Morrison Reist is a personable law firm located in Kitchener, Ontario. Charles Morrison, who has practised family law since 1979 and Melanie Reist, who has practiced employment law since 1988 set up shop together in 1992. Pamela Krauss, who practices both employment and family law, joined the firm in May, 2010.
Both Melanie and Charles’ roots go back to the small entrepreneurial businesses of their parents and grandparents. Reist’s Groceries and Dairy Bar, on Courtland Avenue, was once just a stone's throw away from the current location of Morrison Reist. Although a bit farther afield, as a teenager, Charles would spend many Saturdays at his father’s Toronto portrait studio, helping make people ‘look good’ on paper.
Before Melanie and Charles came together to establish their own firm, Melanie spent the early years of her practise in the employment law field and Charles concentrated primarily in family law, both in Toronto. At about the same time, early 1991, they both left the big metropolis and relocated to the same Kitchener-Waterloo firm. After a short spell, they formed Morrison Reist. They have always had their offices in Downtown Kitchener, close to the Courts and other facilities. For many years, the firm was located in one of the city’s premier office towers. In 2005, wanting a more intimate setting, Charles and Melanie moved to their own 60s-retro style building on Queen Street South. Morrison Reist was one of the first law firms to practice Collaborative Family Law in Waterloo Region. In addition to assisting many employee clients with severance and other workplace issues, the firm's employer-based practice has grown. By the time that Pamela joined the firm in 2010, Melanie had further expanded the employment practise to workplace investigations and mediation.
With nearly sixty years experience between the three lawyers, Charles, Melanie and Pamela still look forward to each working day… and to serving clients new and existing alike!