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About Val Hemminger; Founder of Pathway Legal
I am Val Hemminger, and I founded Pathway Legal because families going through separation deserve so much better than what the legal system usually delivers.
I am not a typical lawyer. I do not do "detached and objective." I tried.
It doesn’t work. Nor should it.
When families trust a lawyer with their separation process, that is huge. They are handing over something enormous. Their future. Their children. Their financial security. Everything. A lawyer who can stay detached from that is not a better lawyer. They are just a less present one. Every family that walks through our doors deserves a lawyer who understands the magnitude of what they are carrying, and who carries some of it with them.
Separation is not a file. It is a life in transition. The families who come to us are not cases to be managed. They are people who deserve to be truly seen, fiercely advocated for, and genuinely cared about. That is the only kind of lawyering I know how to do. And it is the only kind Pathway Legal offers.
After nearly 30 years in family law, and after going through my own separation, I know exactly what is at stake when a family walks through our doors. It is not a file. It is someone's entire life.
So yes, I care. Deeply. Loudly. Unapologetically.
That is why I founded Pathway Legal. That is what makes Pathway Legal different.
That is why we developed the P.A.T.H. Method.
Position:
Founder, Pathway Legal
Practice areas:
Transforming the Family Law Industry
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 built a different kind of law firm
After 18 years of marriage, I went through my own separation.
Even with a lot of family law experience, it rocked me. Hard.
I worried about the same things you might be worrying about right now:
- Would I lose my home?
- What would happen to my business?
- Would I owe significant spousal support?
- How would my teenage daughter handle the conflict between us?
I was overwhelmed. I was scared. And I was a family lawyer.
That experience changed everything about how I see this work.
My ex-husband and I resolved our separation without going to court. We reached a fair, binding agreement. Today, my former husband and I co-parent well. I am still close with his older daughters, my two stepdaughters. Life genuinely got better.
That outcome is possible for most families. It is not the exception. It is the goal.
“The legal system does not have to be toxic, expensive, or adversarial. Pathway Legal exists to prove that.”
Read more...
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 delivering the P.A.T.H. promises to our clients.
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.
We started in Victoria, BC. Families everywhere deserve the same.
Pathway Legal was born in Victoria, but I always believed this approach to family law should not be limited to one community.
Families in Nanaimo, Surrey, Vancouver, and right across British Columbia deserve the same access to compassionate, resolution-focused legal support. That belief is why we expanded. It is why we keep growing.
Wherever you are in BC, Pathway Legal is here for your family.
Our locations: Victoria, Nanaimo, Surrey, Vancouver, and growing.
Why Dispute Resolution is at the core of everything we do.
About 20 years ago (yes that long ago), I completed full mediation training, including skills-based coursework and 10 small claims court mediations, so I could actually walk my talk.
That training changed me as a lawyer:
- My negotiation skills got sharper
- My clients got better outcomes
- I understood people at a much deeper level
- I helped families reduce conflict, not fuel it
This is not a nice-to-have at Pathway Legal. Every lawyer on our team commits to ongoing dispute resolution training. It is the foundation of how we work.
“You do not need a complicated divorce. You deserve a resolution that lets your family move forward.”
A case that still makes me smile
A client came to us after being pushed out of his own family business. He was living in a travel trailer on $2,000 a month. It was winter.
His previous lawyers had told him to take a small settlement and walk away.
We disagreed.
When his matter was resolved, we handed him a cheque for $2,400,000.
That is what it looks like when a lawyer truly stands for the right outcome.
What to look for in a Family Lawyer
When you meet with a lawyer for the first time, pay attention to how you feel in the room. Ask yourself:
- Does this person have my back?
- Do I feel understood, not just heard?
- Does this lawyer inspire confidence without talking down to me?
- Does this office feel like a place I can be transparent about who I am?
If the answer is yes, great. If not, keep looking.
Fun (and Maybe Slightly Unusual) Facts About Me
- I was adopted from foster care as a baby by Elma and Julius Hemminger, who gave me the most unconditional love a person could ask for.
- I got kicked out of high school. I became a lawyer anyway. (Still thinking about you, vice-principal whose name I forgot).
- I was the first person in my extended family to go to university.
- I have ADHD, diagnosed at age 54, 5 years ago. My brain is a high-speed blender: fantastic for creative problem-solving, challenging for sitting still. It explains a LOT!
- I walk in the forest almost every day. Nature is non-negotiable medicine.
- On Sundays in cooler months I host "Awesome Soup Sunday” in my home. We text the acronym to friends. They show up for soup. No explanation needed.
- I am a dog person. Completely, embarrassingly, joyfully, a dog person. Science confirms they are healing animals.
- I love co-housing. Life is better with people around.
- I believe the legal system, and especially family law, is overdue for a revolution. I intend to keep being part of it.
- I believe family law is overdue for a revolution, and I intend to be part of it.
- Because I went for so many years without being diagnosed or treated with ADHD, I have paid a price for that. I have paid for it a lot. The Law Society of British Columbia is not a fan of mine. They have been relentless. They are wrong. History will show it. Galileo did not fit the mould either. The Church put him under house arrest for saying the Earth revolves around the Sun. Centuries later, they finally admitted he was right. I am not comparing myself to Galileo exactly. What I am saying is that institutions that protect the status quo and the profoundly privileged have a long and well-documented history of getting it wrong. Especially when someone comes along and challenges how things have always been done. Or when they do not present as the establishment thinks they should.
- Against the odds, I remain standing. I remain committed to Pathway Legal’s clients and the families of British Columbia. I believe in transforming family law in BC. And I still consider all of it a badge of honour.
Meet the Real Office Management
What drives Pathway Legal
I did not build this firm to do more of the same.
I built it because I believe families going through separation deserve:
- Clear information so they can make smart decisions
- Lawyers who actually care about their clients and the outcome
- Processes that reduce conflict, not feed it
- A real path forward
That is the P.A.T.H. promise. It guides every file, every conversation, and every lawyer on our team.
This is not just my profession. It is my purpose.
Ready to take the better PATH?
Call 778-557-5099
A team member will connect you with one of our great associate lawyers.
Content written by:
Val Hemminger, divorce lawyer with heart, founder of Pathway Legal, terrier lover, Mom, fun person, and because every great legal team needs at least one ADHD powered person!
Thinking About Separation or Divorce?
You may still be sorting through what’s happening. Many people reach out before they’ve made any final decisions.
A consultation is simply a chance to talk through your situation, ask questions, and understand what your options might look like under BC family law.
You don’t need to have everything figured out before reaching out.
If you’d like to have a conversation about your situation, you’re welcome to schedule a consultation with Pathway Legal.
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Meeting Locations
Money-back guarantee for your initial consultation
We are SO confident you’ll be impressed with your lawyer and the support you receive at your first appointment, we’ll refund the initial consultation fee if you’re not completely satisfied.
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