OUR TEAM

Email: donna@ysmfamilylaw.com
Phone: 604-676-1470

Assistant: Alana Marentic
Email: alana@ysmfamilylaw.com

Donna Yamazaki

Donna is a trained Collaborative Law lawyer in BC who has practiced exclusively in all areas of family law since 2004. Her practice focuses on the areas of divorce, property division, child and spousal support, parenting issues and adoption law. Donna negotiates and drafts cohabitation, marriage, separation, and asset protection agreements, and helps clients navigate the legal process, providing legal solutions tailored to meet their individual needs.

Donna understands that every family situation is unique and is committed to assisting her clients through the separation and divorce process with compassion, empathy, and skill. Her clients regularly describe her as being very open, honest and to the point. She provides clear information about the law and focuses on developing creative legal solutions both short-term and long-term. She has extensive litigation experience advocating on behalf of her clients when court intervention has been necessary to place issues before the court for decision. Drawing on her litigation background, she recognizes the value of replacing the adversarial component inherent in many family law situations with a non-adversarial approach that minimizes conflict, stress and legal costs. She has seen firsthand how the Collaborative Process encourages mutual respect and team problem solving, and how the process empowers her clients to be actively involved in making decisions for their future that best meets the needs for their family.

Donna Yamazaki obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia where she completed her third year at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. After working in rural Japan as a Coordinator for International Relations with the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program and backpacking across Asia and Europe, she continued her studies at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law and obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree in 2003. Donna was called to the Bar in British Columbia in 2004 and has practiced exclusively in the area of family law in downtown Vancouver prior to co-founding YSM Family Law. Throughout her legal career she has had the benefit of working with and being mentored by several of Vancouver’s leading family law lawyers.

When not practicing law, Donna spends her time traveling abroad with her family.  She is a sports enthusiast who enjoys playing field hockey, golf, skiing, and more recently, soccer.

Email: andrea@ysmfamilylaw.com
Phone: 604-676-1471

Assistant: Alana Marentic
Email: alana@ysmfamilylaw.com

Andrea Swabuk-Moe

Andrea has practiced exclusively in the area of family law for over 12 years. Over that time Andrea has appeared in Court numerous times and has experienced success on a wide range of issues, including guardianship, parenting, child and spousal support, and the division of family property. Although comfortable in the Courtroom, Andrea understands that family disputes are upsetting and can be very stressful for all parties involved which is why she prefers taking a non-adversarial approach. Assisting a client through negotiations, mediation, and specifically the Collaborative Divorce process allows each client to retain a level of control over the outcome that simply cannot be achieved in a courtroom setting.

Andrea has drafted various forms of cohabitation agreements, prenuptial agreements and marriage agreements to guide people through this process. Andrea has an extensive relationship planning practice, where she advises clients who are in a new relationship, a blended family situation, or thinking of moving in with their partner or getting married. Andrea prepares clients to have these important conversations in a way that creates clarity about the future while avoiding unnecessary conflict.

In addition to acting on behalf of individual clients, Andrea is trained as a certified mediator, and is qualified to assist couples through the formal dispute resolution process to resolve family law issues after separation. In her role as a neutral facilitator, Andrea guides families through difficult and emotional discussions in order to create options for settlement. Throughout the mediation process, Andrea will address each individual’s hopes and fears to move through this major life transition.

Throughout her career Andrea has had the benefit of working with, and learning from, several of Calgary and Vancouver’s leading family law lawyers. Andrea regularly contributes to ongoing legal education and has presented at events and lectures put on by Continuing Legal Education and community resource seminars.

Andrea obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology with Honours from Simon Fraser University in 2006 and received her law degree from the University of Alberta in 2009. Andrea was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 2010 and began solely practicing family law in Calgary in 2011. In 2020 Andrea moved back to Vancouver and joined a distinguished boutique family law firm.

Outside of work, Andrea enjoys traveling abroad, hiking and exploring the Lower Mainland with her husband and two young children.