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62554.01Coercive control often hides in plain sight and how it's handled in family law files can shape a client’s future. This paper explores helpful tools to recognize coercive control and post-separation abuse, with a focus on practical strategies for presenting persuasive evidence in court and avoiding common missteps along the way. These materials were presented at LESA’s Coercive Control in Action: Real World Examples and Legal Responses webinar on March 10, 2026.
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62560.05The main pillars of family law that are addressed in agreements are family property division, support, parenting and estate rights. This paper explores the legal consequences of addressing family law issues in various domestic contracts. It includes an overview of family law agreements in Alberta identifying issues and legislation for lawyers to be aware of, and sticky areas that require extra attention when drafting and providing independent legal advice. These materials are part of a collection presented at LESA’s Family Law Agreements program in Edmonton on January 29, 2026.
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62560.04Family law counsel play a vital role in guiding clients through the negotiation, drafting, execution, and enforcement of family law agreements. This paper explores practical considerations for family law counsel, organized around key ethical and professional considerations that commonly arise when negotiating, drafting, and executing family law agreements. Each section identifies a specific area of risk, explains the underlying professional obligations, and offers concrete practice tips to help lawyers navigate these challenges effectively. These materials are part of a collection presented at LESA’s Family Law Agreements program in Edmonton on January 29, 2026.
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62560.03This paper discusses some of the areas family law practitioners should actively cultivate within their professional networks, such as corporate law, tax law, estate law, and trust law. These materials are part of a collection presented at LESA’s Family Law Agreements program in Edmonton on January 29, 2026.
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62560.02The goal isn’t just to reach a deal; it’s to reach a deal that neither party can or wants to break. This paper explores everything from “agreement in principle” (hereafter referred to as an “AIP”) to a fully executed agreement, and beyond. We’ll examine three key stages of turning the AIP into an enforceable agreement, managing attempts to renegotiate; and, building enforcement mechanisms that work. These materials are part of a collection presented at LESA’s Family Law Agreements program in Edmonton on January 29, 2026.
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62560.01Most family law cases are settled before trial and often this is through negotiated settlements. This paper explores mediation with counsel, or with a third-party mediator, with many of the concepts applied in a collaborative process. It also addresses Arbitration as it is increasingly common for parties to engage in Mediation/Arbitration. These materials are part of a collection presented at LESA’s Family Law Agreements program in Edmonton on January 29, 2026.
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62574.01The Hague Convention can present complex challenges for legal professionals. This paper provides an overview of key Hague processes, including the applicability of the convention, the articles of the convention, habitual residence, undertakings, temporary orders for custody, and execution of a judgement. These materials were presented at LESA’s A Practice Guide to the Hague Convention on International Child Abductions webinar on January 14, 2026.
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62565.02With rapid advances in AI and new research technologies, the nature of legal support work is evolving in how assistants and paralegals can elevate the support they provide and grow their professional value. This paper expands upon research fundamentals, with a practice-specific focus on case law. These materials are part of a collection presented at LESA’s Elevating Family Law Practice: Skills for Legal Support Staff program on November 21, 2025.
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62565.01This paper explores how Microsoft Copilot integrates across Outlook, Word, Excel, and Teams to streamline paralegal workflows, from drafting and editing to summarizing and scheduling. Understand the practical benefits and risks of AI in a legal environment, including where it can save time, where caution is needed, and how to use it responsibly. These materials are part of a collection presented at LESA’s Elevating Family Law Practice: Skills for Legal Support Staff program on November 21, 2025.
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62530.12There are four categories of informal logical fallacies, with each category containing a subgroup of logical fallacies that rely on a similar logical structure to convey unsound conclusions. These materials explore the fallacies of presumption, relevance, weak induction, and ambiguity. These materials are part of a collection presented at LESA’s Family Law Conference (Kananaskis) program in Kananaskis on October 24–25, 2025.
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62530.11The ultimate decision made, whether by a court or an arbitrator, is only as good as the evidence put before them. This paper explores the do’s and don’ts of what to obtain and how to prepare your evidence effectively. These materials are part of a collection presented at LESA’s Family Law Conference (Kananaskis) program in Kananaskis on October 24–25, 2025.
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62530.07While many lawyers’ draft pleadings as a mere formality to commence an action, improperly drafted pleadings may cause confusion that may result in unnecessary litigation. This paper explores some foundational rules and the various types of pleadings that may be relevant to family law, as well as addressing some considerations when drafting pleadings in your family law practice. These materials are part of a collection presented at LESA’s Family Law Conference (Kananaskis) program in Kananaskis on October 24–25, 2025.
