Paul M. Daykin, K.C.
Paul has an undergraduate degree from UBC and a law degree from the University of Toronto. He was called to the Bar in 1985. Paul was in the litigation department of a full-service law firm, conducting commercial cases of all types, before joining this firm in 1993. He was appointed King's Counsel in 2008.
Since then he has devoted his time to the financial aspects of family law matters, including division of property, spousal support, and child support. Paul specializes in finding tax-effective solutions to the settlement of cases involving complex corporate structures and trusts.
Paul also works with tax and estate-planning professionals in advising clients on the creation of family asset protection plans, including marriage and cohabitation agreements, and in shaping the organizational structures of family-owned businesses.
He is the author of numerous papers on the financial aspects of family law, and has lectured extensively for the Continuing Legal Education Society, the Pacific Business & Law Institute, the Trial Lawyers’ Association of British Columbia and the Inns of Court. Paul served as the Chair of the Canadian Bar Association British Columbia's Judicial Advisory Committee from 2009 to 2012.
Telephone: 604.689.7571
Email: pdaykin@agdnlaw.ca
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To book an appointment with Paul, please contact Wendy Pok at wpok@agdnlaw.ca.
Eli C. Walker
Eli completed undergraduate education at the University of British Columbia and law school at the University of Victoria. He was called to the bar in 2008. After practicing for several years at a prominent Vancouver corporate commercial firm, Eli joined Aaron Gordon Daykin Nordlinger LLP in 2011, and has practiced exclusively in family law since then. Eli joined the partnership in 2016.
Eli has an interest in complex asset division and child and spousal support cases, and takes pride in crafting sensible, lasting solutions to these cases. He also drafts and negotiates cohabitation and prenuptial agreements, with a particular focus on managing the interplay of family law issues with individuals and families’ estate and tax planning goals. Eli has appeared as lead and as junior counsel before the British Columbia Supreme Court and Court of Appeal on a number of significant decisions:
2023 BCSC 1519, successful defence of a trust and unjust enrichment claim by a spouse against a mother-in-law.
2021 BCSC 1079, successful defence of reapportionment claim where the defendant spouse was terminally ill (affirmed 2022 BCCA 371).
2021 BCSC 653, interim spousal support order in favour of husband after a lengthy marriage without children.
2019 BCSC 881, successful application in an interjurisdictional case to exclude British Columbia’s jurisdiction over division of property and spousal support issues.
2018 BCSC 960, reapportionment of the share value of a professional corporation to recognize the distinction between value accumulated post-separation due to market forces vs. due to the shareholder’s employment (spousal support var’d on appeal, 2020 BCCA 265).
2016 BCSC 1300, a leading analysis of the criteria for determining the date of separation (rev’d on other issues 2018 BCCA 199).
2014 BCSC 2423, successful defence of a contempt of court application.
2014 BCSC 1846, substantial reapportionment in favour of the property-owning spouse after a brief common law relationship without children.
2011 BCCA 364, application of the doctrine of merger to strike out corollary civil claims advanced by a child support recipient against a child support payor’s second spouse.
2011 BCSC 1010, recognizing the differences in the determination of a payor’s income for child support purposes vs. spousal support purposes.
2006 BCSC 663, successfully defending the second spouse of a deceased husband against the deceased’s first spouse’s claim to an interest in the second spouse’s survivor pension.
Telephone: 604.689.7571
Email: ewalker@agdnlaw.ca
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To book an appointment with Eli, please contact Sandi Anweiler at sanweiler@agdnlaw.ca.
Annie C. Kaderly
Annie (she/her) has been a lawyer with Aaron Gordon Daykin Nordlinger LLP since 2007. Annie received her Bachelor of Arts (English) from the University of Prince Edward Island in 2001. She was awarded the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia Scholarship, and received her Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University in 2005.
Annie was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2006 and practices exclusively in the area of family law. She has conducted trials in the British Columbia Provincial and Supreme Courts and appeared before the Court of Appeal of British Columbia.
Annie was an executive member of the Canadian Bar Association British Columbia (Vancouver) Family Law Subsection from 2007 to 2014, serving as the subsection's co-chair from 2011 to 2013. Annie has taught numerous Continuing Legal Education seminars for lawyers, paralegals, and legal staff. She is a contributing author to publications including the Continuing Legal Education Society’s Desk Order Divorce: An Annotated Guide and Introducing Evidence at Trial: A British Columbia Handbook. She has presented at the Vancouver forum of the Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals (CAIRP) National Conference as a presenter on the crossroads of insolvency and family law, and has been a guest speaker for the Legal Administrative Assistant program at Vancouver Community College in the area of family law. Annie has been a member of the editorial board for the Continuing Legal Education Society’s BC Family Practice Manual since 2016 and has presided as a guest judge at the UBC Peter J. Allard School of Law 1st Year Moots since 2024.
Telephone: 604.689.7571
Email: akaderly@agdnlaw.ca
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To book an appointment with Annie, please contact Alyssa Enos at aenos@agdnlaw.ca.
