Collaborative Family Lawyer & Mediator, Certified Specialist in Family Law

Marian started her career as a family lawyer in Toronto in 2003.  At that time she was in court almost every day with her clients.  She learned a lot about the impact the family court system has on people, both financially and emotionally.

She became focused on working with clients to find solutions that would work better for their families, having learned that there is almost always a more productive and satisfactory way to resolve the unique problems that arise on the breakdown of a family relationship.

Marian is an Accredited Family Mediator (AccFM) and an Accredited Intergenerational Mediator (AccIM).  Marian is also serving her second three-year term on the Board for the Ontario Association for Family Mediation (OAFM). Please click here to learn more about Marian’s mediation practice.

She is also a trained Collaborative family lawyer and an active member in the local Collaborative practice groups such as Collaborative Practice Hamilton Halton.

Working as a panel lawyer for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, Marian has learned how children are affected by a breakdown in their parents’ relationship.  Whether she is working as the mediator or a lawyer in a family matter she brings a child-focused perspective to the process.

Associate Lawyer- Estates

Bethany graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 2000, and was called to the Ontario bar in 2002.  She began her career in Toronto with one of Canada’s largest law firms, first in commercial litigation and then in Wealth Management and Estate Planning.  Bethany left Bay Street to join BlackBerry as their first Knowledge Management lawyer, before returning to Estates Law in her hometown of Oakville.

Bethany’s practice focuses on estate planning and administration, as well as marriage contracts and cohabitation agreements.  Her experience in commercial law, wealth management, and knowledge management combine to give her valuable perspective when providing practical and efficient legal advice to her clients.  She provides comprehensive advice to her clients, taking the time to learn about their personal, financial and family situation as well as their wishes, and ensures that her clients fully understand the possible legal impact of their options and can make the choices that are right for them.  Whether you are preparing your Will and Powers of Attorney or negotiating a Marriage Contract or Cohabitation Agreement, Bethany believes in taking a holistic approach to create a plan that reflects your unique circumstances.

Bethany is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, the Canadian Bar Association, the Ontario Bar Association and the Halton County Law Association.

Bethany volunteered for many years as an executive member of the Board of Directors at Skate Oakville.

To make an appointment with Bethany, please contact her estates law clerk, Laura Rosati, at lrosati@gagefamilylaw.ca.

Collaborative Family Lawyer & Mediator

Suzanne graduated from Harvard Law School in 2002. She started practicing in New York in 2003, gaining extensive experience in litigation, family law, and human rights advocacy. Called to the bar in Ontario in 2018, Suzanne now focuses exclusively on family law, guiding clients through complex, high-stakes matters with skill, discretion, and results-driven strategy.

Suzanne is trusted by professionals, business owners, high-net-worth individuals, and their spouses to navigate separation and divorce involving sophisticated financial structures. She has significant experience with corporate interests, privately held businesses, executive compensation, and complex property division. Her litigation background allows her to quickly identify key issues, develop strategic solutions, and protect her clients’ financial and parenting interests with precision.

She is highly experienced in high-conflict parenting disputes, including decision-making responsibility and parenting time. Suzanne works to resolve matters collaboratively where possible, while advocating firmly and strategically in court when necessary. She is an active panel lawyer with the Office of the Children’s Lawyer (OCL), further highlighting her expertise in complex parenting cases.

Clients choose Suzanne for her rare ability to combine a resolution-focused, collaborative approach with strong and effective litigation skills. As a trained Collaborative Family Lawyer and member of Collaborative Divorce Peel Hamilton Halton, Suzanne helps clients achieve efficient, private resolutions without unnecessary conflict. At the same time, she is a highly skilled litigator, able to represent clients effectively in court when needed. This rare combination ensures her clients always have a strategic, family-focused advocate whether as part of a collaborative divorce team, negotiating agreements, participating in alternative dispute resolution or pursuing litigation.

Suzanne also provides unbundled legal services for clients who want to navigate the legal process or ADR options with her guidance in the background. She empowers clients to move matters forward efficiently and cost-effectively while maintaining access to expert legal counsel at critical stages.

Known for delivering clear advice, practical solutions, and strong results, Suzanne balances a family-focused approach with sharp legal strategy. Clients choose Suzanne for her rare combination of collaborative expertise, courtroom strength, and strategic guidance. She delivers practical solutions, clear advice, and results-focused representation, ensuring that even the most complex matters are resolved efficiently and with long-term stability.

Suzanne is also an active community leader, contributing to LEAF, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Women of Halton Action Movement, and Community Development Halton, and currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for SAVIS of Halton.

Associate Lawyer – Family & Estates

Zeba obtained her LLB from the London School of Economics in 1997. She is a licenced legal practitioner in both the UK and Canada, having been called to the Bar in Ontario in 2001. Zeba began her career as a civil litigator with the Ministry of the Attorney General. She took a leave from the practice of law in 2003 to focus on her young family and she returned to full time practice in 2013.

Zeba has worked in prominent firms specializing exclusively in family law. She has appeared regularly before the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice on complex and very high conflict matters.

She is able to provide practical and effective legal advice in all areas of family law, estates and trusts.

Associate Lawyer – Family Law

Elizabeth joined us after practicing both criminal defense and family law in another Ontario law firm where she advocated for her clients at the Superior Court and Ontario Court of Justice.

Elizabeth practiced family law in Nigeria prior to her call to the Ontario bar, beginning in 2013.  She brings her strong experience in negotiation and litigation to her family practice at Gage Family Law.  Having worked in different jurisdictions, Elizabeth can draw on best practices from her experiences as a family lawyer to help our clients reach the best outcomes using the best processes for their unique families.

Elizabeth is a member of the Law Society of Ontario, the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, the Canadian Bar Association, the Ontario Bar Association and the Halton County Law Association.

Law Clerk – Family

Susan Dryden is our Senior Law Clerk with more than 30 years of experience in family law.  She is involved in all aspects of file management, including the drafting and filing of pleadings.

Susan enjoys working with clients to prepare and finalize their financial statements and disclosure briefs.

She also offers her services as a Virtual Law Clerk, working with parties who are self-representing in finalizing, serving and filing their court documents.  She is very effective at assisting parties in navigating the often confusing court process without requiring them to incur the costs associated with retaining a lawyer.

Susan is a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits, appointed by the Province of Ontario.