Pamela Leech
Academy Family Law
Tel: 204 488-2488
pamela@academyfamilylaw.com
Pamela Leech is a family lawyer who has made a commitment to Collaborative Practice in her approach to resolving disputes. She will work with you to establish your goals and the scope of work in your matter. This approach allows for your matter to advance in a solution focussed manner which is of value to you in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and timeliness.
Pamela’s academic achievements include graduating with First Class Standing in the Honours Bachelor of Social Work program and winning the Isaac Prize in Law School for Legal Research. Pamela is a member of the Manitoba and Canada Bar Association; the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and the local collaborative practice group, and; is called to the bar in the province of Manitoba to practice law. Her particular practice interests include alternate dispute resolution including mediation, arbitration and collaborative law.
In addition to private family law, Pamela has provided legal support to various branches of government including comprehensive reviews under The Fatality Inquiries Act, drafted provincial standards under the Child and Family Services Act and was Chair of the Intercountry Adoption Review Committee. She also assisted in developing policy direction with a view to legislative amendments in child protection.
She articled with the firm Monk Goodwin LLP, working with senior counsel in a range of family law practice approaches.
Pamela has experience providing independent opinion evidence to the Court on matters relating to periods of care, parenting plans and parental capacity.
She is on the mediation roster for the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation (MPIC) program offering mediation in personal injury claims. The claims are often complex in scope and nature and the claimant generally appears with representation. Claimants who disagree with MPIC decisions relative to compensation for injuries sustained in automobile accidents can elect to mediate the appeal. Currently, injured Manitobans are entitled to benefits within MPIC’s Personal Injury Protection Plan (PIPP). If there is an issue involving coverage, the injured person can request MPIC to conduct an internal review. An appeal can be launched with the Automobile Injury Compensation Appeals Commission (AICAC) if the internal review does not resolve the issue in dispute. Mediation is now offered as an alternative to an appeal to AICAC. Pamela prepares a Memorandum of Agreement that sets out the details of the settlement at the end of a mediation that results in resolution. The claimant may proceed to AICAC for a decision by the tribunal if a resolution is not reached in mediation.
She is committed to ethical practice, ongoing learning and professional development and has been contract faculty at the University of Winnipeg in the Department of Developmental Studies. For several years Pamela has volunteered as a board member with Family Mediation Manitoba and is currently on the mediation section of Alternate Dispute Resolution Institute of Manitoba.
Education
- Bachelor of Arts – Brandon University (1989)
- Honours Bachelor of Social Work – Lakehead University (1990)
- Master of Social Work – University of Manitoba (2000)
- Bachelor of Laws – University of Manitoba (2008)
- Certificate in Divorce Mediation – NorthWestern University in Chicago (2012)
- National Certification in Arbitration (ADRIC) (2020)
- Master of Laws – Osgoode Hall in Dispute Resolution (2022)