Patricia practices family law in the Cowichan Valley where she has lived with her family for almost 30 years. She currently serves as the President of the Canadian Bar Association - BC Branch. She is a past supervising lawyer for the Poverty Law Advocate program through the Law Foundation, and is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia.

Patricia is certified as a Family Law Mediator and is on the Mediate BC Roster. She mediates in person and by Zoom. Patricia will provide mediation services for both party-only and lawyer-assisted mediation.

EDUCATION & YEAR OF CALL

BA with Distinction – Vancouver Island University, 2008
JD – University of Victoria, 2011
Called to the British Columbia Bar in 2012
Certified Family Law Mediator by the Law Society of British Columbia 2016​

*Patricia.D.Blair Law Corporation*

Melanie grew up in British Columbia but moved to the United States to complete her undergraduate and law degrees. During law school, she was a member of the Moot Court Board and Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity. She then practiced law in California for several years before returning permanently to B.C., where she practiced in Victoria for 16 years.  In 2024, she relocated to the Lower Mainland and is now based primarily out of RVL's Fraser Valley office.  Her areas of practice include family law, estate litigation, and civil litigation.​
EDUCATION & YEAR OF CALL 
B.A. Southern Adventist University, 1997
J.D. Vanderbilt University, 2000
Called to the California Bar in 2001
Called to the British Columbia Bar in 2008

Christina was born and raised in the Cowichan Valley on a local dairy farm. After completing law school, Christina articled and worked as an associate at a firm in Victoria and has recently returned to the Cowichan Valley to practice in her community full-time. Christina practices in family law and general civil litigation. She has experience in a variety of different practice areas including family, employment, estate litigation, contract, real estate litigation, construction, human rights, environmental, personal injury, residential tenancies. Christina has represented clients at many levels of the justice system, including, British Columbia Provincial Court Small Claims, British Columbia Provincial Court Family, British Columbia Supreme Court, administrative tribunals, mediations, and arbitrations. 

EDUCATION & YEAR OF CALL 

Bachelor of Arts (with Distinction) – University of Victoria, 2013

Juris Doctor – University of Saskatchewan, 2018

Called to the British Columbia bar in 2019

Nicole was born and raised in the Cowichan Valley and is proud to serve her home community as an associate at River Valley Law in Duncan. She practices in the areas of estate planning, including wills, powers of attorney, representation agreements and sports law.

Nicole earned her Juris Doctor from Thompson Rivers University, where she served as an executive with the TRU Sports & Entertainment Law Club, volunteered as a student mentor, and was a research assistant to Dr. Ryan Gauthier. Nicole also completed directed research under Dr. Gauthier, which culminated in the publication of her article, “Prioritizing University Sport: How Canadian Sport Can Better Protect University Athletes,” in the Manitoba Law Journal. Nicole is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia, the Canadian Bar Association – BC Branch and the Women in Sports Law Association. 

EDUCATION & YEAR OF CALL

B.A. (Co-operative Education) – University of Victoria, 2020
J.D. – Thompson Rivers University, 2024
Called to the British Columbia Bar in 2025

Allen was born and raised in Atlantic Canada and then relocated to Vancouver.  In 1997 he moved to the Cowichan Valley to raise a family and has been here ever since. Allen’s community volunteer work includes Cowichan Restorative Justice, St. John Ambulance, and Cowichan Pride Society.  

Allen recently retired from a career in business and has turned to a new career in law.  He practices in family law, employment law and civil litigation. Allen is also a certified civil Arbitrator and is on the ADR Institute of BC's Arbitrator Roster.

EDUCATION 

Bachelor of Arts (with distinction) – Vancouver Island University, 2012

Juris Doctor – University of Victoria, 2020

Arbitrator (Q.Arb) – ADR Institute of Canada, 2024

Allen also has credentials and specialized training in restorative justice practice, trauma-informed practice, sexualized violence response, and Gladue legal principles.

Sarah is based primarily out of RVL's Fraser Valley office.  She has a diverse solicitor's practice which includes estate planning, estate administration, uncontested adoptions, and fertility/assisted reproduction law.  She also works with clients on a variety of contractual transactions including marriage agreements, shareholders' agreements, commercial leases, and other related matters. Sarah began her legal career in South Africa, where she qualified as an attorney (solicitor). Before re-qualifying as a lawyer in British Columbia, she worked as in-house legal counsel for various
corporations in South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Ireland.
EDUCATION & YEAR OF CALL 
Bachelor of Laws - Rhodes University, 2005
Master of Laws - University of the Witwatersrand, 2009
Certificate of Qualification - NCA, Federation of Law Societies of Canada, 2021
Attorney of the High Court of South Africa - 2023
Called to the British Columbia Bar in 2026