Our Team
Woolley & Co.’s legal team supports clients in Vernon, Lumby, and the surrounding area across family law, real estate, wills and estates, and corporate matters. Whether someone is dealing with a family issue, a property matter, an estate responsibility, or a business decision, the people behind the file are here to provide clear guidance and practical support.
How the Team Is Set Up
Lawyers and staff often work together on the same matter
Lawyers and support staff work together across family law, real estate, wills and estates, and corporate matters. Depending on the file, clients may hear from more than one person as the matter moves forward.
The Lawyers Behind the Advice
People clients often connect with for legal strategy and direction
These are the lawyers clients will most often connect with for legal advice, strategy, and decision-making across the firm’s main practice areas.
The Staff Supporting the File
Staff who help keep communication, scheduling, and documents moving
Support staff help keep communication, scheduling, document flow, and day-to-day file coordination moving in a clear and organized way.
Evelyn Fargher
Wills and Estate Planning
Evelyn supports wills and estate planning matters and helps keep client communication, scheduling, and file coordination on track.
Tricia Pedersen
Real Estate
Tricia supports real estate files and helps keep property matters organized, timely, and easier to move through from document to closing.
Sadhna Patel
Estates & Real Estate
Sadhna supports estate and real estate files, helping with coordination, communication, and the practical details tied to those matters.
Joyce Hodgson
Accounting
Joyce supports the accounting side of the practice, helping keep billing and related administrative details organized and moving properly.
Bonnie Chamberlain
Wills, Estate Planning and Corporate
Bonnie supports wills, estate planning, and corporate work in Vernon, helping keep documents, communication, and follow-through aligned.
Hayley Hunter
Real Estate and Corporate
Hayley supports real estate and corporate matters, helping keep files organized and administrative work moving in step with the legal work.
Barb Kowalski
Family and General Litigation
Barb supports family law and general litigation files, where details, timing, and communication often matter a great deal. Her role helps clients and lawyers stay organized as documents and next steps are managed.
Alisha Walker
Family and General Litigation
Alisha supports family law and general litigation files with communication, document coordination, and file organization. Her role helps keep important details moving as clients and lawyers work through each stage.
Bev Zoorkan
Accounting
Bev supports accounting and office administration connected to client matters and internal records. Her role helps keep financial details, coordination, and day-to-day office processes organized.
Myley
Head of Customer Relations
Myley brings a lighter touch to the office and is known for being part of the client welcome experience. Not every legal question needs a wagging tail, but it does not hurt.
Teresa Mackiewich
Reception
Teresa helps welcome clients and direct inquiries to the right person or practice area. Her role supports the first step in the client experience, whether someone is calling, visiting, or trying to reach a specific team member.
How the Team Works Together
One matter can involve more than one person on the file
Clients may speak with a lawyer for legal advice and strategy, while staff help with scheduling, communication, documents, and file flow. The goal is a coordinated experience from first contact through next steps.
Clear Communication
Clear communication helps clients understand who they are hearing from, what is happening on the file, and what needs attention next.
Coordinated Files
Good coordination helps documents, appointments, deadlines, and follow-up move in a more organized, timely, and predictable way.
Practical Guidance
Practical guidance means people get direct answers, useful explanations, and support that stays focused on the issue at hand.
Approachable Service
Professional, approachable service matters, especially when legal issues already feel personal, urgent, or difficult to sort through alone.
What To Expect
A simple process for getting started
After you reach out, the next step is usually straightforward. We review the matter at a high level, direct it to the right place, and help you understand what comes next.
In some situations, yes. BC’s Partition of Property Act can allow an interested party in land to apply for partition or sale when co-owners cannot agree. These matters can be fact-specific, especially when family relationships, contributions, mortgages, occupancy, or fairness concerns are involved. Legal advice is important before assuming a sale can or cannot be forced.
People often use “lease” and “rent” casually, but the right arrangement depends on the property, term, use, and legal relationship involved. In BC residential tenancy language, a tenancy agreement may also be called a lease, and it can include fixed-term or periodic arrangements. Legal review can help clarify rent, renewal, repairs, deposits, permitted use, and what each side is agreeing to before signing.
Co-ownership means more than one person has an ownership interest in the same property. In BC, co-owners may hold title in different ways, and the legal effect can matter for sale rights, survivorship, estate planning, financing, expenses, and disputes. A lawyer can help review title, explain the ownership structure, and prepare terms that address responsibilities before conflict or confusion develops.
An easement is a legal right connected to land that lets someone use part of another property, or restricts certain use of land, for a specific purpose. Common examples include access, driveways, utilities, drainage, or rights-of-way. A lawyer can help review what the easement actually allows, who benefits, who is burdened, and how it affects a sale, development plan, neighbour issue, or future property use.
In many BC builder’s lien situations, the deadline is 45 days from the applicable triggering event, such as a certificate of completion or completion, abandonment, or termination of the head contract or improvement. The exact trigger can be complicated, and missing the deadline can extinguish lien rights. Legal advice is important before assuming the deadline has or has not passed.
A builder’s lien is a legal claim that may be filed against land when someone who supplied work or materials for an improvement has not been paid. In BC, lien rights are technical and deadline-driven, and a lien can affect title, financing, sale proceeds, and dispute strategy. A lawyer can help assess whether the lien is valid, whether it was filed on time, what documents are needed, and how it may be removed, enforced, or resolved.
A parent may be able to transfer property to a child for less than market value, but it should not be treated as a simple shortcut. A below-market transfer can raise property transfer tax, mortgage, estate, family law, creditor, capital gains, and fairness issues. Legal advice is especially important before signing anything because the long-term consequences may be much larger than the stated sale price.
Yes, several BC and Canadian rules can affect residential purchases, depending on the property and buyer. Examples include the home buyer rescission period, property transfer tax exemptions, the BC home flipping tax, and federal restrictions on some non-Canadian buyers. Legal guidance is valuable because these rules can affect eligibility, timing, closing costs, exemptions, and what should be reviewed before signing.
Residential transactions usually involve homes, condos, townhomes, or other property used for personal living. Commercial transactions often involve business premises, income-producing property, leases, GST considerations, financing structures, environmental issues, or more complex due diligence. A lawyer can help identify which rules, documents, taxes, and closing steps apply before the deal moves too far.
That can happen. For instance, family disputes often trigger requirements for real estate law, corporate restructuring, and estate planning. We are experienced in several areas of law and will identify if such an overlap occurs.
Yes. We help clients with real estate matters through both our Vernon and Lumby office locations.
Real estate law can include purchases, sales, refinancing, transfers, leases, co-ownership agreements, builder’s liens, easements, covenants, and other title-related or property-related matters.
Need Help Finding the Right Person?
A short call can point you to the right lawyer or office
Whether you already know the name you need or are still sorting out where your matter fits, the office can help point you to the right lawyer, staff contact, or next step.
Contact and Office Details
Vernon Office
Contact Us
Phone: 250-542-9944
Email: reception@woolleylaw.ca
Lumby Office
Address
Contact Us
Phone: 250-547-8827
Email: Lumbyreception@woolleylaw.ca
