About Lesley Matthewson

Lesley Matthewson is the principal and founder of Family Law Solutions. She completed her undergraduate degree at McMaster University and her law degree at the University of Western Ontario. She has been an instructor in Legal Programs at Mohawk College.

Lesley is an experienced lawyer and mediator. Clients value Lesley's legal expertise and appreciate her compassionate, supportive approach to their family law problems.

Lesley has practised law since 1988. Until 2004, she was a partner in a leading Hamilton law firm. Lesley established Family Law Solutions to provide dedicated service to clients facing the challenges of separation and divorce.

The focus of Lesley's practice is the emerging field of Collaborative Family Law – a cooperative, respectful approach to solving family law problems. Lesley has completed advanced education and training in Collaborative Family Law. She is a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, the Canadian Bar Association Family Law Section and an active member of the Hamilton/Burlington Collaborative Family Law Group.

Lesley has been qualified as a Family Mediator since 1990. She is a member of Family Mediation Canada.

Lesley's approach to family law reflects her philosophy that separating and divorcing couples need not destroy their common history in the process of creating their separate future.

Principled and constructive resolution of family law disputes is particularly important between partners who want to continue their roles as involved parents and who are concerned about minimizing the effects of separation and divorce on their children. Animosity (which often flourishes in the traditional court system) wounds the parties and their children deeply, with long-lasting, sometimes irreversible effects on family relationships.