Katherine Cooligan

Founding Partner

With over 32 years of specialized Family Law experience, Katherine advises and advocates for clients in the most complex areas of Family Law.  Her work ethic, dedication to advancing legal education and mentoring and training young lawyers, contribute to her reputation as a fierce advocate and advisor to her clients, whether in court or negotiations.  

After over three decades conquering Big Law, including serving six years as managing partner of the Ottawa office of Canada’s largest law firm, all while maintaining an incredibly busy and successful practice, Katherine founded Cooligan Yehia LLP to continue her passion for the law and making a profound impact on the lives of her clients and their families. 

Katherine appears at all levels of court, including the Superior Court of Justice, Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada.

    • LLB, University of Ottawa (1989)

    • B.A. (combined major) in Law and Psychology, Carleton University (1986)

    • Certificate for Women in Leadership, Cornell University (2018)

    • Executive Education Leadership in Law Firms, Harvard Law School (2016)

    • Call to the Bar, Ontario (1991)

    • Member, The Advocates’ Society, Canadian Bar Association, County of Carleton Law Association and Women's Law Association

    • Frequent Chair and Speaker, Continuing Legal Education Programs on advocacy skills and substantive family law and estate litigation issues

    • Former Executive Member, Ontario Bar Association, Family Law Section

    • Former Member, Regional Law Day Committee

    • VP Strategic Initiatives, Women’s Business Network (2023-present)

    • Chair, Women for Mental Health (2019)

    • Member, International Women's Forum (2018-present)

    • Member, Ottawa Board of Trade (2018-present)

    • Member, Women's Business Network (2018-present)

    • Executive, CHEO Foundation (June 2017-present)

    • Member, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Foundation Board (2015-2018 and 1997-99)

    • Member, Ottawa Build Task Force (2018 & 2019)

    • Organizing Committee, The Royal Breakfast for Mental Health (2018)

    • Annual Volunteer for over 29 years, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Telethon and Teddy Bear Picnic

    • Leader, United Way

    • Spark Member, United Way

    • Common Law Honour Society, the most prestigious alumni distinction presented by the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, Common Law Section (2019)

    • Recipient of the Order of Ottawa (2019)

    • Winner, Businesswoman of the Year, Professional Category, (April 2019)

    • Order of the Good Bear, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. The highest honour the hospital can bestow in thanks for longstanding and significant volunteer contributions (2019)

    • Business Women of the Year (Professional Category), the Women’s Business Network (2018)

    • Selected by peers for inclusion in the 2024 edition (and since 2010) of The Best Lawyers in Canada® (Family Law)

    • Ottawa Family Law Lawyer of the Year, The Best Lawyers in Canada® (2012)

    • Recipient Spark Ignite Award. Awarded to a woman in Ottawa who has made a significant impact in the areas of leadership, philanthropic giving, advocacy and volunteerism (2018)

    • Profiled, "Family law, a true calling for leader of BLG Ottawa," Ottawa Business Journal (September 11, 2018)

    • Mentioned, “Building the Capital - City-Builders Team Up to Transform Ottawa” Capital Magazine (May 15, 2018)

    • Profiled, "Ottawa's Top Female Lawyers," Ottawa Life Magazine, (January/February 2017)

    • Included in Top 25 People in the Capital, Ottawa Life Magazine (September 2016)

    • Finalist, Businesswoman of the Year, Professional Category, (April 2016)

    • Featured as a Distinctive Woman, Ottawa, 2015 and 2014 editions of Distinctive Women, Profiles of Distinction

    • Custody and access

    • Parenting time

    • Spousal support

    • Child support

    • Handling all issues through divorce and annulments

    • Advocating mobility and relocation issues, including Hague Convention and international abductions

    • Managing property equalization, encompassing intricate business interests, real estate, pensions, and trusts

    • Addressing family law matters involving estates and parties who pass away

    • Handling trust claims and joint family ventures for common-law spouses

    • Drafting domestic contracts including separation agreements, marriage contracts, and cohabitation agreements

  • Recent selections

    • Keynote Speaker, Elevate Women International October 2023

    • Speaker, "Fireside Chat with Thomas Cromwell," BLG Family Law Seminar, June 2019.

    • Speaker, "Harnessing Ambition and Unleashing the Full Potential of Women in Leadership," Women's Business Network Breakfast Speaker Series, June 2019

    • TEDx Kanata “IMAGINE - Tackling Fear and Unleashing the Full Potential of Women in Leadership” VIDEO

    • Litigating High Conflict Custody Disputes

    • Panelist, "Women Lawyers Forum," Ontario Bar Association, March 6, 2019

    • Speaker, "Litigating High Conflict Custody Disputes," University of Ottawa, March 6, 2019

    • Speaker, "Tackling Fear and Unleashing the Full Potential of Women in Leadership," EDC Ottawa Toastmasters Meeting, March 6, 2019

    • Panel Moderator, "CEO Talk: Women in Business," Ottawa Board of Trade, March 5, 2019

    • Interview, "Unromantic Detour with Katherine Cooligan," I'm a Millionaire...So, Now What? Podcast, February 12, 2019.

    • Speaker, "Credibility and Leadership," Women in Leadership: Challenges and Opportunities, Career Women Interaction, May 16, 2018

    • Panelist, "Groia v. LSUC: The Civility Debate," University of Ottawa, Cavanagh LLP Professional Speaker Series, October 10, 2017

    • Author, "Impact of Structured Settlements on Family Law Claims," The Lawyer's Daily, June 16, 2017

    • Speaker, "The Pitfalls of Family Law and How to Avoid Them: The Impact of Death on Family Law Issues," OBA Program, February 10, 2017

    • Speaker, "Caught in the Crossfire: The Impact of Family Breakup on Schools," Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario (CIS), hosted by Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Toronto, February 9, 2016

    • Co-author, "Intruding upon the seclusion of personal email - what the common law tort for invasion of privacy might mean for snooping spouses and the electronic evidence that they obtain", Canadian Family Law Quarterly, April 2015

    • Co-author, "When Clients Intrude Upon the Seclusion of Their Spouses' Personal Email: What the Common Law Tort for the Invasion of Privacy Might Mean for Snooping Spouses and the Electronic Evidence That They Obtain", BLG Family Law Lunch and Learn Series (LSUC Program), January 13, 2015

    • Author, "When Spouses Access Email Without Consent," The Lawyers Weekly, May 2011

    • Author, "You’ve Got Mail, Snooping Emails, Privacy Law, and Admissibility of Evidence," Briefly Speaking, April 2011

    • Author, "Revised Family Laws Speed up Information Transfer," The Lawyers Weekly, April 2010

  • E: kcooligan@cooliganyehia.com T: 613.699.2816