separation is tough- Amanda IS HERE TO HELP
Amanda's philosophy is that family is the anchor that grounds us when the waters get rough. Amanda has specifically chosen a team with family based values that support her ideals and more importantly, assist her clientele to resolve their family issues with kindness, concern and legal expertise. We're here to help you write your next chapter...
AMANDA GAW | Principal & owner
B.A. (Hons); LL.B; LL.M; Acc. F.M; Lawyer; Mediator; Arbitrator
Amanda was raised in St. Clair Township. From the time she was young, it was Amanda’s goal to practise law “at home”. Home is “down river” and in Lambton County where her parents, siblings and the majority of her life long friends still reside. Following her undergraduate degree, she was employed as an Officer at Canada Customs. On her days off, she was blessed with the opportunity to work part time as a Law Clerk for another local family lawyer who has mentored and supported her in her journey. Amanda attended Law School after six years of working full time, to pursue her dream of obtaining a legal education to help families who are transitioning from one home to two.
After practising law for a few years, she realized that the “old school” aggressive litigator approach, did not match her values and desire to help families restructure co-operatively post-separation. Amanda’s primary focus revolves around providing reliable advice, settling the issues as quickly as possible and while encouraging her clients and their family members - and in particular, children - to build resiliency and coping skills.
The idea of “broken homes” and divorce being rare needs to be redefined. It does not mean irreparable emotional damage for you and your children - if you are willing to work hard and accept advice. Remember this may be your first or even second separation, Amanda has had the honour and privilege of being involved in over four thousand family law files since she began working in this area of law in 1996.
Amanda prides herself on providing her clients with a healthy dose of realism in order to manage their expectations. Amanda provides her clients with information in an easy to understand format, so they can determine a process to reach a settlement or resolution that best meets their personal goals and unique needs.
Time and again, clients who first meet Amanda remark on her down to earth nature, sensitivity and kindness. She employs a relational style of communication and as a result, you will benefit from her compassion and commitment to life long learning.
Amanda’s commitment to her education in family law has expanded the services she can offer to each family, and additionally, furthered her skill and expertise. This allows her to offer her clients the most current legal information available so she can tailor her advice to each family’s unique situation. Amanda has just over twenty years’ experience in family law, which consists of:
• Law Clerk in a Law practice restricted to Family Law (1997 to 2004)
• Lawyer - University of Windsor Law School (2004); Call to the Ontario Bar (2005)
• Collaborative Law Designation (2011)
• Family Mediator Designation (2013)
• Family Law Arbitrator Designation (2013)
• Masters in Family Law from Osgoode Hall Law School (2016)
Please be advised that Amanda is currently not accepting mediation clients. She does hope to return to mediation at some point in the future and maintains her credentials and obligation to participate in Continuing Education to remain current with best practices for mediation.
Personal Note
“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.”
— Booker T. Washington
You may wonder why this kind of information is on her website. Amanda is a person first and a lawyer second. It is important to her be transparent so that others may benefit from the lessons she has learned and experiences she has had. People are often hesitant to admit that they made mistakes. Despite our best intentions and expectations, sometimes our goals and aspirations remain unmet. Part of growth is recognizing - however difficult it may be - what works, what requires improvement and when a re-adjustment is long overdue. The standard of life is not perfection. We are all human, we fall down and we get back up. The lessons and experiences that Amanda has gone through have only served to increase her patience, compassion for others, renewed her commitment to be the best family lawyer she can be and reinforced her desire to serve her existing and future clients during one of life’s most difficult transitions.
It’s 2023 and time to start a new chapter! Amanda has a plan in place to return to a smaller and focused practice in order to meet her client’s unique needs and to create the space to provide the level and quality of client service she has always aspired to. Upon reflection, it became apparent to Amanda that while the office was larger with lawyer staff and many law clerks, her direct interaction with her clients became limited and her exacting personal standards of practice was much more difficult to maintain. There have been a number of staffing changes and Amanda is currently undertaking a re-organization of her practice.
The last four years have provided a number of challenges within the AGFL office both within her professional and personal life. Amanda has always chosen to frame adversities as challenges and not threats. While difficult, the events that have transpired (which have included significant medical issues and loss of loved ones) have also provided tremendous opportunities for personal and professional growth which has increased her experience and knowledge.
Amanda is not an individual who does the bare minimum or who is content with “good enough”. The time demands that management of a larger “firm” requires, infringed upon her ability to consistently provide the unique and hands-on client service she is committed to and which she demonstrated prior to 2020 while she had a smaller staff complement.
Amanda is real. Amanda does not judge you. She offers frank advice and will guide you through this process so that you can obtain the best results possible.
Amanda is currently accepting new litigation clients and welcomes the opportunity to meet with you to discuss your family law legal needs and to discuss how she can provide you with options and solutions to resolve your family law issues.