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Resolve parenting, divorce support and property disputes with family mediation in Red Deer.

Phypers Mediation helps Alberta families reach fair agreements faster.

With more than two decades of practising in Alberta family law, we saw the same pattern over and over: families spending thousands of dollars before they ever sat down to actually resolve anything. Not because their issues were complex, but because the traditional “opposing counsel” model is built on a disconnect.

End the cycle of conflict and work towards a better future for all parties with mediation services from Phypers Mediattion Law.

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Founder’s Message: Laura Phypers

With more than two decades of family law experience in our family mediation team, we have seen firsthand how families get caught in a system that is slow, expensive, and built around a disconnect — a disconnect between lawyers, between clients, between offices, and between the people who actually need solutions.

In the traditional model, we call each other opposing counsel. That alone tells you everything: we are set up to oppose, not to collaborate. And that opposition is costly. Before families ever sit down to negotiate, they’ve often spent thousands of dollars on communication back-and-forth, disclosure requests, drafting pleadings, and waiting — always waiting — for the next step.

I’ve seen files where months go by and thousands of dollars are spent before we even get to a four-way meeting. Not because the issues are complicated, but because the process is disconnected. One lawyer sends a proposal. Weeks pass. Another lawyer responds. More weeks pass. Clients pay for every email, every phone call, every delay, every administrative step. And all the while, nothing meaningful is happening in the file.

That’s the problem I set out to solve.

At Phypers Mediation, we do things differently. We sit down as a team, right away, to get results.

Family Mediation That’s Built to Get Results

Instead of two lawyers working against each other, we bring everyone into the same room, working on the same team, toward the same goal: a fair, efficient, lasting resolution.

We collect disclosures together. We review information together. We negotiate together. What normally takes months of back-and-forth between multiple offices can often be accomplished in a single structured session.

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Quicker
We eliminate the waiting game

Child-focused
because children deserve to be protected from conflict

Holistic
We consider the entire family, not just one party

Enforceable
Your agreements are drafted by experienced family lawyers

Resource-supported
with access to parenting coaches, accountants, and other professionals

What is Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)?

In family law, ADR refers to processes used to resolve disputes outside of court—focused on reaching agreements without waiting for a judge to decide.

As of January 2026, Alberta introduced major changes to the family court system. Before anyone can bring a family matter before the Court of King’s Bench in Red Deer, they must now complete mandatory pre-court steps:

  • Parenting After Separation course (if children are involved)
  • Meeting with a Family Court Counsellor (for self-represented parties with children)
  • Full financial disclosure
  • Participation in an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process

These requirements must be completed before a party can file anything that brings a matter before the court, unless a waiver is granted.

This shift is part of Alberta’s Family Focused Protocol, which became mandatory on January 2, 2026. It requires families to attempt ADR within six months of filing and complete disclosure and education steps before accessing a judge.

Most lawyers now treat ADR as just another procedural hurdle — a box to check before they can litigate.

We don’t.​​​

We Use ADR to Get Results

ADR shouldn’t be a bureaucratic step in a long, expensive process. It should be the process that gets families real results.

Our model eliminates the disconnect. We bring everyone together — lawyers, clients, and professionals — in the same room, on the same team, from day one.

  • We collect disclosure together.
  • We review information together.
  • We negotiate together.
  • We get results faster, cheaper, and with far less conflict.

What takes months in the traditional model can often be resolved in a single structured session.

A Better Way Forward

We don’t see ADR as a hoop to jump through. We see it as the most effective way to resolve family matters — parenting, support, property, and everything in between.

Litigation still has its place — and when it’s needed, we’ll tell you. But most families don’t need the old court model. They just need a team that works together to get results. Book a free consultation today to have an expert walk you through the process.

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