Val Hemminger | Victoria Divorce & Family Lawyer

We had a case where our client had been kicked out of his company by his family. When we met him he had been living in a travel trailer living off of his pension of $2,000 per month. It was winter. He was desperately broke, unhappy and afraid that he had lost everything he had spent 40 years building. His original lawyers wanted him to sell out for a very small amount. When the matter resolved after retaining our firm, he was handed a cheque for $2,400,000!

I did not do it the right way at all. Back in the "olden days" when I was a baby lawyer, I was told to be objective about my clients' cases and to keep my distance. I have never done that. I practice law with my heart. I care for my clients. At Pathway Legal, our law firm family (as we call ourselves), we care for you and your family, even though you are going through a separation. Our clients see how much we care about them and this has made us very successful.

Clients should look for a lawyer that is well-organized, compassionate, and is not afraid to connect with their clients. When you meet with your lawyer for the first time, ask yourself how you feel about them. Is this person going to have your back? Do they inspire your confidence? Also, take a look around their office. Is it well-organized? Do you feel welcomed? Contrary to popular belief the best lawyers are not necessarily the distant, cold and detached ones, but the ones that are not afraid to be themselves.

Local knowledge can be very important. For example, one of the first things I ask a potential client is that if the other side has a lawyer, and who they are. When I learn who the other lawyer is, right away I am often able to know strategically what the next best step is. For example, there is this one lawyer in my city that is tremendously combative. This lawyer goes to court and is so aggressive that a lot of lawyers will not take cases against this lawyer. I had a case with this lawyer recently. Because I knew this lawyer\\\\\\\'s reputation (and have had the unpleasant experience being in court against this lawyer) I served the lawyer with a Notice to Mediate. We went to mediation and resolved the matter. It saved my client a lot of money and a ton of stress. I served this lawyer with the Notice to Mediate because I also happened to know this lawyer will resolve matters at mediation rather than court, even though court is their preferred method.

We do not give free phone consultations for free. For your first initial meeting with us, we want you to come in to our office and meet with us, We want you to come in because we want to meet you and see if you are a fit for our firm, and also, for you to see our professional, warm, and caring office atmosphere. Then we will meet with you on the phone, Zoom, Teams or whatever way is easiest for you.

Prior to us meeting with you we get you to fill out a brief information form about your matter . . .that way when we do meet with you, we can structure our advice based upon your specific situation that is unique to you.

A LOT differentiates us from other lawyers in our community. We are divorce lawyers that actually still believe in love. We are transparent about our fees. Each time we meet with you we move your matter closer to being finalized, that means we respect your valuable and time and resources. We only use court as a LAST resort, not a place to start. In order to qualify to work at Pathway Legal all of our lawyers must be committed to training that goes way beyond law school, training that develops skills in interest based negotiation and mediation.

I love seeing my clients transform. They often come to us at the beginning of the separation journey and are very worried about their future. Sometimes their hearts are completely broken. When their family matter is resolved, we see them transform to a place of being very positive. Their whole lives open up to new possibilities.

I love being in nature. I walk in the woods almost every day. I love being in the mountains. I also love my very barky Terrier, named Inu (means \"Dog\" in Inuit). I love being a Mom. I also coach young and new divorce lawyers who want to change the practice of family law to the better, as more compassionate and respectful.

I serve the wider community of younger lawyers through my Be the Best Divorce Lawyer Podcast and Academy.

• Member | British Columbia Bar Society

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