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About Val Hemminger; Founder Pathway Legal

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To introduce myself, I am Val Hemminger, the founder of Pathway Legal.

People often ask, “As a divorce lawyer, how do you stay objective?” The truth is, I don’t.

I don’t want to be objective at all. I care deeply about my clients. I want them to thrive—not just survive—the challenges of separation and divorce. My role is to guide them through this tough chapter and help them see that their future is – full of new possibilities. I am the lawyer walking alongside my clients, supporting them every step of the way.

I’ve been a lawyer since May 1996, with nearly thirty years of experience. I began my career at a traditional “old boy” firm, where I worked in family law, real estate, and commercial law. Early on, I shifted my focus entirely to family law. It quickly became my passion.

I’ve spent nearly 30 years guiding clients through divorce, but it wasn’t until I faced my own separation that I truly understood just how overwhelming and stressful the family law process can be.

While I thought I could relate to my clients’ fears and anxieties, experiencing them firsthand showed me the true depth of those emotions. It gave me a whole new perspective for everyone going through this journey.

Val Hemminger sitting on steps

Position:
Founder, Pathway Legal

Practice areas:
Family law, all the things family law with a dispute resolution focus

Location:
Pathway Legal Law Corporation
206-310 Wale Road, Victoria,
British Columbia V9B 0J8

Years helping families:
30 years

Email:
val@pathwaylegal.ca

Languages:
English

My Story: Why I’m Committed to a Better Divorce Process

After 18 years of marriage, I found myself facing separation and it brought up a lot of uncertainty and stress.

Like many of my clients, I was overwhelmed by fear and doubt about the future.

  • Would I lose the home I cherished?
  • What would happen to the business I had worked so hard to build?
  • I also worried about the financial implications, especially the possibility of paying significant spousal support, given the length of our marriage and my husband’s decision to stop working years earlier.
  • Our daughter was 14 at the time, and I was deeply concerned about how our conflict might affect her well-being. The anger between us was intense, and I feared it would spill over into her life.

Fortunately, we were able to reach a legally binding separation agreement and avoid the stress and expense of court. Today, we maintain an amicable co-parenting relationship, and I remain close with my former husband’s older daughters from previous relationships. This positive outcome further shaped my perspective and strengthened my resolve to help others navigate their own separations with dignity and respect.

My personal experience—combined with years of practicing family law—fuels my mission to transform the way families experience divorce. I have seen first hand the damage caused not just by the loss of a marriage, but by a legal system that can be toxic, expensive, and adversarial. Too often, people hire the wrong lawyer and become trapped in high-conflict, high-cost disputes that serve no one.

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Most people want a fair, peaceful resolution. They don’t want their families dragged through the courts or exposed to unnecessary conflict, especially when children are involved. That’s why I founded Pathway Legal as part of a "Better Divorce" Company vision. At Pathway Legal, we always say that "If your divorce is inevitable, do it BETTER!"

My goal is to empower families to understand their rights and obligations, choose the right legal support, and follow the best processes to reach a final agreement—without unnecessary drama.

I’ve developed straightforward checklists and step-by-step guides to help clients prepare for settlement discussions, mediations, hearings, or arbitrations. My approach is rooted in compassion, clarity, and a deep commitment to transforming the family law industry—one family and one lawyer at a time. All the lawyers who work at Pathway Legal have committed to this approach. 

You don’t need a complicated divorce. You deserve an amicable, stress-free resolution. Helping families achieve that is not just my profession—it’s my purpose.

Why I Incorporate Dispute Resolution into Pathway Legal

As you may already realise, I have a strong belief in avoiding court.

To be able to practically deliver to my clients within this embracing philosophy, I took all the coursework, mediation training, and skills-based practical training (including doing 10 small claims court mediations) to qualify to become a family law mediator about 20 years ago.

When I took the mediation-based training, it improved all aspects of my lawyering.

