As a family law lawyer, Mary also recognizes that clients in the midst of a marriage breakdown or a custody dispute require compassion and empathy. Family disputes create a lot of stress, both emotional and financial. It is important to me to ensure that any legal assistance that I provide actually helps people and is practical and cost-effective. Clients also benefit from the expertise and experience of the entire firm. Mary also has experience in labour law, including duty of fair representation cases, which deal with union members' rights within the union.
Unions are powerful institutions.
Sometimes a member's interests are in conflict with those of the union. A union's decision cannot be made arbitrarily or in bad faith. Mary believes that her background and experience in family law is of great assistance in labour law. It is important to have such issues resolved promptly and fairly, because the relationship between a union and an individual member often continues after the dispute is resolved. Mary volunteers as a member of the board of directors for a local shelter for mothers and children.