Jessica Nelson

FAMILY LAWYER, CALGARY

LinkedIn Profile

About Jessica Nelson

Jessica is an accomplished lawyer who assists clients during major life events. Focusing her practice primarily in family law, Jessica also has experience helping client with wills and estates, and civil litigation matters. In her family practice, Jessica has extensive experience in issues relating to parenting, child relocation, child support, spousal support, property division, EPOs and child welfare matters.

Jessica was called to the bar in Alberta in 2015. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at the University of Calgary in 2006. After deciding to take her career in a new direction, she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (With Distinction) at the University of Calgary in 2011 and graduated with her Juris Doctor from the University of Saskatchewan in 2014. Jessica articled in Medicine Hat and returned to Calgary to be closer to family and friends in 2017.

Jessica recognizes that clients are seeking legal assistance during difficult and emotional times in their lives. She takes a collaborative approach with her clients so they are provided with strong legal advice and support so they feel competent in their decisions throughout their matters. It is important for her to take an empathetic yet strong approach for clients, ensuring that their needs are being heard and addressed.

Jessica has extensive litigation experience and has conducted countless trials, special chambers hearings and regular chambers hearings. While not afraid to advocate for clients in the litigation realm, she emphasizes and encourages the importance of trying to resolve matters outside of court. This is emphasized by her representation of the University of Saskatchewan at the INADR International Mediation and Advocacy Moot in Chicago, Illinois in 2014. She has experience in arbitration, mediation, and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.

Outside of work, Jessica enjoys spending time with friends and family, spending time in nature, engaging in music, whether it’s through composition or discovering new finds, trying new culinary ventures, taking in theatre and movies, learning anything related to astronomy and philosophy, and keeping up with her French – to name a few.

Passions and Achievements

Successfully arguing client’s matters in court, particularly when there is intellectual discourse with the judges.
Resolving matters favourably for clients outside of court.
Continuously learning in all areas and its application to client’s needs.
Standing up for individuals who are disadvantaged or have been discriminated against.
Contributing to the development and advancement of the law to impact society as a whole.

Notable Victories

***SC v TC*, 2018 ABQB 1051**

Jessica successfully argued that a guardian of an adult parent subject to an adult guardianship order under the Adult Guardianship and Trusteeship Act does not have the authority to consent to the adoption of the child of the adult parent subject to guardianship. This closed a gap in legislation, confirming that a guardian of an adult-represented parent does not have the authority to make decisions for the child of the adult parent. It also confirms that the guardian of a represented adult has a duty to make decisions that are in the best interests of the represented adult. The guardian of the represented adult’s application to be able to consent to the adoption of the represented adult’s child was dismissed.
https://canlii.ca/t/hww4g
https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abqb/doc/2018/2018abqb1051/2018abqb1051.html

***MAO v AMO*, 2020 ABQB 532**

After a three day oral hearing, Jessica successfully secured an order permitting her client to relocate with the children and to vary parenting from a shared parenting regime to one where her client had primary parenting responsibilities.
https://canlii.ca/t/jcjj1
https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abqb/doc/2020/2020abqb532/2020abqb532.html

***Yuce v Yuce*, 2020 ABQB 766**

Jessica saved her client from paying almost $15,000 in section 7 expenses on the basis that the mother failed to establish that the section 7 expenses claimed were necessary or reasonable.
https://canlii.ca/t/jc6cv
https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abqb/doc/2020/2020abqb766/2020abqb766.html

***JRD v AKMD*, 2023 ABKB 685**

Obtained an order allowing the children to move with the mother from Calgary to British Columbia, despite there being an executed agreement providing shared parenting and relocation clause which was deviated from, and in consideration of the father’s inability to properly regulate his emotions, thereby impacting the children, verbal abuse during the relationship, and more involvement in the upbringing of the children by the mother. This case also confirms that a more holistic approach to the relocation of children should be taken when deciding mobility applications.
https://canlii.ca/t/k1l8h
https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abkb/doc/2023/2023abkb685/2023abkb685.html