Alexa Turner: Member Spotlight

Alexa Turner

When Alexa Turner was an associate at a regional Bay Street firm, she experienced firsthand that the court process can be unpredictable, expensive, and full of delays. Her clients were families in crisis following the injury or death of a loved one due to medical negligence and she’d represent them during mediations and settlement negotiations, as well as in the courtroom. She’d watch as her clients, already in a highly emotional state, were subjected to escalating conflict and a lack of control over the outcome.

These experiences inspired Alexa to pursue out-of-court settlements in collaborative law and form Resolve Dispute Resolution, along with Victoria Smith. Now, she empowers clients to craft their own agreements beyond the legal model, work towards their desired outcomes, and preserve relationships. She’s free to bring her humanity along with her legal advice to each family she’s helping to restructure.

“Alexa offered me her shoulders to cry on, a smile, a hug, and the best separation agreement I could dream of. Alexa is not only smart as a whip, she has an unusual ability to validate and empathize, which tremendously helped me through my difficult separation and divorce process.” – One of Alexa’s past clients

Quick Q&A with Alexa Turner:

Q: Was there a particular moment in your career that really motivated you to make the change to Collaborative Law?

Alexa: My mom, Victoria Smith, has been a collaborative lawyer since the early 2000s. The tenets of healthy conflict resolution were commonplace growing up and her vision that divorce didn’t have to be disastrous was always present. When I became a litigator, it felt like many of the values that had been ingrained in me since childhood were being challenged. I could see firsthand what my mom had been talking about regarding how conflict was handled in the courtroom. I knew that what was required of me to be a strong litigator wasn’t what was going to make me feel personally fulfilled. Collaborative felt like the place where I could help the whole family in a cost-effective, child focused way.

Q: How have you been personally impacted by the move to Collaborative Law?

Alexa: My practice is much more fulfilling. I work with like-minded professionals who all have a goal to help the family unit, rather than fight for what’s right in a strict legal model. I feel like I’m doing good.

Q: Can you give an example of a time where the collaborative process was able to help a family in a way that traditional litigation really wouldn’t have?

Alexa: There are many. Ultimately, I have many clients with goals that don’t fit squarely in a legal model. They want an outcome that a court simply isn’t equipped to give them. This is one of the best parts!