Our People
Thomas Harding
Knowledgeable, Articulate, Fearless
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PERSONAL INJURY, MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE, FAMILY LAW, WILLS & ESTATES
Thomas has been a lawyer since 1990, and started Trial Lawyers Advocacy Group in 2009, which became Clear Legal in 2021.He has appeared in every level of court in BC, practiced in Alberta, and has written successful arguments for the Supreme Court of Canada.
His practice includes all aspects of family law and personal injury law. He has written many articles for lawyers, doctors and “real” people, lectured widely, and been featured many times on television and radio, discussing legal issues.
His charities include the Food Bank and a local complex care home. His hobbies include cooking, annoying his wife, and embarrassing his daughter. He has read over 10,000 books, so his favourite reading is: pretty much everything except romance novels.
Lawyer, Partner
He/HimChris Carta
Honest, Astute, Tenacious
Lawyer, Partner, Accredited Mediator
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FAMILY LAW, WILLS & ESTATES, PERSONAL INJURY, MEDIATION
Chris Carta is a Lawyer and certified family mediator. He has practiced in high-conflict, mid-conflict and low-conflict family law since being called to the bar in 2012.He has successfully represented clients at the Provincial Court of British Columbia, the Supreme Court of British Columbia, and the British Columbia Court of Appeal.
Outside of the practice of law, Chris enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, collecting and playing board games, and barbequing. His favourite band is Led Zeppelin. Chris enjoys reading fantasy and science-fiction novels, and historical fiction.
Johanna Stein
Calm, Committed, Meticulous
Lawyer, Accredited Mediator and Arbitrator
She/Her-
FAMILY LAW, MEDIATION, ARBITRATION
Johanna is calm, approachable, and down to earth, with a genuine desire to help clients navigate the troubled waters of separation in a thoughtful and considerate way.
She am committed to resolving family law matters outside of court whenever possible and believe that the collaborative model is truly the best way to create positive outcomes for spouses and children. In addition to being a collaborative law practitioner, she is also an accredited mediator and arbitrator with the Law Society of British Columbia.
Johanna was called to the bar in 2011, after articling at a national firm and clerking for 6 judges of the BC Supreme Court. She haspracticed exclusively in the area of family law since 2012.
Arsh Sarkaria
Compassionate, Trustworthy, and Intelligent
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FAMILY LAW, WILLS AND ESTATES
Arsh Sarkaria is a family and estates lawyer. Arsh holds a B.A. LL.B. (Hon) from Panjab University, Chandigarh, India and an LL.M. in Intellectual Property and Competition Law from Munich Intellectual Property Law Centre, Munich, Germany. Arsh has successfully represented clients at the Provincial Court of British Columbia, and the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
Arsh strives to provide the best legal representation by listening to her client, understanding their unique needs, giving her clients frank advice, advocating for her clients to produce the best possible outcome, and trying to minimize the effects of the case on the client as much as possible so the client lives their life, not the litigation.
In the court room, Arsh is calm, resilient, and positive. Outside of the courtroom, her focus is wider than just litigation. The secret to her success is her IQ and EQ.
Arsh speaks English, Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu fluently. She speaks conversational French. Arsh also speaks ein bisschen Deutsch.
Outside of work, Arsh enjoys the practice of yoga, dancing and travelling.
Lawyer, Accredited Mediator
She/HerBlake Cooper
Methodical, Expressive, and Thorough
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PERSONAL INJURY
Blake is a litigation lawyer at Clear Legal with experience in plaintiff personal injury, civil litigation, trial advocacy and mediation. He has extensive experience representing victims of negligence and pursuing their claims for compensation.
He can guide you through the litigation process, help you negotiate your claim, and take your case to trial. Sometimes having your day in court is the best strategic option against a powerful defendant.
If someone has caused you or your business a loss, or you think a fight over damages is looming, contact Blake and the lawyers at Clear Legal for confidential, non-judgmental, and strategic advice.
Lawyer
He/HimKimberly Cheong
Investigative, Empathetic, and Insightful.
