Business Details
Family Law Mediation Services Sarnia
Whitehead Law & Mediation has been serving clients in Lambton County for over 25 years, specializing in family law mediation and arbitration. Our practice is built on a deep understanding of the emotional and financial toll that legal disputes can take on families. We prioritize resolving conflicts through principled, respectful mediation rather than adversarial court proceedings. Our team combines extensive legal expertise with a compassionate approach to help clients navigate complex family law matters. We are committed to providing clear legal information, facilitating open communication, and empowering clients to create customized solutions that meet their unique needs.Our founder, Janet Whitehead, brings decades of experience as a licensed attorney and certified mediator, ensuring clients receive both legal insight and practical guidance. We maintain strict confidentiality and neutrality in all mediation processes, fostering a safe environment for constructive dialogue. Our services are designed to minimize conflict while producing durable, court-enforceable agreements through comprehensive financial disclosure and independent legal advice. We work collaboratively with clients and their counsel to achieve fair resolutions that preserve relationships and avoid the stress of litigation.
Services
Mediation
Arbitration
Family Mediation
Legal Services
Neutral Consultation
Highlights and features
- We offer 25+ years of combined legal and mediation experience in family law
- Our practice focuses exclusively on mediation and negotiation, not litigation
- We maintain strict confidentiality and neutrality in all dispute resolution processes
- Our founder is a certified mediator with specialized training in collaborative law
- We provide flexible mediation formats including shuttle mediation and lawyer-assisted sessions
Associations and certifications
- Law Society of Ontario
- Ontario Association of Family Mediators (OAFM)
Services
Mediation
Mediation provides a voluntary process for resolving disputes through trained, neutral facilitation. Our certified mediators help parties negotiate mutually acceptable solutions while maintaining control over the outcome. This confidential process reduces conflict, preserves relationships, and avoids court proceedings. We specialize in family law mediation for parenting plans, financial issues, and cohabitation agreements.
Arbitration
Arbitration offers a structured process for resolving unresolved issues when mediation reaches impasse. As certified arbitrators, we conduct formal hearings to review evidence and apply relevant law to deliver binding decisions. This process provides finality while maintaining privacy and flexibility compared to traditional court litigation. We follow strict procedural guidelines to ensure fair outcomes.
Family Mediation
Our family mediation services address relationship breakdowns between spouses, parents and children, or business partners. We help clients navigate emotional challenges while creating practical solutions for parenting arrangements, property division, and support matters. Our approach prioritizes children's best interests while respecting both parties' needs and legal rights throughout the process.
Legal Services
We provide comprehensive legal support for mediation participants, including document preparation and agreement drafting. Our services ensure all agreements contain complete financial disclosure and meet legal requirements for enforceability. We work with clients' independent legal counsel to maintain proper professional boundaries while facilitating informed decision-making throughout the dispute resolution process.
Neutral Consultation
Neutral consultation offers prospective clients an introduction to the mediation process before committing to full sessions. This 30-minute session explains mediation benefits, procedural expectations, and helps determine if mediation suits specific circumstances. The consultation provides decision-making framework while maintaining impartiality for potential future mediation participants.
People
Janet M. Whitehead
Principal Mediator
Janet Whitehead is a licensed Ontario attorney with 25+ years of family law experience. Certified by the Ontario Association of Family Mediators, she specializes in mediation and collaborative law. Her practice focuses on helping families resolve disputes through principled negotiation while avoiding adversarial court proceedings.
William J. Doran
Associate Counsel
William Doran brings unique perspective combining social work and legal expertise. With 25 years in family law practice, he understands emotional complexities of separation and divorce. His background in social services informs his approach to helping clients navigate the psychological aspects of family law disputes.
Questions
What types of cases can be mediated?
We mediate family law matters including parenting arrangements, property division, spousal support, cohabitation agreements, and elder care planning. Mediation works best when both parties are willing to negotiate in good faith.
Is mediation legally binding?
Mediation agreements become legally binding when properly documented and signed by both parties. We recommend independent legal review before finalizing any agreement to ensure enforceability and compliance with Ontario family law standards.
How long does mediation take?
The process duration depends on case complexity and cooperation levels. Most mediations complete in 2-4 sessions lasting 2 hours each. Parties control the timeline and can proceed at their preferred pace.
Can I bring my lawyer to mediation?
Yes, you may have legal representation present during mediation. We require advance notice to coordinate with counsel and structure sessions appropriately to accommodate legal advice during the negotiation process.
What happens if we can't resolve all issues?
Unresolved issues can transition to arbitration with mutual agreement. This hybrid process maintains continuity while providing binding resolution for remaining matters, avoiding duplicate proceedings in traditional court systems.
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Reviews (2)
Ryan Giddings
Oct 04, 2019
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Excellent Lawyer and Law Office to work with. Janet is very knowledgable family lawyer with over 25 years of experience. I highly recommend her and her team.
Matt Beckingham
Jul 24, 2019
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She is amazing, efficient and has a great sense of fairness. Definitely the first and only stop for your family matters.