Karen F. Nordlinger, K.C.,
C. Arb.
Karen is a retired senior family law lawyer who is engaged as a neutral in arbitrations, mediations and hearings, primarily in labour relations and professional discipline matters. She has been so engaged since 1995.
She was appointed as King’s Counsel in 1985 and is a former Bencher and Treasurer (President) of the Law Society of British Columbia. Karen’s more complete background can be found at the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals of Canada site at https://mediators.ca/karen-nordlinger. Her online calendar can also be found on that site; or, interested parties may contact her assistant, Sandi Anweiler at sanweiler@agdnlaw.ca for dates.
Telephone: 604.689.7571
Email: knordlinger@agdnlaw.ca
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Anne Demeulemeester
After graduating from UBC law school in 2001, Anne articled at a large national law firm, and was called to the British Columbia bar in 2002. She has practiced family law exclusively since then.
The majority of Anne’s practice is Collaborative Divorce and out of court dispute resolution. She also assists clients with pre-nuptial and cohabitation agreements.
Anne believes that family law matters are best dealt with outside of a court room and through an interest based process. She works with her clients to limit the damage that can be caused at this difficult juncture. She adheres to the view that the ‘wins’ in family law are the cases that are resolved as efficiently as possible; with fairness to both spouses; and which prioritize the children’s interests.
The Collaborative Divorce process is Anne’s preferred way to resolve family law matters. This inter-disciplinary settlement focused process provides clients with the framework and support they need for a successful divorce – meaning one that results in as little emotional and financial cost to their family as possible.
Anne is on the board of directors of the Collaborative Roster Society and a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and Collaborative Divorce Vancouver. She regularly contributes to courses and publications for the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC.
In her spare time Anne enjoys yoga, skiing, and spending time with her dog, friends and family.
Telephone: 604.689.7571
Email: ademeulemeester@agdnlaw.ca
To book an appointment with Anne, please contact Alyssa Enos at aenos@agdnlaw.ca.
Angela E. Dunn
Angela was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2005 and has worked at two boutique family law firms in Downtown Vancouver prior to joining AGDN. Since 2006, Angela’s practice has been focused on the resolution of complex family law matters. She has successfully argued cases in the Supreme Court across British Columbia and in the Yukon as well as in the Court of Appeal.
Angela commenced her legal career in Germany where she obtained a law degree from the University of Cologne in 1998. She was called to the Bar in Germany and successfully completed the judicial training program which qualified her to be a judge in the German civil law system in 2001.
In 2002, Angela moved to Canada and completed her Canadian common law studies at the University of British Columbia. During her time at UBC law school, Angela won the American Bar Association Negotiation Competition in 2002 and worked as a research assistant in the area of international law.
From 2013 until 2022, Angela has served as an executive member of the Canadian Bar Association (Vancouver) Family Law Subsection and served as the subsections Co-Chair from 2017 - 2019. Angela was an executive member of the Women Lawyers Forum for six years and served as Co-Chair of the WLF Education Committee from 2007 - 2009 and 2014 - 2018. Angela is a mentor to other lawyers through the WLF Mentoring Program.
In addition to English, Angela is fluent in German and represents many German-speaking clients.
Telephone: 604.689.7571
Email: adunn@agdnlaw.ca
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To book an appointment with Angela, please contact Carol Kummer at ckummer@agdnlaw.ca.
Jasmeet K. Wahid
Jasmeet K. Wahid’s family law practice is diverse and interesting and often includes complex financial and parenting issues. Her practice also includes unique issues in the areas of adoption, reproductive technology, child protection, and First Nations concerns. Jasmeet appears in all levels of court. She was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2006.
Jasmeet has argued several important appeals including: the posthumous use of reproductive material and the statutory interpretation of the consent provisions of the Assisted Human Reproduction Act [L.T. v. D.T. Estate 2020 BCCA 328]; child’s consent to gender affirming care, family violence and remedies under the Family Law Act [A.B. v. C.D. 2020 BCCA 11 & A.B. v. C.D. 2019 BCCA 297]; and the adoption of a First Nations child and the statutory scheme of the Adoption Act [M.M. v.T.B., 2017 BCCA 296] with application for leave to the Supreme Court of Canada being dismissed.
She is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, Access Pro-Bono Society of British Columbia, British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI) FLA3 Law Reform Project Committee and Indian Summer Arts Society’s Board of Directors.
Jasmeet is a contributor to continuing education seminars for other lawyers, and co-chairs or presents regularly at conferences or meetings on various issues for the Canadian Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education Society, Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia, PBLI, and York University, Osgoode Professional Development.
In her spare time, Jasmeet has managed to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, ride a camel in the Indian desert, complete marathons in both Hawaii and New York and is working on her creative writing.
In addition to English, Jasmeet is also fluent in Punjabi.
Telephone: 604.689.7571
Email: jwahid@agdnlaw.ca
To book an appointment with Jasmeet, please contact Kim Shelkie at kshelkie@agdnlaw.ca.
