Our Firm

Joanna M. Shaw

Hons., BA, LLB, MES, LLM, ACC. MEDIATOR, NOTARY

Principle lawyer of JMS Law, Children’s Lawyer, Mediator, I am also the Developer, Facilitator and Director of the Transformative Parenting Program offered by JMS Law. It is my goal to encourage and foster a practice of law that is compassionate and mindful, not only of clients but of the JMS Law team. We are a team of lawyers, mediators, clerks, and managers, 13 people in total, seeking ways to serve and to make a positive impact on our community and Society as a whole. We believe that justice exists in the hearts of people, so we seek opportunities to go deep into people’s hearts to find solutions and transform the issues.

I consistently remind my team that everyone has a story, and every story is valid and deserving of attention and non-judgement. I challenge my team and clients to become more self-aware and reflective in efforts to find solutions that allow for inner-growth and success not just for themselves but for those around them. It is my belief that a better world, lived from non-judgment, compassion, mindful practice and kindness is possible. This allows for inclusivity and diverse perspectives on issues.

Whether I am working on real estate files or family files, I engage in this approach. When working with all Clients in conflict, I will tell you what you need to hear—which isn’t always what you want to hear—because my goal is to get you to resolution, not deeper into conflict. It is to help you see your conflict as a catalyst for personal change and self-mastery and to live authentically from that place. I encourage my entire team to work in this way.

This approach often shortens the amount of time people spend in a conflict which then lessens the financial, emotional, and oftentimes, the physical cost of conflict. My own life experience has equipped me with tools for personal transformation which I readily share with anyone who is open and ready for change and if they choose to engage with me in that way. I do everything I can to live authentically from a place of compassion, empathy, mindfulness and humility and I encourage my team to do the same, in all areas of our lives, personal, the office and in the courtroom.

My approach to law, and indeed my life, is greatly informed by Yoga, Meditation and Buddhist philosophies and all other practices that engender compassion and mindfulness. My spiritual practice borrows from as many cultural and spiritual practices I have encountered. I am a seeker, a student and someone who is ready to act in my own transformation.

My first love is teaching and working with people in a way that will allow them to transform their lives in a truly great way. Out of this love has grown the work I do as an agent for the Office of the Children’s Lawyer where I represent children in family law disputes and child protection. Both as a mediator and a Children’s lawyer I encourage clients and lawyers on the opposing side to foster compassion for themselves, others and to see possibilities where there might not otherwise be any.

At JMS Law, we encourage people to negotiate from a place of mindfulness and compassion with their future, and that of their children, at the fore. The well-being of both our clients and their families is of the utmost importance. I believe that healthier families lead to healthier communities, which, in turn, lead to a healthier world. I work hard to help clients get to a place where they can see their future independent of their current conflicts. I empower my clients and those around me to participate in a collaborative process that focuses on understanding and healing and results in long-lasting, cost-effective resolutions that benefit the whole family, in particular children whose parents are involved in the conflict.