family Law Training in 2002. She was introduced to the Collaborative Team Approach in 2008, which adds the family therapist and the financial planner to support people going through separation. In 2011 she completed a 40 hour course in family mediation at the Barrie Mediation Centre. She is an active member of Collaborative Practice Simcoe County and has developed strong professional working relationships with other local collaborative practitioners.

It helps to bring some life experience to family law. Ellen went through an early marriage and divorce herself. She taught at Georgian College for 12 years, and with her husband and law partner has raised two children who are now adults. Ellen’s educational background includes bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English, and bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in law. In addition to family law, she also handles other files including employment, property and estates litigation matters. The collaborative training helps with all of it.