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About Deborah Herriot-Howes

Ms. Herriot-Howes' education includes a number of University degrees and diplomas. She earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from York University in 1980, followed by a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) from York University in 1983. She became an associate of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto earning her A.R.C.T. degree in November 1986. An accomplished pianist and teacher, she owned and operated a successful music school for a number of years prior to attending law school at the University of British Columbia, earning her Bachelor of Laws degree. Upon completion of the Bar Admission course and examinations, Ms. Herriot-Howes embarked on her career as a lawyer in 1996, and has been practicing family law exclusively ever since.

Her early experience included work as Family Law Duty Counsel at the Newmarket Courthouse for Legal Aid Ontario for a number of years, in addition to her successful and growing private family law practice. Appointed by the Office of the Children's Lawyer for the Province of Ontario in 2004, Ms. Herriot-Howes has represented and currently represents many children in Court, both in child protection proceedings involving the Children's Aid Society and in custody and access disputes between parents.

In August 2007, Ms. Herriot-Howes earned her diploma as a family law arbitrator through the University of Waterloo, and in March 2010 she earned her diploma as a family law mediator. She has since been accredited by the Ontario Association for Family Mediation (AccFM) in August of 2011, and received her Qualified Arbitrator designation (Q.Arb) in December of 2014 through the ADR Institute of Canada. In addition, in 2011 Ms. Herriot-Howes completed the Collaborative Practice Level I Training course with Marion Korn.

At the inception of the program at Newmarket Court, Ms. Herriot-Howes was selected to be a presenter at the Mandatory Information Program (MIP) in Newmarket Court. Ms. Herriot-Howes is currently acting as a Dispute Resolution Officer (DRO) in Newmarket Court, since being appointed in January 2012.

Ms. Herriot-Howes continues to offer her legal services in her private practice in Family Law including Collaborative Family Law, Mediation, Arbitration, Litigation and Negotiation.