We believe in building strong relationships with our clients.
The more we know about your family or your business, the better we are at helping you achieve your goals. Our clients are the helpers, the doers, and the leaders in our communities. We are proud to work alongside people who care about what they do and how they do it.
Charlene Cleary
Principal Lawyer
When you love what you do, it shows.
Charlene takes pride in being trusted counsel to clients so they feel heard and understood. She interprets and explains the law in a way that is easy to understand.
With 15 years of experience as a lawyer and ongoing experience as a business owner, she can offer both legal and practical advice. Real connection matters, so she prefers practice areas that allow her to develop trusting relationships with clients, rather than one-time consults or isolated transactions.
Charlene does not shy away from conflict or hard situations. With experience representing clients through both court and tribunal processes she works with clients to find alternative ways to resolve their issues, especially where there are important relationships to maintain.
As a mediator, Charlene empowers parties to find balanced agreements in order to avoid unnecessary litigation.
Having a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit means Charlene personally understands both the challenge and satisfaction of running a business. She is passionate about local community organizations and is a sought after speaker, regularly presenting at workshops and events in the areas of employment law, business law and professional topics.
Practice Areas
Employment Law & Investigations
Integrity, Governance & Administrative Law
Civic Involvement
Vice-Chair of the board of VisionQuest Recovery Society, director since 2017
Pro bono legal counsel to the Goldstream Foodbank, since 2018
Coach for local youth soccer
Regular guest presenter at entrepreneur groups and initiatives
Education
Bachelor of Laws, University of Manitoba, 2008
Bachelor of Commerce, University of Guelph, 2002
Admissions
Law Society of Manitoba, 2009
Law Society of British Columbia, 2010
Awards
Solomon Greenberg Prize for Excellence in Advocacy
A.J. Christin Prize, Highest Standing in Advocacy
Archibald S. Dewar Award for Advocacy
Dean’s honour list scholarship recipient
C.J. Riley Prize, Highest Proficiency in Commerce Area Subjects
“Charlene helped me to address issues that arose regarding the management of a family member's estate. She was certainly professional, but more than this she brought energy and innovative ideas to an intractable situation and was the driving force behind its eventual resolution. She is an advocate in the true sense of the word.”
— H. K.
Melanie Williams
Lawyer
Strong representation and clear advice.
Melanie is a skilled listener. She takes care to understand the concerns and goals of her clients. Melanie focuses her practice on businesses and organizations of all types and sizes. She also works with personal clients in the area of wills and estates. Melanie likes digging into the details, which helps her find alternative solutions to tough legal questions.
Born and raised in Victoria, Melanie has deep roots in the community and is passionate about developing meaningful relationships with clients. Whether she is assisting with your business, managing workplace situations, or advising on estate matters, her personal approach and warm personality make her a pleasure to work with.
Practice Areas
Employment Law & Investigations
Integrity, Governance & Administrative Law
Education
Bachelor of Laws, University of Victoria, 2019
Bachelor of Arts (Honors with Distinction), Psychology, Simon Fraser University, 2012
Admissions
Law Society of British Columbia, 2020
Meaghan Daniel
Lawyer & Investigator
Practice Areas
Workplace & Administrative Investigations
Inquests
Indigenous Law
Education
Bachelor of Laws, University of Manitoba, 2008
Masters in Law (Indigenous Legal Traditions), University of Victoria, 2018
Admissions
Call to Ontario Bar, 2009