Brandon St. Pierre
Brandon joined Aaron Gordon Daykin Nordlinger as an associate in 2018. Originally from Campbell River, B.C. Brandon received his BSc (honours) in Psychology from the University of Victoria in 2011, and his law degree from the University of Calgary in 2014. After completing his articles in Calgary, Brandon was called to the Alberta bar in 2015 and practiced with a prominent family law boutique until the end of 2017. He was called to the British Columbian bar in 2018.
Brandon’s family law practice includes all areas of family law, with a focus on financial matters including complex asset division and spousal support. In particular, Brandon has expertise in files involving small and medium-sized private businesses, and with officers of publicly traded companies with complex remuneration structures. He has experience resolving cases through both negotiated settlement and litigation, including at trial as both lead and junior counsel, at all levels of court in British Columbia and Alberta. Brandon has volunteered with the Canadian Bar Association, taught Continuing Legal Education seminars, and is a contributing author to the British Columbia Family Practice Manual.
Telephone: 604.689.7571
Email: bstpierre@agdnlaw.ca
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To book an appointment with Brandon, please contact Tamy Beaulne at tbeaulne@agdnlaw.ca.
Ana Mihajlović
Ana (she/her) received her Bachelor of Arts (With Distinction) in Psychology from Simon Fraser University in 2013 and her Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia in 2017. She was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2018.
As a law student Ana summered with Rise Women’s Legal Centre where she provided family law representation and legal services to low-income clients. After completing her articles in family law, Ana practiced at a boutique family law firm before joining Aaron Gordon Daykin Nordlinger as an associate in 2018. Ana has experience negotiating out of court settlements and has appeared in both the Provincial and Supreme Courts of British Columbia.
Ana is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and currently sits on the executive committee of the Canadian Bar Association’s Unbundled Legal Services subsection.
In addition to English, Ana is fluent in Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian.
Telephone: 604.689.7571
Email: amihajlovic@agdnlaw.ca
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To book an appointment with Ana, contact Tamy Beaulne at tbeaulne@agdnlaw.ca.
Chelsea R. Szafranski
Chelsea received her Bachelor of Arts (With Distinction) in Criminology from Simon Fraser University in 2012 and her Senior Status LL.B. from the University of Leicester in England in 2015 following the completion of an accelerated two-year program.
Upon returning to Vancouver, Chelsea joined Aaron Gordon Daykin Nordlinger LLP in an administrative capacity in 2015. Following the successful completion of her qualification exams, she obtained her Certificate of Qualification from the National Committee on Accreditation of the Federal Law Societies of Canada in 2017.
Chelsea began her articles with AGDN in 2019 with a focus on family law. During her articling term, Chelsea also completed secondments in criminal defence, legal research and civil litigation. She was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2020.
Chelsea has appeared in both the Provincial and Supreme Courts of British Columbia and is a member of the Canadian Bar Association.
She enjoys commuting to work and riding around Vancouver on her e-scooter.
Telephone: 604.689.7571
Email: cszafranski@agdnlaw.ca
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To book an appointment with Chelsea, please contact Carol Kummer at ckummer@agdnlaw.ca.
Sydney A. Snape
Sydney (she/her) received her Juris Doctor from Thompson Rivers University in 2022 after receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from the University of British Columbia in 2015. Prior to receiving her Juris Doctor, Sydney worked in policy consultation for regulatory institutions.
Sydney was called to the bar in 2023. She completed her articles at a leading regional full-service law firm before joining AGDN to focus her practice solely on family law. Sydney’s family law practice includes all areas of family law, including cohabitation agreements, separation agreements, parenting matters, child and spousal support, and division of family property and debt. Sydney has appeared before the Supreme Court of British Columbia, and the British Columbia Court of Appeal.
While at law school Sydney received awards for academic excellence and community involvement including course prizes, the Law Foundation Public Interest Award, and the CBABC Branch Award Scholarship. In 2022, Sydney received the inaugural Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize from The Royal Society of Canada. Sydney is a member of the Canadian Bar Association.
When not practicing law, Sydney enjoys travelling, spending time with family and friends, finding underrated reads at local bookstores, and spending time with elderly dogs.
Telephone: 604.689.7571
Email: ssnape@agdnlaw.ca
To book an appointment with Sydney, please contact Tamy Beaulne at tbeaulne@agdnlaw.ca.
Legacy
Jacqueline G. McQueen, K.C.
We are pleased to announce that on April 21, 2023, our colleague and friend Jacqueline McQueen was appointed a Judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia. See the news release at: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023AG0029-000572
I. Jack Aaron, K.C.
Jack is a senior litigator with extensive experience, particularly in family law, both in Canada and South Africa. Jack did a post-graduate law degree at Oxford University, after completing undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, where he practised as a barrister for 17 years. He began practicing family law in Vancouver in 1982.
Jack has retired from the active practice of law, but remains involved with Aaron Gordon Daykin Nordlinger LLP in a consultative capacity.
George Gordon
George was a senior partner who was widely respected as an example of rectitude and decency in the field of family law. He raised the level of sensitivity and responsibility, particularly in the resolution of child parenting conflicts, to a degree rarely encountered elsewhere and inspired the lawyers in our firm to follow his example. His meticulous attention to detail was much appreciated by clients, his colleagues and the Bench.