Originally a small town girl and a coal miner’s daughter, Sonali is not your typical lawyer. Passionate about social justice issues but pragmatic in nature. Sonali completed her articles in Northern B.C., with a full-service firm and the Ministry of Justice. She has a unique mix of professional work experience ranging from positions at RBC Global Asset Management, Vancouver Coastal Health’s EFAP (Employee and Family Assistance Program) to working as a Family Lawyer with a mid-sized firm in Richmond, B.C.

She started Athena Law because she saw a need for affordable “unbundled” legal services, particularly for “Every Day Legal Problems” like Family (out-of-court) and Wills and Estates practice. Sonali’s core strengths lie in her ability to connect with others. She works with her clients and referral networks to help provide tailored services that meet each client’s individual needs. Above all, Sonali believes in collaboration. She understands that family and estate issues require a lot more than just legal support.

Sonali understands that most legal issues have an emotional and financial component. Her mission is to supporting her clients by sharing knowledge and resources ,  which she hopes will ultimately transform their relationships with advocacy around finances, family, health and death.

Outside of her private practice, Sonali is a supervising lawyer with Access Pro-Bono’s Everyone Legal Clinic.  The Co-Chair for Collaborative Divorce Vancouver, and a regular presenter with Continuing Legal Education Society and Legal Aid BC.

Memberships:

British Columbia, 2014

Professional Affiliations:

Law Society of British Columbia

International Academy of Collaborative Professionals

Canadian Bar Association

Collaborative Divorce Vancouver

Education/Accreditations:

Mediation and Family Violence Training, Continuing Legal Education, BC, 2022

Collaborative Training, BC Collaborative Roster Society, 2016

N.C.A., University of Ottawa and University of British Columbia, 2012

LL.M., University of California, Berkeley, 2010

LL.B., University of Leicester, UK, 2008

B.A., University of Calgary, AB 2006

Publications/Media: 

” Unbundled Law- in a gig economy”– June 2021 edition of CBA Bar Talks, Canadian Bar Association

” Legal Issues that people face when a loved one passes”–  March 2022,  webinar presented for Legal Aid BC

Spoken Languages:

English

Hindi

Punjabi

Urdu