Nathalie Picard

Co-Founder, Senior Family Lawyer, Mediator (AccFM) and Collaborative Professional

Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Phone: 613-746-9696

Fax: 613-746-7887

Email: Email Me

Nathalie Picard Photo

Nathalie Picard obtained a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Sociology and Psychology) from the University of Ottawa in 1987 and she obtained her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) in 1993. She was called to the Bar in 1995 and is one of the few lawyers in the Ottawa area who is capable of offering mediation, collaborative family law and family law services in both official languages. Nathalie taught at la Cité in the legal assistant program and currently tutors articling students to assist them in excelling at their licensing examinations administered by The Law Society of Upper Canada. She participates in the Family Law component of the Law Society of Upper Canada's Law Practice Program (French) every year and also appears on a monthly basis on "Entre Nous" to educate the public concerning mediation, collaborative law and family law. Educating the public and her clients is an important component of everything that Nathalie does.

Nathalie has a keen interest in improving legal services in Ontario and legal systems. She worked for the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs wherein she participated in international judicial reform programs in Ethiopia and Russia. She has been a partner in a law firm and had her own firm, Picard Law. She currently owns Nathalie Picard Professional Corporation and is a co-founder of Alt Divorce, which strives to reduce conflict for separating families and offer cost and time effective services. Improving the experience of separating couples and their children is crucial to Nathalie and is reflected in every part of her daily practice. Although she focuses on utilizing alternative methods to settle family law disputes, she also attends court on behalf of her clients on a regular basis.

Areas of Practice

Family Law Mediation

Collaborative Family Law

Family Law Litigation

Litigation Percentage

20% to 30% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

Ontario, 1995

Education

University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
     LL.B. - 1993

University of Ottawa, Faculty of Social Sciences, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
     B.S., Bachelor of Science - 1987

Published Works

Courage on Wheels, 2016
Blog on family law matters posted on ALT Divorce's website (www.altdivorce.com/blog), on LinkedIn and Facebook

Assisted Professor Brad Morse of the University of Ottawa with research and drafting of the aboriginal law chapter of a constitutional law book written by Errol Mendes and Senator Gerald Beaudoin, 2004

Professional Associations and Memberships

Ottawa Collaborative Family Law Association, 2004 - Present

Ontario Association of Family Mediators, 2004 - Present

County of Carleton Law Association, 2005 - Present

The Law Society of Upper Canada, 1995 - Present

Past Employment Positions

Picard Law , Mediator, Collaborative Counsel and Family Law Lawyer, Owner, 2008 - 2014

Macleod Picard Law and Mediation Chambers, Collaborative Law Counsel and Family Law Lawyer, Partner, 2005 - 2007

Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs / International Section, Legal Counsel, Ottawa, Ontario, 1999 - 2002

Racicot, Bonney, Lawyer, 1995 - 1997

Racicot, Bonney, Articling Student, 1993 - 1994

Pro Bono Activities

Appear on Rogers French TV to discuss various family law topics, mediation, collaborative law, since 2015

Member of a CCLA workgroup which was tasked with providing written comments on a Law Society report concerning Alternative Business Structures, 2014

Participate in the Law Society's new licensing program for articling students, since 2014

Tutor articling students to assist them in excelling at their licensing examinations administered by The Law Society of Upper, since 2009

Assisted with the translation from English to French of the Collaborative Practice Ottawa website and brochures, 2007

Provided translation services and assistance with program development for Children International in Guayaquil, Ecuador, 1992

Languages

French

English