Choosing Your Best Vancouver Divorce or Family Lawyer

Written By Abby Pang

Choosing Your Best Vancouver Divorce Lawyer or Family Lawyer

Divorce is a life changing process. Here are 10 important things to consider when choosing your Divorce or Family Lawyer:

1)      Trust

You will need to share personal details with your divorce or family lawyer. You should feel comfortable with your divorce or family lawyer and be able to share all aspects of your relationship with your divorce or family lawyer and trust that your divorce or family lawyer will represent you with your (and your children’s) best interest in mind. The divorce process can be surprisingly long, even if clients feel their issues are simple and straight forward. You may have a long relationship with your divorce or family lawyer so choose one you can trust.

2)      Honesty

Your divorce or family lawyer should be honest. You should be able to trust that your divorce or family lawyer will provide you with the pros and cons of your case, whether it be good or bad. Your divorce or family lawyer should be able to provide you with a detailed assessment on different issues relevant to your family law case. Know that the honest communication that you are receiving from your divorce or family lawyer comes from a good place with your best interests in mind.

3)      Communication

Your lawyer should communicate with you in an efficient manner, either through emails or phones calls or both. You should have a good understanding of your case and where you stand after discussing your family law case with your lawyer. You should have clarity on your family law case roadmap, your next steps and what to expect.

 4)      Empathy For You and Your Children

It’s important that your divorce or family lawyer cares about you and your children. The divorce process is a difficult one, and you need your divorce or family lawyer to have empathy for you, your children and the difficult process that you are going through.

5)      Negotiation Experience

Settling family law claims through negotiation is an important process. You should find a divorce or family lawyer who has the skills to negotiate and settle your case for you in order to have a fair outcome and to save on legal fees and costs. Your divorce or family lawyer should understand the concept of civility in the negotiation process to help streamline a settlement.

6)      Dispute Resolution Experience

There are different ways to settle a family law case. Your divorce or family lawyer should be personable have the skills to settle your family law case in different dispute resolution platforms with different personalities.

7)      Mediation Experience

Mediation is an informal process to settle a family law case, where parties can join together to discuss the issues and settle on the different issues with the help of an unbiased third party. Your divorce or family lawyer should have mediation experience to help you settle your family law case through mediation.

8)      Trial Experience

If all other methods of resolution fail, your divorce or family lawyer should be ready to attend trial on your behalf. Trials can be expensive and you would want a divorce or family lawyer who has experience in the courtroom. An experienced trial lawyer will be better equipped to provided you with an opinion on likely outcomes, which also helps with negotiating and settling a family law case.

9)      Cost

Most divorce or family lawyers charge on an hourly basis. You should choose a divorce or family lawyer with a reasonable hourly rate. You should choose your divorce or family lawyer who communicates with you in an efficient manner to keep costs down. You should choose your divorce or family lawyer who communicates effectively with opposing parties and counsel in order to keep costs down.

10)   Consultation

Most divorce or family lawyers are happy to meet their clients for an initial consultation. Meet with your divorce or family lawyer either in-person, by phone or by video and chat with your divorce or family lawyer about the topics described above. That way, you can get a feel for what your relationship will be like.

Learn more about the divorce process on our FAQ page.

Why “Illuma Family Law”?

Divorce is one of the hardest things that you can go through. Most of the time we focus on the negative, like how hard the heart break will feel, what other people will think of you, and the relationships you might lose after the divorce.

As divorce lawyers, we have seen that the divorce proceedings have been easier if the client sees the divorce as a positive event rather than a loss. Those clients feel that they are reclaiming their identities, and are working towards moving into a space where they can be the best version of themselves.

They are empowered with strength to move away from the weight of a relationship that’s no longer good for them. They become more aware of who they are and what they want. They see it as an opportunity to rediscover themselves and can learn more about relationships throughout the process, which helps with relationships in the future.

At Illuma Family Law, we strive to help our clients see the light, to gain clarity and to see the positive side of the breakdown of a relationship. We offer a variety of family law services to our clients to help them through the divorce process. We endeavour to streamline the process to help our clients move on in an efficient manner while keeping in mind the best interest of the family and children, as well as legal costs.

Want to learn more? Please contact us for a consultation.

The material provided in this blog is for general information and education purposes only and does not contain, and should not be construed as containing, legal advice applicable to a particular set of facts. If you require legal advice, please contact us for a consultation with one of our experienced family law lawyers.

Abby Pang

Abby is a lawyer and loving mother of two children. She is an advocate for healthy families and children. She has turned her energy towards supporting families, by providing guidance and helping families navigate through the legal system, while empowering them to have a voice throughout the process.

Abby Pang’s journey began in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Subsequently, her family moved to the east side of Vancouver, before moving to Richmond, where she spent most of her childhood. Her father was a refugee who came to Canada in 1970, and from him she learned the meaning of grit.

In her youth, Abby experienced a breakdown in her family unit which resulted in divorce. She understands that marital breakdowns and divorces can be complicated, but also devastating. She also understands there are alternative options and ways to mitigate the damaging effects of the process.

Abby earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of British Columbia, studying psychology and family studies. She earned a law degree from Manchester Metropolitan University, exchange program through the Hong Kong University. In 2008, she returned to British Columbia to work in a large law office while completing her National Certificate of Accreditation. She then completed her articles in a boutique law firm in Vancouver. She was called to the British Columbia bar in 2012.

Abby has appeared in Provincial Court, Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. She deals with personal injury claims, sexual assault (civil) claims, and family law matters: In addition to her court experience, Abby takes a “family first” approach and is resolution-focused. She is registered through the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.

As a lawyer, Abby Pang’s community involvement included volunteer work with the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers and the Canadian Bar Association Women Lawyers’ Forum. As well, she had the opportunity to assist at Rise Women’s Legal Center and Battered Women’s Support Services through volunteering with Amici Curiae Friends of Court.

Abby is the recipient of A Woman of Worth Leader of the Year Award 2023 for her outstanding achievements in strengthening her community/organization through innovative approaches to resolving challenges and inspiring meaningful change. She has been recognized nationally as a nominee of the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards 2023, which honours extraordinary women leaders and businesses.

In her personal time, Abby enjoys snowboarding, bike riding, and spending time with her family.

https://www.illumalaw.com/team
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