Melissa Bourgeois
Family Lawyer
I have been practicing family law for over a decade now, and have been witness to many positive changes as the law continues to grow and evolve to meet the needs of our clients.
I am a graduate of the University of Ottawa’s bilingual ‘Programme National’ where I earned both my civil (LL.L.) and common law (JD) degrees. Prior to that I studied Sociology, obtaining both an undergraduate and master’s degree from Concordia University in Montréal.
After completing my studies, I returned to Edmonton and began my formalistic legal training under the supervision of an esteemed family litigator who taught me the in’s and out’s of the court system. It was during this time that I came to understand the importance of access to justice for families, and the key role our judiciary holds in assisting high conflict families obtain resolution to their differences.
I was granted the accreditation to practice collaborative family law and mediation in 2017, and it was from there that my interest in offering ‘out of court’ alternative dispute resolution services to low conflict family law clients began.
In 2018, I opened my own law office, MKB Law, and my legal practice became known for pursuing the concepts of conciliation rather than conflict. I was pleased to note how many clients truly were seeking the opportunity to pursue the legal process of divorce amicably, kindly and with mutual respect.
In 2019 I discovered a new type of legal service being offered in the UK where one family lawyer acts for both parties together, providing joint impartial legal advice that is fair and neutral to both parties. A lightbulb went off for me when I realized the potential to expand the notions of ‘good, amicable and kind divorce’ in Canada and so I pursued the right to practice this way through a series of proposals and test reports presented to the Law Society of Alberta’s Innovation Regulation Group.
In 2022 I opened One Family Law, which is now a proud member of the Law Society of Alberta’s Innovation Sandbox. One Family Law is the first of its kind in Canada to provide a streamlined family law service whereby one family lawyer is hired by both parties to provide neutral and fair legal advice to them jointly.
We are very pleased to deliver this service by way of the - One Family Lawyer Model ©
YOUR TEAM AT ONE FAMILY LAW
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Client Relations
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Paralegal