Education and Practice Experience:
Sheila studied law in the Dual JD Program offered through the Universities of Windsor and Detroit. At Windsor she was awarded the Joseph Micallef Award in Family Law. Also in law school, Sheila had the first two of her three children, with one being born in Windsor and one being born in Detroit.
Sheila trained at Toronto’s Jarvis Family Court Mediation Service. Part of this training involved sitting in on family court hearings for cases to be referred for mediation screening from the judges. Following her Internship and Externship with the service, Sheila practiced family law and child welfare law in Toronto for over five years. During this time, she also acted for children in special needs education matters referred by the Child Advocacy Project through Pro Bono Ontario.
Returning to graduate school, Sheila attended Osgoode Hall Law School, obtaining her PhD in law in 2019. Her legal research centered on litigation concerning the right to support. Since 2018 she has enjoyed teaching in university Legal Studies and Humanities degree programs. Some courses she has taught are Family Law, Family Mediation, Legal Research Methods, Property Law, Disability and The Law, Human Rights Law, Human Rights Mediation, Business Law, Communications, Issues in The Family, Liberties, Rights and Protections. and Children and The Law.
Select Publication:
Jennings, S. K. (2005). Autism in children and parents: Unique considerations for family court professionals. Family Court Review, 43(4), 582-595.
Sheila’s Publication Referenced in Legal Cases:
S.T.M v. C.G.H., 2023 BCPC 110 (CanLII), <https://canlii.ca/t/jxfct>
Webster v. Suteu, 2015 ONCJ 538 (CanLII), <https://canlii.ca/t/glgdh>
Shamila Ahmed v Serv Whan 2020 Court of Appeals Division I, in the State of Washington. (Amicus Curae Brief of Child USA.) https://childusa.org/child-usas-pro-bono-amicus-advocacy-project/
Selection of Law Journal Articles Referencing Sheila’s Publication:
Saini, M. Stoddart, K.P., Morris, R. (2015) Review of Parenting Decisions in Canadian Family Courts Involving Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Eight Salient Themes for the Family Law Professional. Canadian Family Law Quarterly 34 (3) 373-393,
Poller, J. L.& Fabé, A. (2009). Legal and financial issues in a Divorce when there is a “Special Need” Child. American Journal of Family Law 22(4), 192-201.
Margaret ‘Pegi” Price. (2012) Special Needs and Disability in Custody Cases: The Perfect Storm. Family Law Quarterly 46(2), 177-197, (American Bar Association).
Kaufman & Pickar (2017). Understanding Gatekeeping in Families with a Special Needs Child. Family Court Review, 55 (2).195–212.
Pickar, D. B. & Kaufman, R.F. (2015). Parenting Plans for Special Needs Children: Applying a Risk Assessment Model, Family Court Review, 53(1), 133-133.
Approach To Family Law
Sheila’s practice is alternative dispute resolution focussed. Negotiations with a view to settlement and collaborative approaches are central. However, it is understood that some matters may not be appropriately or successfully resolved on such bases. In such cases resort may be had to family court.
Personal Life
Sheila was born in St. Catharines with both sides of her family being from Niagara Region. Her late grandparents, Bill and Nora Lailey, were farmers. In the 1960s Bill sourced vines from a vineyard in Reading in England. Sheila’s mother Elsie picked up the vines and mailed them to Bill from the UK. In this way, Sheila’s grandparents were the first in Niagara to plant vines for hybrid grapes. Sheila’s aunt and uncle bought the farmland from her grandparents in the 1970’s, subsequently expanding the vineyard and establishing the Lailey Winery. In a family that enjoys the outdoors, one of Sheila’s favourite past times is all-weather walking with her rescue dogs.
