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 focussed on working with clients to find solutions outside of court that would work better for their families.  In 2010 she stopped litigating family matters in court, 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).  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 as part of the Collaborative Process 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 cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2002. She started her career clerking for a US appellate judge before moving to New York where she practiced commercial litigation, family law, and human rights/civil rights law. She was called to the bar in Ontario in January 2018 and has practiced exclusively in the area of family law since that time.

Through her experience in family law in New York and Ontario and her background as a human rights advocate, Suzanne has developed a deep understanding of the emotional impact divorce and separation makes on all involved. Suzanne takes special care to develop a unique strategy to make sure that every client’s immediate and long-term needs are met. Her unique background and experience allow Suzanne to find dynamic solutions for even the most complicated of cases. Suzanne is a trained Collaborative Family Lawyer and member of the Collaborative Practice Hamilton-Halton and Peel-Halton Collaborative Practice groups.

Suzanne is also active in the community. She has volunteered for LEAF’s Education Committee, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, the Women of Halton Action Movement, and Community Development Halton. She is currently the 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.

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.