This paper provides lawyers with tools to assist a client going through a marriage breakdown to “keep the peace and be of good behaviour”. It provides a range of tips and suggestions on various topics for lawyers to employ when working with a family law client in a high conflict situation. Topics addressed include dealing with high conflict personalities, communication strategies, decision making strategies, threat assessment tools, parental kidnapping prevention, suicide prevention, dealing with bullies, and setting boundaries.

The paper also includes a number of appendices, such as “Top ten rules for keeping things calm”, “Top ten list for doing separation and divorce right”, lawyer/client expectations list, settlement skills list, and a family mission statement precedent, among others.

This paper is part of a collection presented at LESA’s Intersection of Family and Criminal Law program held in Calgary on March 11, 2017 and in Edmonton on March 18, 2017.