Debbie is the founding partner of HD Collaborative Law, a Waterloo-based law firm specializing in Collaborative Law and Mediation.
Born in Renfrew, Ontario, Debbie is of Algonquin descent, a Woodland Metis of the Pikwakanagan First Nation. Debbie went to high school in Red Deer, Alberta and moved to Whitehorse, Yukon in 1994. She was called to the bar in the Yukon and British Columbia in 1995. Debbie lived in the Yukon for 22 years, specializing in family law and general civil litigation.
Debbie has always been interested in keeping families out of court. When she moved back to Southern Ontario in 2016, Debbie continued to practice family law and dedicated her practice to collaborative conflict resolution and mediation.
Having worked on numerous trials throughout her career, Debbie knew there had to be a better approach that didn’t take such a financial and emotional toll on clients and their children.
“The collaborative approach is the most effective way to resolve issues for separating spouses and their children. We work with financial and family professionals throughout the process to ensure that clients make informed decisions. Lawyers are an integral part of the team, but the clients are the ones in the driver’s seat.”