This meant that:

  • I became a better negotiator
  • I got better results for my clients
  • I was able to understand my clients on a much deeper level
  • and I was also able to take powerful steps that assisted my clients and their ex-spouses to avoid ongoing conflict.

This is why all lawyers at Pathway Legal must commit to ongoing dispute resolution training for the benefit of our clients. 

Read more about how we chose our divorce lawyers and support team for Pathway Legal.

FAQ About Val Hemminger, Divorce Lawyer

What is Val Hemminger's role at Pathway Legal?

I am a divorce lawyer and a founder of Pathway Legal. My office is based in Victoria and, along with the rest of the firm, we serve the entire British Columbia. 

Describe a case in the last year or two where you made a big difference

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.

He retained our firm and when the matter was resolved, we handed him a cheque for over two million dollars ($2,400,000!).

That felt very good. We were able to help a very good person get a very good result.

How did you build a successful family law practice?

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 from my cases on an emotional level. I have never done that. I practice law with my heart. I care for my clients.

At Pathway Legal, our clients see how much we care about them and this has been an integral part of our success.

What should clients look for in a lawyer?

Clients should look for a lawyer that is well-organized, compassionate, and who 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.
  • will this person going to have your back?
  • do they inspire your confidence?
  • whether the office feels right.
  • do I feel welcomed?
  • do I feel understood?
  • If so, great. If not, keep looking. 👀

My interests outside of law

Val Hemminger affectionately holding and kissing her small dog, Inu.

I love being in nature. I walk on forest pathways almost every day. I love to cook.

On a lot of Sundays in cooler weather I host an event called Awesome Soup Sunday (I text out the acronym to my friends and say A.S.S. is on!). Friends and neighbours pop by for a bowl of soup. During the summer it is called A.S.S.S. (Awesome Summer Supper Sunday). Today, I think I am going to make my Mom's cabbage rolls (my Mom's are the best!). 

What is your favourite kind of animal?

I am a 100% committed, ridiculous beyond words, dog lover. I love them love them love them! I love how they smell. I love how they are healing animals.

Did you know that being around dogs can reduce our cortisol (stress hormone) levels? Did you also know that interacting with dogs can increase the levels of the oxytocin hormone in our systems? Also known as the "bonding" hormone, oxytocin promotes feelings of love, security, and attachment.

Dogs help us humans become more resilient and engaged. They can help us with our emotional, mental and physical health (just TRY to skip a morning walk if you are the human to a terrier. It will not be allowed). 

Meet the dogs that hang around our office, playing a key role in setting the mood of the space and supporting our team and visitors in their own wellbeing.

Inu; Chief Barking Officer (CBO)Inu
Chief Barking Officer
Mayer - orange and black small dog.Lady Maya
Junior Paw-ssociate

Fun (and Maybe Slightly Unusual) Facts About Me

Val Hemminger walking in a bush setting
  • My journey started in foster care as a baby, and I was adopted by Elma and Julius Hemminger, who gave me the gift of profound, unconditional love.
  • I love love love walking in nature. 🐝
  • I have ADHD, which means I’m great at thinking outside the box—and sometimes I forget where I put the box! 😳
  • Having ADHD means my brain is basically a high-speed blender—great for creative solutions, not so great for sitting still.
  • I got kicked out of high school and still became a lawyer. (Take that, vice-principal whose name I don’t remember!)
  • I was the first in my large extended family to go to university.
  • Family law is my calling:  helping transform the industry and for families to find hope and healing. 
  • I believe that family law is overdue for a revolution. Kids, parents, and even lawyers, deserve better.
  • My 12-pound terrier, Inu (meaning “dog” in Japanese and Inuit), is a ball of fury until she sleeps, and when she sleeps, she sleeps under my duvet.
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  • I kiss dogs on the face. (Cats, only with their written permission.)
  • I love the idea of co-housing. I have had roommates throughout most of my adult life. Why should college students have all the fun?
  • If you’ve ever tangled with the Law Society of BC, you’re in good company—they are relentless.