Real Stories, Real Outcomes

Family Law

The Challenge

Sarah and Tom Mitchell came to us after 18 years of marriage with two teenagers and a situation that was getting messier by the day. They owned a family home in Kitsilano, Tom had a share in a local tech startup, and Sarah had just inherited property from her late mother. Things were tense, and the kids were starting to feel it.

What We Did

Instead of going straight to court, we sat everyone down for mediation sessions. We brought in a business valuator for Tom's startup shares - turns out they were worth less than he thought but more than Sarah expected. We sorted through Sarah's inheritance (which was actually separate property under BC law) and figured out a fair split of the family home.

The breakthrough came when we focused on what both parents wanted: keeping the kids' lives stable. We structured things so Sarah could buy out Tom's share of the house over three years, giving him time to find his own place nearby.

The Outcome

Settlement reached in 4 months instead of the 18+ months a court case would've taken. Total legal costs were about 40% of what litigation would've been. The kids stayed in their school and kept their friends. Sarah and Tom aren't best buddies, but they can sit together at the kids' soccer games without drama.

"We thought we'd need a judge to decide everything. Turns out we just needed someone to help us actually talk to each other." - Client feedback

Estate Planning

The Challenge

The Chen family had built up significant wealth through their restaurant business and real estate investments. Mr. and Mrs. Chen (both in their early 70s) wanted to start handing things over to their three adult kids, but nobody knew quite how to do it. There were concerns about taxes, fairness (one son worked in the business, the others didn't), and protecting assets if any of the kids got divorced down the line.

What We Did

We set up a family trust that let Mr. and Mrs. Chen maintain control while they're alive and healthy, but provides a clear succession plan. We structured it so the son running the restaurant has a path to eventually owning it, while the other kids get equivalent value in property holdings. Built in some protections so if any kid goes through a divorce, the family assets stay in the family.

We also drafted powers of attorney and representation agreements - boring stuff that becomes super important if someone gets sick or hurt.