Brown Family Law and Mediation
1 lawyer · Wellington County (Guelph)
One of 53 law firms listed in Guelph, and one of 23 handling Family Law.
Virtual appointments
Virtual appointmentsAbout Brown Family Law and Mediation
Brown Family Law and Mediation is a solo family law practice on Norfolk Street in Guelph, run by Ian Brown. The practice keeps a deliberately narrow focus: it handles family matters only, and it works to settle them out of court. That means mediation, collaborative family law, and lawyer-assisted negotiation rather than trials. Common files include separation agreements, cohabitation agreements, marriage contracts, and uncontested divorces, with a stated aim of reducing conflict and reaching a workable agreement for both people, especially where children are involved.
Ian Brown was called to the Ontario bar in 2001 and has practised family law exclusively since 2004, running the office as a sole practitioner since 2007. For roughly two decades that work ran through the courts, and the practice has since moved away from litigation toward settlement. The background behind that shift is substantial: training in collaborative family law that began in 2003, mediation training at Harvard Law School's Negotiation Institute in 2014, and a founding role in Guelph's Speed River Collaborative group in 2015. Consultations run 45 minutes to an hour and can be booked by email, either in person, by phone, or over Zoom.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- Ian Brown earned an Honours B.A. in history (1993) and an LLB (1999) from Western University, and was called to the Ontario bar in 2001.
- The practice has focused exclusively on family law since 2004, and Ian Brown has run it as a sole practitioner since 2007.
- First trained in collaborative family law in 2003, with Level II and interdisciplinary training since.
- Completed mediation training at Harvard Law School's Negotiation Institute in 2014.
- A founding member of the Speed River Collaborative group of Guelph family lawyers, formed in 2015.
- A member of the International Association of Collaborative Professionals, having attended its international forums in 2011 and 2012.
In the community
- Served as an executive member and secretary of the Wellington Law Association from 2004 to 2009.
- Sat on the Ontario Legal Aid Area Committee for Guelph and Wellington County, and chaired it from 2006 to 2009.
- Served on the Guelph Museums Board of Management from 1999 to 2009, including as chair from 2005 to 2007, and took part in fundraising toward the new museum at the Loreto Convent.
- Was a volunteer director of the Guelph Junction Railway from 2013 to 2019.
- Has volunteered with Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington and is a member of the Puslinch Optimist Club.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
LGBTQ+ friendly
Virtual appointments
By appointment
In-person servicesFees & payment
HourlyLawyers 1
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The office is on Norfolk Street in Guelph, the same street that runs up toward the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate, the limestone landmark that crowns the city's core and is a National Historic Site. Guelph's older streets are known for their warm-hued Victorian limestone, and the setting suits a practice built around calm, out-of-court work: people come to a quiet in-town office for mediation and negotiation rather than a courthouse. The firm serves Guelph and the surrounding Wellington County, and it offers meetings by phone or over Zoom for those who can't come in person.
Frequently asked questions
- Can Brown Family Law handle a separation or divorce without going to court?
- Yes. The practice works only on out-of-court resolution, using mediation, collaborative family law, and lawyer-assisted negotiation to reach separation agreements and uncontested divorces. It doesn't take matters to trial.
- Does the firm prepare cohabitation agreements and marriage contracts?
- Yes. Alongside separation agreements and uncontested divorces, the practice drafts cohabitation agreements and marriage contracts.
- What is collaborative family law, and does the firm offer it?
- It's a process where each spouse has a trained lawyer and everyone signs a written commitment to settle without going to court; if either person later starts a court case, both must hire new lawyers. Ian Brown first trained in it in 2003 and helped found Guelph's Speed River Collaborative group in 2015.
- How much does an initial consultation cost, and how do I book one?
- A consultation runs 45 minutes to an hour and costs $400 plus HST. You can arrange one by email, and it can be held in person, by phone, or over Zoom.
- Where is the office, and can I meet remotely if I live outside Guelph?
- The office is at 164 Norfolk Street in Guelph. Settlement meetings and mediations can be held in person or over Zoom, so clients across Guelph and Wellington County can take part without travelling in.
- How long has Ian Brown practised family law?
- Ian Brown was called to the Ontario bar in 2001 and has focused exclusively on family law since 2004, first through the courts and, since 2007, as a sole practitioner concentrating on settlement work.
Where to find them
164 Norfolk Street, Guelph, ON N1H 4J9 · 519-767-1111
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