Tamara Scarowsky, JD/LLB |
TAMARA SCAROWSKY
Founder of Forward Family Law Lawyer, mediator & collaborative counsel Contact: tamara@forwardfamilylaw.ca After more than a decade of working with families, Tamara understands that most people dealing with family law issues want a practical way forward that actually addresses what really matters to them. Tamara helps her clients get to where they want to go with creative problem-solving and and a forward-thinking approach. Tamara is also a guest speaker and educator on various topics related to family law, access to justice, and trauma-informed practice. Tamara is a trained mediator and collaborative lawyer. She is also an effective advocate in family law litigation, however Tamara is selective in taking on litigation files, typically using the court process as a last resort. |
Amanda Martinez, JD, LLM |
AMANDA MARTINEZ
Associate Lawyer Contact: amanda@forwardfamilylaw.ca Amanda holds dual law degrees in both civil law and common law from Sherbrooke University, as well as a Masters in Law. She articled at the International Criminal Court in the Hague. Upon returning to Canada, Amanda began her career in private practice at a full-service law firm in Quebec, where she discovered her passion for family law. Amanda brings professionalism, warmth and compassion to her work. Amanda offers services in French and English. Amanda est titulaire d'un diplôme en droit civil et en common law de l'Université de Sherbrooke, ainsi que d'une maîtrise en droit. Elle a fait son stage à la Cour pénale internationale de La Haye. À son retour au Canada, Amanda a commencé sa carrière en pratique privée dans un cabinet d'avocats à service complet au Québec, où elle a découvert sa passion pour le droit de la famille. Amanda approche ses dossiers avec professionnalisme, chaleur et compassion. Amanda offre ses services en français et en anglais. |
Stephanie Ladouceur, JD, LLM |
STEPHANIE LADOUCEUR
Associate Lawyer Contact: stephanie@forwardfamilylaw.ca Stephanie holds a law degree from the University of London in the United Kingdom, and her Masters of Law in Canadian Common Law from Osgoode Hall Law School. She articled at a general law practice firm in Stittsville, before joining Forward Family Law. She came on with our team as a supervised candidate, where she was called to the bar. As Stephanie embarks upon furthering her career within family law, she looks forward to implementing her passionate and creative approach to bring a unique perspective to every situation she encounters. It is her hope to bring forth a holistic, compassionate, and sincere approach to her legal practice. Stephanie est titulaire d'un diplôme en droit de l'Université de Londres au Royaume-Uni et d'une maîtrise en droit de common law canadienne d’Osgoode Hall Law School. Elle a fait son stage dans un cabinet de droit à Ottawa avant de se joindre à Forward Family Law en mai 2023. Stephanie apporte passion et créativité à son travail. Elle adopte une approche holistique pour aider ses clients à identifier et atteindre leurs objectifs avec compassion et sincérité. |
Tina Garbas-Tyrrell, JD, TEP |
TINA GARBAS-TYRRELL
Senior Drafting Solicitor Contact: tina@forwardfamilylaw.ca Tina has focused on the areas of Wills and Estates Law and Family Law throughout her career. Prior to joining Forward Family Law, Tina spent the first nine years of her legal career with a mid-sized Ottawa law firm. She then operated her own Wills and Estates practice from 2018-2023. Tina is passionate about legal drafting, and she has provided legal drafting services to institutional clients, legal publishers, and national law firms. She is a member of the Society of Trust and Estates Practitioners (STEP), and she obtained her TEP (Trust and Estate Practitioner) designation in 2021. As a senior drafting solicitor at Forward Family Law, Tina works directly with wills and estates clients to help them achieve their estate planning goals while providing them with knowledgeable and compassionate service. Tina also enhances the quality of our family law services by providing legal research and drafting support to other lawyers on our team. |
Venassa Ventura SENIOR LAW CLERK & COMMISSIONER |
VENASSA VENTURA
Senior law clerk, intake coordinator and commissioner of oaths Contact: venassa@forwardfamilylaw.ca Venassa is an integral member of our team. She is knowledgeable and approachable. She keeps the ship running smoothly. When you phone us, you are more likely to reach Venassa's friendly voice than voicemail. As our intake coordinator, Venassa, is your first point of contact to get information about our intake process and to help you arrange your initial consult. |
What people are saying about us...
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"Tamara is a determined and compassionate advocate who applies legal expertise with warmth, professionalism and common sense. She is the person you want on your side of the table." - Lindsay N. "I retained Tamara to handle my divorce. She was very professional and empathetic. She took the time to explain the process in great detail. Her research and knowledge is second to none. She provided exceptional advice, support and guidance every step of the way. If you are facing a family law matter I highly recommend Tamara." - Nancy N. "Tamara is a very confident, organized, understanding and fair lawyer! She was amazing at breaking things down and helping me understand all the steps that were required for my divorce. In a very difficult situation, I knew she had my back." - Stephanie G. "Tamara is a rare gem. A lawyer should have a keen intelligence, exceptional memory and ability to condense a mass of detail into a coherent narrative. Tamara has all these. But what really set her apart for me was her humanity. Tamara went well beyond "just the facts" and made an effort to know who I was, what mattered to me and to build my case on the whole person. I will always be deeply grateful for her for guiding me through such a difficult time." -David L. |
"Getting divorced was the messiest, hardest thing I have ever had to do - but Tamara and her assistant Vanessa helped make it as painless as possible. Words cannot express my gratitude for these two. They are a dedicated, knowledgeable, hard working team that always made time to answer my questions and attend to all of the expected, unexpected and urgent legal matters that arose during this challenging case. Tamara is second to none. She expertly handled my separation with professionalism, compassion and skill. When communicating with others involved in the case, she applied a measured tone, incisive questions and mastery of the law. She always represented my best interest and dealt with all legal matters in a timely and practical manner. She conducted herself with integrity, kindness and poise as she navigated and eventually settled my difficult divorce. I truly appreciate her unwavering confidence, perseverance, understanding and problem solving. I highly recommend Tamara and her team. Retaining her was the best decision I could have made." - Allison P. "I worked with Tamara to get an updated Spousal Support agreement. She was friendly, polite, knowledgeable and also very good at getting to the heart of the negotiations and fully representing my position while respecting the other party. When push came to shove, she was amazing at using the facts very effectively. I enjoyed working with her, and highly recommend her as an excellent family law negotiator." - Peter S. |