Brett trained in law in both Canada and Australia. Brett is a graduate of UBC (Vancouver) with a Master in Laws (the first graduate thesis anywhere specializing in collaborative law). Brett also studied Canadian Constitutional and Administrative Law, before being called to the Bar of Ontario. He became a lawyer first in Australia in 2001, where he was admitted both as a Barrister and Solicitor in the Supreme Court of Western Australia and the High Court of Australia.

Before moving to Canada, Brett practiced in one of Australia’s premier family law firms, as well as in a boutique family law firm specializing in large family property settlements and complex custody disputes involving high levels of conflict.

Before law, Brett trained in psychology and earned a PhD. He has found law and psychology to be an excellent combination which helps him when advising clients on all issues relating to family law, and especially custody and access matters and complex disputes requiring negotiation. Brett has worked in a variety of legal, university and research positions, including as the Dean of St Catherine’s College at the University of Western Australia and as a Teaching Assistant in the Law School at UBC.

Over the last few years Brett was highly involved in training lawyers and psychologists in collaborative law throughout Australia. Brett has published on the topic of collaborative law in the fields of both law and psychology.

Brett takes on court cases and is passionate to do his best to help families to resolve their disputes in the most civilized way possible by negotiation. He strives to get lasting results for his clients and their children so they can get on and enjoy the rest of their lives. He does this by giving each individual case the necessary time and thought to produce a creative, fair and economical result for everyone involved.

Brett is also a trained mediator and his legal practice covers all areas of family law.

My favorite phrase is - “Dum Vivimus Vivamus” (in Latin) - literally meaning “Let us live while we live” (i.e. Let us enjoy life!).