Michelle Dwyer

Michelle Dwyer practices in the areas of family law, criminal law and provincial offences, civil litigation and estate litigation. She is a certified practitioner of collaborative family law and assists clients with negotiation, mediation, arbitration and litigation. Michelle represents clients at the Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Appeal. In her criminal law practice, Michelle defends criminal and provincial offences.  She is also a by-law prosecutor for municipal clients.  Michelle is co-chair of SV Law’s Civil Litigation Practice Group and Family Law Practice Group.

Michelle is also pleased to have expanded her practice to include Mediation. Mediation is voluntary process wherein a neutral third party facilitates the negotiation of a mutually acceptable agreement. The process can take place either with legal counsel present or with the parties alone. Mediation is interest based negotiation that often allows parties to express their needs and concerns. Mediation can often resolve matters in a more efficient and fulsome fashion with the participants feeling that their needs are more fully met. It assists the parties in dealing with all issues but may be particularly helpful in situations when the parties are required to continue interacting with each other on an ongoing basis.

Michelle obtained both a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Masters of Arts in Political Science from the University of British Columbia. She obtained a Juris Doctorate degree in 2001 from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Law. Michelle was called to the bar in 2002. 

Michelle has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses in the Criminal Justice and Public Policy Program at the University of Guelph. She is also a member and past president of the Board of Victim Services Wellington, a member of Board of Directors of Wyndham House, and a member of the Guelph Arts Council Board of Directors.