Experience

​My broad career experience has given me the opportunity to learn and develop my craft in a variety of settings across multiple jurisdictions.   
I have been a frequent speaker and contributor at Professional Development Seminars and Conferences for the family law & estate bars.

LEGAL EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

​Michael J Marra LLB - Virtual Practice
Family Law Consultations and Settlements

WEL Partners, Toronto
Senior Litigation Lawyer and Mediator from September 2018 to July 31, 2020 .
Estate, trust and capacity disputes with emphasis on the rights and obligations of spouses, former spouses and children on death.                                                                                     
Department of Justice-Legal Aid Commission, Northwest Territories
Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, NT. Family law and child protection representation within a family law clinic from December 1, 2017 to August 31, 2018.
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WEL Partners, Toronto
Counsel to Firm providing advisory and mentoring on family law related issues throughout 2017 to September 30, 2017
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Michael J Marra – Family Law 
Hamilton/Kitchener-Guelph/Toronto
Sole practitioner - 1996 – November 30, 2017
Representing clients throughout Southern Ontario

• Practice restricted to Family Law;
• Regional practice – Based in Hamilton until 2003;
• Included representation of Family Responsibility Office (FRO) in Halton, Guelph, Kitchener, Cambridge and Welland until 2006;
• Panel member of the Office of the Children’s lawyer in Kitchener, Cambridge and Halton from 2002-04

Dispute Resolution Officer ("DRO") - MIlton SCJ - 2009-2014
 
Family Support Plan
Ministry of the Attorney General
Hamilton, ON; September 1994 – October 1996

• Staff counsel at the Hamilton Regional Office until the office was closed due to government restructuring

 
Turkstra, Mazza Associates/Millar Alexander
Hamilton, ON; March 1989 to September 1994

• Family law practice group with George Czutrin until his appointment to Superior Court in June 1993.   

 
Support and Custody Enforcement Branch
Ministry of Attorney General
Hamilton, ON; 1987-1989

• Regional Counsel for Hamilton Centered Region of the newly created SCOE program
• actively involved in the implementation of this new and controversial program on a province wide basis and the Hamilton centered region in particular

 
Smelko and Marra
Simcoe, Ontario; April 1981 – April 1987 

• Associate and Partner in small general practice; Responsible for all civil litigation and family law; Panel member of the Official Guardian’s Office for Norfolk 1982-87

 
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
Law Society of Ontario
Ontario Bar Association, Family Law Executive, Member-at-Large 2019-21 
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EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS
Dispute Resolution Level 1 & 2, ADRIO, Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo; July 2019
Collaborative Family Law Training Level 2; October 2012
Collaborative Family Law Training Level 1. September 2002
Family Mediation Canada, Basic Mediation Training; Unified Family Court Comprehensive Mediation Pilot Project March 1991 -94
Call to Bar, Law Society of Upper Canada:  April 1981
LLB Osgoode Hall Law School at York University: April 1979 
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PUBLICATIONS | PRESENTATIONS | MEDIA

• OBA Motions to Change Seminar - FRO Tips for Lawyers - July 21, 2020     
• Toronto Police Seminar – Elder Abuse - Civil & Criminal Remedies – 2018-19
• OBA Elder Law Passport Series – Capacity and Family Law – Dec. 10. 2019
• OBA Annual Bread & Butter Issues in Family Law – Life Insurance as Security for Support, October 4, 2019
• Money and Family Law – Marriage Contracts on Death - June 2019
• Insurance Planning - Life Insurance as Security for Support – March 2019
• Money and Family Law - Life Insurance as Security for Support- January 2019
• DIspute Resolution Officer (DRO) - SCJ Milton - 2008-14 

• Waterloo Law  Association - Annual Lunch & Learn to 2012 -  FRO Issues and Support      
• Halton Law Association - Annual Family Law Conference in 2006 & 2008 on FRO Issues and Retroactive Child Support

• Hamilton Law Association - Lunch Bucket Series in 2012 and 2013 on FRO Issues and the Support Information Exchange     

• 311 Jarvis FRO Practice Panel with Justice Zisman, Alex Finlayson and       Shane  Foulds, March 7, 2016

• Law Society of Upper Canada:

          - Dealing With FRO  - March 2010
         - Family Law Summit 2012 - Chaired Panel on FRO Issues
        - SIX Minute Family Law Lawyer 2012 - FRO Update
         - Family Law Summit 2013 - Child Support Disclosure and Retro Child Support  
                                    

• Numerous Conferences and Workshops on the Support Information Exchange in 2012-2014, including, the Ontario Collaborative Law Association, Association of Family Mediators, London - Middlesex Law Association, Halton Law Association 2014, National Judges Institute Ottawa May 2014, Northern Ontario Colloquium October 2014, SCJ Judges Workshop, Brampton October 2014