Private Dispute Resolution for Family Law Matters in Alberta
Southern Alberta Mediation Arbitration (SAMA), a division of HDP Law, provides private mediation and arbitration services for family law matters across Alberta. Our services support families and counsel both within the Court of King’s Bench Family Focused Protocol and outside of the court process, offering flexible, proportionate resolution pathways tailored to meet the needs of each individual user, whether they choose outside of the court system or within the Court system.
WHY SAMA?
Built for the Family Focused Protocol - and Beyond It
Alberta’s family justice system now places greater emphasis on early resolution, proportionality, disclosure, and the meaningful use of alternative dispute resolution. For families seeking to access the court system, participation in ADR is a mandatory requirement in most non-urgent matters.
SAMA was created to support this shift by providing reliable, court-informed private dispute resolution options that:
assist counsel and clients who are proceeding under the Family Focused Protocol, and
provide cost-effective, efficient alternatives for families who choose to resolve their matters entirely outside of court.
Our role is not to direct families into or away from litigation or utilization of the court system, but to ensure that appropriate, efficient, cost-effective dispute resolution options are available regardless of the path chosen.
What We Offer
SAMA offers a tiered suite of private dispute resolution services for family law matters. These options are not mutually exclusive. Counsel may design a tailored approach that combines mediation, evaluative processes, and arbitration based on the issues, complexity, and procedural posture of the file.
SAMA’s services may be used:
to support compliance with court-mandated ADR requirements under the Family Focused Protocol, or
as a complete private dispute resolution framework for parties who wish to resolve their matters privately, with court involvement limited to formalizing outcomes as required.
Our Services Include:
Interest-Based Mediation
Evaluative Resolution Sessions (non-binding, JDR-style)
Arbitration Chambers (interlocutory matters)
Standard Arbitration (half-day or full-day)
Comprehensive Trial-Style Arbitration
Designed for Counsel
Practical. Proportionate. Court-Aligned.
SAMA works primarily with family law counsel seeking:
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Early resolution options aligned with court expectations
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Efficient adjudication of interlocutory disputes
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Private, binding decisions for complex or time-sensitive matters
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Flexible process design, including hybrid approaches such as med-arb
Our professionals bring a strong understanding of family law and the legal issues in dispute, together with procedural requirements, disclosure obligations, and the practical realities of practice under the Family Focused Protocol.
Contact Us
To inquire about availability, process suitability, or dispute resolution options for a family law matter, please contact Southern Alberta Mediation Arbitration (SAMA). Inquiries are typically initiated by counsel.