Author Archives: Deanne Sowter

About Deanne Sowter

Deanne Sowter is a doctoral candidate and Vanier Scholar at Osgoode Hall Law School. She is also a Research Fellow with the Winkler Institute for Dispute Resolution. Deanne’s research focuses on family law, gender-based violence, and legal ethics, and it has been supported by SSHRC and several prestigious fellowships and scholarships including the Honourable Willard Z Estey Teaching Fellowship and the OBA Foundation Chief Justice of Ontario Fellowship in Legal Ethics and Professionalism Studies. Deanne’s work has been published in several peer-reviewed journals including the Dalhousie Law Journal, the Canadian Bar Review, and the UBC Law Review, and it has been cited by the Supreme Court of Canada. She taught as an Instructor at the University of Calgary and as an Adjunct Professor at Western Law. Deanne has a JD from Osgoode Hall Law School, an LLM from the University of Toronto, and is a collaboratively-trained family lawyer.

What is Non-Adversarial Advocacy?

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Deanne Sowter

By: Deanne Sowter PDF Version: What is Non-Adversarial Advocacy? There is no provision in the Federation of Law Societies Model Code that specifically regulates non-adversarial advocacy. The Code has an Advocacy section (R 5.1) and it distinguishes advocacy in an … Continue reading →

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A Lawyer’s Duty to (Sometimes) Report a Child in Need of Protection

Posted on February 28, 2020 by Deanne Sowter

By: Deanne Sowter PDF Version: A Lawyer’s Duty to (Sometimes) Report a Child in Need of Protection Everyone has an obligation to report when they have reason to believe that a child is in need of protection, including lawyers – … Continue reading →

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Coercive Control: What Should a Good Lawyer Do?

Posted on January 2, 2020 by Deanne Sowter

By: Deanne Sowter PDF Version: Coercive Control: What Should a Good Lawyer Do? Matter Commented On: Federation of Law Societies Model Code of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.3-3 I am currently conducting research to determine whether coercive control can be considered … Continue reading →

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Lawyer (In)competence and Family Violence

Posted on March 20, 2019 by Deanne Sowter

By: Deanne Sowter PDF Version: Lawyer (In)competence and Family Violence Legislation Commented On: Bill C-78, An Act to amend the Divorce Act, the Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement Assistance Act and the Garnishment, Attachment and Pension Diversion Act and to make … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics and the Legal Profession, Family | 2 Comments