THE ADVOCATE 19
VOL. 80 PART 1 JANUARY 2022
were ready to take on the world. However, they quickly realized that they
needed an associate so they could take holidays.
They hired an associate, Anna Silver. Anna became pregnant within six
months of taking the job. Lisa and Stephanie hired Delia Ramsbotham for
Anna’s maternity leave. Delia also became pregnant shortly thereafter. This
led to more associates and many more babies born to the lawyers at Hamilton
Fabbro. The firm jokingly became known as “Hamilton Fertile” because
there was always someone either pregnant or on parental leave.
One of their first associates, Meghan Selinger, remembers her time at
Hamilton Fabbro fondly:
I started at Hamilton Fabbro in the early years. We worked hard, but there
was also a certain joy at the firm. It really felt as though we were all in it
together. Family law can be a challenging area in which to practise, but
there was always laughter and a strong support network within the firm.
Lisa in particular is a person who finds joy in life and is incredibly positive—
but be careful if she ever appears in your office and offers you an
“interesting” case.
Lisa considers herself fortunate to have received wonderful support over
the years from her assistant, Carol Kummer. Lisa insists she would not be
able to balance all of her many roles without Carol.
Running a firm did not diminish Lisa’s role as a mother. Her three sons
spent time working at the firm and were described as “some of the nicest
people you will ever meet”.
THE “SWEET BADGER”
Recently, Lisa has primarily mediated and arbitrated family law matters.
But she remains highly regarded as a skilled advocate and a persuasive litigator.
Lisa was counsel in VJF v. SKW, 2016 BCCA 186, one of the first and
still a leading decision on property division under the Family Law Act. Lisa
is called the “Sweet Badger” by some for her negotiation style.
Lisa is also well respected for her trailblazing commitment to consensual
dispute resolution. She became an arbitrator before the Family Law Act even
recognized family law arbitrators. Lisa is one of the creative minds behind
a project called the Family Law Organizer, an online community for family
law professionals across British Columbia to share ideas and precedents.
Recently, Lisa envisioned the Virtual Mediation Project, which was
launched in 2021 through Access Pro Bono to provide online pro bono mediations
to low-income families.
Even as she established a leading family law firm and raised her children,
Lisa retained her zest for life and irreverent sense of humour. She is
an avid collector of Barbie dolls, and has one for every occasion imagina-