Partner

Karen Shirley-Paterson *

Office

Vancouver

Key Practice Area

Family Law

Year of Call

1989

*A LAW CORPORATION

Practice Areas

Family Law

Qualifications

Education

Karen specializes in the area of family law. She guides clients through mediation, resolving numerous matrimonial disputes ranging from the simple to the complex, and has extensive experience drafting co-habitation, marriage, and separation agreements. Her practice includes all matters relating to parenting, property division, child and spousal support, and divorce, and she has appeared as family counsel in all levels of court in British Columbia. Karen has been named in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as among the leading family lawyers in British Columbia, and is also recognized for her family law expertise in the Best Lawyers Directory and by Martindale-Hubbell, an authoritative and global source for identifying leading lawyers and law firms.

  • Negotiation and settlement of property division and child and spousal support in a variety of situations including those ranging from basic family holdings to those involving family trusts, corporate holdings, diverse investments and real property holdings.
  • Negotiation and settlement of trust claims for property.
  • Advising internationally on cases in the areas of mobility, parenting, property, and support, and advising on the law of B.C., including for purposes of prenuptial, marriage and separation agreements for international clients or their counsel.
  • Member of the Law Society of British Columbia
  • Member of the Family Law Subsection of the Vancouver and Canadian Bar Associations
  • Member of the Trial Lawyers’ Association of British Columbia
  • Fellow, Canadian Chapter, International Academy of Family Lawyers
  • Treasurer and President Elect Designate, Canadian Chapter Executive Committee, International Academy of Family Lawyers
  • The Best Lawyers in Canada (2025)
  • Lexpert Leading Lawyers in Canada (2019)
  • Martindale-Hubbell Ranking (CV)