Ken Proudman is a partner and experienced family law lawyer at BARR LLP, located in Edmonton, Alberta.  His practice focuses primarily upon divorces, separations, and other family law matters involving businesses, farms, self-employment, professional corps, complex property, or tax implications.  He also prepares pre-nuptial agreements.

Ken is also an arbitrator and mediator. Arbitraton is private court, where spouses agree on an arbitrator who will decide how their property, support, and/or parenting disputes are resolved. In mediation, a neutral person (the mediator) helps spouses come to a mutual agreement. Learn more about arbitration in family law at www.DivorceArbitrations.ca

Ken's strengths:

Negotiation skill: Ken is an experienced and highly-trained negotiator.  He completed Harvard University's Negotiation Master Class in Cambridge. Knowledgeable and trusted by the legal community: Ken regularly trains other lawyers, is the author of several manuals for lawyers, and teaches LAW599 Advanced Family Law, a course at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law.  He also teaches Family Law at MacEwan University's School of Business.  He aims to build a respectful and collaborative rapport with other lawyers so that disputes can be resolved more efficiently. Business knowledge: Ken leads BARR LLP's Family Business/Farm Divorce practice group.  Prior to entering law, Ken studied at the UofA's Faculty of Business.  He initially practiced business law, agricultural law, purchases/sales of businesses, and corporate tax reorganizations at an agricultural law firm.  He is now fully-immersed in divorce and family law issues affecting businesses and farms, including family property division and self-employment income calculations for support purposes. Court experience: Ken has been involved in hundreds of court hearings, and also received additional litigation training through the Advocates' Society's Civil Trial Advocacy College. Team Approach: At BARR LLP, Ken is able to collaborate with business law, real estate, estate, and civil litigation lawyers, to be able to handle complex files which broach multiple areas of law. By being part of a team of family law lawyers, he's also able to work with associates and students to keep costs down and improve responsiveness.

Ken articled under the mentorship of Mark Tims KC, and is grateful to have also received mentorship from Norm Picard KC, Stephen English KC, Marla Miller KC, Pierre Boileau KC, and Greg Properzi.

Awarded Top Choice Family Law Firm in Edmonton
every year from 2021 to 2024

Education (6)

• Harvard University Negotiation Master Class (Cambridge, 2019).
• Civil Trial Advocacy College - The Advocates' Society (2013).
• Arbitration training - Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada (ADRIC) (relevant modules completed in 2020)

Teaching at Universities (3)

• LAW599 Advanced Family Law, a course that Ken created and teaches at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law (January 2020 to present).
• LEGL281 Family Law, a course that Ken teaches at MacEwan University's School of Business (January 2022 to present).
• Financial Issues in Family Law, a class taught by Ken as part of the University of Alberta Faculty of Law's Practice Issues in Family Law course (2018, 2019).

Training other Lawyers (19)

• How business structures and transactions affect separating clients, and recent family law decisions which business law lawyers should be aware of - Canadian Bar Association Business Law Section (February 28, 2023)
• Chair and speaker - Advanced Negotiation Techniques for Family Lawyers - Legal Education Society of Alberta - June 2, 2022 (Calgary) and June 14, 2022 (Edmonton).
• Piercing the Corporate Veil and Other Tools in Divorces Involving Businesses - Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers' Association (April 1, 2021).

Teaching Parents and Spouses (2)

• Parenting After Separation Course Instructor (2013 to 2019).
• Edmonton Community Legal Centre Presenter (2017 to 2019).

Reference Manuals (6)

• Guideline Income Manual for Legal and Accounting Professionals - co-authored with Agnes Leung, BCom, CPA, CA, CBV, RCP - Legal Education Society of Alberta (2018).
• Guide to Addressing 30 Challenging Negotiation Behaviours - Legal Education Society of Alberta (June 2022).
• Chambers Procedure Manual - Alberta Civil Trial Lawyers Association (March 2020).

Articles and Papers (8)

• What happens when a Business Owner Divorces? Parts 1 and 2 - LawNow Magazine (February 2022)
• What happens when farmers divorce? - LawNow Magazine (March 2022)
• They say that Breaking up is Hard to do: Tips for making it Easier - co-authored with Marla Miller, KC - Legal Education Society of Alberta (January 2019).

Community Involvement & Volunteering (7)

• Founding President (past), Board Member - Alberta Legal Coaches and Limited Services Society (AlbertaLegal.org) (April 2021 to present).
• Vice President - Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta (CPLEA) (August 2019 to present).
• Founder - FamilyCounsel.ca (2016 to present).