Debbie D. Johnson

Location

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Phone

403-232-0838

Email Address

Johnson@cfla.law

Debbie is a member of the Alberta Bar, having been admitted in June 2006 in Calgary Alberta. Debbie is active within the Canadian Bar Association, being co-chair after starting the Child Welfare subsection at the Calgary office with a fellow colleague. Debbie was also co-chair of the Calgary Bar Association Health Section. Debbie is a regular volunteer at the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter and the Calgary Women’s Center and provides legal advice to women in need.

This is a third career for Debbie, previously having had a successful business on mainland China and worked in the medical field as an Ophthalmic Assistant as well as performing research in diabetes for over 20 years. Author Patricia Morgan portrayed part of Debbie’s life story in pages 75 to 78 of her book “From Woe to Wow” How Resilient Women Succeed at Work. If you are interested in reading this book, you can find out more at http://www.solutionsforresilience.com/products2.html.

In law school, Debbie was the class winner of the Grant McKibben Prize; and recipient of the R.A. Mackimmie O.C. Q.C. Award for Outstanding Contribution; Howard Tidswell Memorial Award in Law, Alberta Law Foundation Bursary and Millennium Scholarship. Debbie was the President of the Society of Law Students, worked in Student Legal Assistance, an editor of the Alberta Law Review, co-producer of the Law Show (ragtag band of amateur actors) and organized a law student soft ball team called the Paisley Snails to play against other faculties at the University.

Debbie has made presentations on family law, specifically the Family Law Act, on behalf of the Action Committee Against Violence, Calgary Coalition on Family Violence and the Violence Information and Education Centre.

Debbie’s practice focuses on all aspects of Family and Children Services and Family Law. The dissolution of the family, regardless of whether it is domestic violence or the participation of Alberta Justice by Children and Family service, amicable separation or high conflict, all require guidance in resolution. Debbie has favourably resolved numerous cases involving parenting arrangements, child and spousal support and the division of property. Debbie drafts and provides advice with respect to Prenuptial and Cohabitation Agreements and has successfully appeared in all levels of the Alberta Courts on contested matters.

Focus:
Family law, including but not limited to:
divorce;
matrimonial property;
exclusive possession of the matrimonial home;
custody and access or parenting time;
child support, base and extraordinary including retroactive;
mobility;
inter-provincial child support and access;
spousal support;
adult interdependent relations or common-law;
child welfare matters; and,
emergency protection orders and restraining orders.

If you own your own home and are short of funds, Debbie will consider an Assignment of Proceeds to secure future payment of her immediate legal services.

Areas of Practice

  • Family Law
  • Child Welfare
  • Divorce and Matrimonial Property

Litigation Percentage

  • 50% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

  • Alberta, 2006

Education

  • University of Calgary Faculty of Law, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
    • J.D.
  • University of Calgary, Bachelor of Arts,, Calgary
    • Honors: B.A. (Dist.)
    • Major: Political Sciences

Published Works

  • Law Review

Classes/Seminars

  • Family Law Act, East Indian Community
  • Action Committee Against Violence, Calgary Coalition of Family Violence
  • Calgary Women’s Center
  • LESA Seminars on Family Law

Honors and Awards

  • Grant McKibben Prize / R.A. Mackimmie O.C. QC Award, Howard Tidswell Memorial Award
  • Alberta Law Foundation Bursary and Millennium Scholarship

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Law Society of Alberta
  • Canadian Bar Association

Past Employment Positions

  • PCRD Canada, President
  • Walter C. MacKenzie Hospital, Ophthalmic Assistant

Pro Bono Activities

  • Youville, 2010 – Present
  • Calgary Women’s Center, 2005 – Present

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