Lawyer
She/They-
FAMILY LAW
Kimi joined Clear Legal because of its focus on utilizing a range of methods of dispute resolution, which aligns with their own compassionate and client-centered approach. The first step in their legal career was an externship at a pro-bono legal clinic serving women and gender diverse people all over BC in family matters. The experience of working with a variety of clients of different ethnic backgrounds and with a variety of cultural experiences enabled her to appreciate and respond appropriately to diverse clients and their circumstances.
After earning a dual Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and English literature at UBC, Kimi went on to pursue a JD from the UBC Allard School of Law which she obtained in 2022.
Outside of work, Kimi is a professional singer and an avid reader, with a special love for queer and contemporary literature.
Aisha Abji
Curious, Organized, Efficient
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FAMILY LAW, WILLS & ESTATES
Aisha first joined Clear Legal as a Summer Law Student in 2024 and returned in 2025 as an Articling Student. After graduating from UBC with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a focus in family studies, Aisha earned her JD at Dalhousie's Schulich School of Law along with a Certificate of Criminal Justice. In her last semester of law school, Aisha gained hands-on legal experience at the Dalhousie Legal Aid Service serving underprivileged community members in the areas of family law, child protection, youth criminal justice, and residential tenancies.Outside of work, Aisha enjoys exploring new restaurants, snowboarding, travelling, and taking her dog, Sammy, to the park.
Articling Student
She/HerMichael Meade
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Michael Joined Clear Legal in 2024 while completing his bachelor’s degree in business administration. With an educational background in business operations management and business sustainability, he provides administrative support to all areas of the practice.
When he’s not in the office, Michael enjoys rock climbing, skiing, taking motorcycle trips, and bartending.
Reception + Junior LAA
He/TheyAlison Oswald
Family Law Paralegal, Certified Legal Coach
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Alison joined Clear Legal in 2025 and brings 18 years of family law experience. Alison truly enjoys working with clients to help and support them while going through the difficult process of separation and divorce. She has a thirst for knowledge and learning, having become a Certified Legal Coach, as well as completing 80 hours of Family Law Mediation training through CLEBC.
Outside of work, Alison is a proud hockey mom who enjoys reading, yoga and spending time with her family.
Julia Maisonville
Civil Litigation Designated Paralegal
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Julia has been with Clear Legal since 2005 primarily dealing with personal injury clients but occasionally stepping in to assist with family law. She enjoys working with both Chris Carta and Thomas Harding. She has been a legal assistant since 1990.
Emma Robinson
Office Manager
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Emma has been with Clear Legal since 2019. After starting out as receptionist, she completed her Legal Administrative Assistant Certificate at Capilano University in 2022 to build a stronger understanding of how a file runs from start to finish.
With that knowledge, she is now able to oversee day-today function of the office, ensuring that our people have everything they need to provide you the top-notch legal services that Clear Legal is known for.
Outside of work, she loves going to concerts with her husband, exploring hiking trails throughout Metro Vancouver, and collecting new tattoos.
Louise Tait
Family Law Designated Paralegal
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Louise brings over 30 years of experience as a family law Legal Assistant to Clear Legal. Having worked with sole practitioners and in large firms in Vancouver, Louise has developed the unique ability to identify any client’s unique issues and create a clear path forward. She is thoughtful and emotionally intelligent – essential qualities for anyone working with individuals going through separation and divorce. Her open and attentive nature helps ease what can often be a stressful experience.
Outside of work, Louise has volunteered for over 25 years at a society serving people with disabilities. Louise is a passionate gardener and rare perennial collector. When not weeding, planting, or watering, Louise can be found doting on her cat Sal, and his cat friends, Ted and Tiger.
Alison Grouhel
Legal Administrative Assistant
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Alison joined Clear Legal in 2023 while completing her Legal Office Skills certificate at Vancouver Community College. To her role, she brings years of work experience supporting persons going through difficult life circumstances.
A born and raised West Coaster, Alison is one of the few people that prefers rainy days to sunny ones. Her spare time is often spent attending dance classes, reading a good book, or writing for her sustainable living blog.
Jackie Zwiegers
Accounts Manager
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Jacqueline started her journey with the firm at the end of 2016 as the accounting assistant and quickly worked her way up to account manager. She is responsible for overseeing the financial and business operations. Her passion is to implement financial strategies with an “outside of the box” approach allowing the firm to grow in a very strategic manner.