In brief
SiLaw Group Family Lawyers acts for families across Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley from its only office, at 3108 Croydon Drive, Suite 201 in South Surrey, about an hour west along Highway 1, with the free first consultation and most of the file handled by phone or video. Abbotsford family matters at both court levels are heard at the Abbotsford Law Courts, 32375 Veterans Way, which opened in 2021 with Provincial Court and Supreme Court courtrooms under one roof. The firm practises family law only and works in English and Punjabi.
If you're looking for a family lawyer in Abbotsford, you have local firms to choose from, and a long list of Vancouver firms advertising to you as well. SiLaw Group Family Lawyers is a different kind of option: a boutique firm that practises family law and mediation exclusively, works in English and Punjabi, and acts for clients throughout British Columbia from one office at 3108 Croydon Drive, Suite 201 in South Surrey.
We'll be direct about geography. That South Surrey office is our only office; we don't have an Abbotsford location, and we won't pretend otherwise. What we offer Abbotsford families is a practice built for distance: the free first consultation, document review, negotiation and most client meetings happen by phone or video, and we come to Abbotsford when the matter calls for it, including court appearances at the Abbotsford Law Courts.
Working with families across Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley
Our Abbotsford clients come from every part of the city: Clearbrook, Abbotsford Centre and the Mill Lake area, Matsqui, Sumas Prairie, Aberdeen, Bradner and Mount Lehman, and the newer neighbourhoods on Sumas Mountain and Eagle Mountain. We also act for families in neighbouring Mission and Chilliwack. Abbotsford sits on Highway 1 about an hour east of our office, so an in-person meeting at South Surrey is a real option for the moments that matter, such as signing a separation agreement or sitting down for mediation, while everything else happens remotely. We also serve Langley, between Abbotsford and our office, and the rest of Surrey.
What we help Abbotsford families with
- Divorce, uncontested and contested
- Parenting arrangements: parenting time, decision-making responsibility and relocation
- Child support and spousal support
- Property and debt division, including the family home and farm or business property
- Common-law separations
- Agreements: cohabitation, marriage, and separation agreements
- Family violence and protection orders
- Mediation, arbitration and parenting coordination, offered in-house
Where Abbotsford family court matters are heard
Abbotsford is one of the few Fraser Valley communities with both levels of court in one building. The Abbotsford Law Courts at 32375 Veterans Way opened in January 2021 and house eight Provincial Court courtrooms and three Supreme Court courtrooms, along with a justice access centre, duty counsel and legal aid services.
That means Provincial Court family matters (parenting orders, child and spousal support, and family protection orders) and Supreme Court matters (the divorce order itself, and the division of family property and debt) can both be filed and heard in Abbotsford, without the trip to New Westminster that Surrey and Langley families face for Supreme Court matters. Which court your matter belongs in depends on what you need decided, and we confirm that at the consultation.
Most Abbotsford separations never reach either courtroom. Negotiated separation agreements and mediation resolve the large majority of family matters privately, and because Sandy Sihota is an accredited family law mediator, arbitrator and parenting coordinator, that whole out-of-court path is available at this firm directly. For complex or multi-party matters, Sandy also co-mediates with Kamaljit Kaur Lehal, KC of Lehal Law, so two Punjabi-speaking mediators can work a case together.
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੇਵਾਵਾਂ: family law in Punjabi
Abbotsford is home to one of the largest Punjabi-speaking communities in Canada, and for many families the conversations that a separation forces are easier in Punjabi. We serve Abbotsford clients in Punjabi as well as English: the advice, the documents explained, and the discussions with the other side where that helps, without an interpreter in between. See our Punjabi services page for more.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have an office in Abbotsford?
No. Our one office is at 3108 Croydon Drive, Suite 201 in South Surrey, about an hour west on Highway 1. Abbotsford clients handle most of their file by phone and video and come to the office, or meet us in Abbotsford, only when being in the same room helps.
Will you appear at the Abbotsford Law Courts?
Yes. We act for clients throughout British Columbia and appear at the Abbotsford Law Courts on Veterans Way for both Provincial Court and Supreme Court family matters. Many routine appearances can also be made by telephone or video, which reduces the cost of a court file for a client outside the Lower Mainland core.
Why hire a South Surrey firm instead of one in Abbotsford?
Because the fit matters more than the postal code. Clients choose us for a practice limited to family law, for mediation and arbitration available in-house rather than referred out, and for service in Punjabi from the lawyer, not through an interpreter. If a local firm is the better fit for you, we'll say so at the free consultation.
What does a consultation cost?
The first 30 minutes are free, by phone, video, or in person at our South Surrey office. After that, fees depend on what your situation needs, and we discuss them openly before you commit to anything.
Talk to a family lawyer about your Abbotsford matter for free
The first 30 minutes are free, in English or Punjabi. Book a free consultation or call (778) 381-9977.
This page is legal information, not legal advice.
