They’ve built a reputation that extends far beyond the borders of the Royal City but the team at Kinman & Associates Law are – at heart – a hometown law office, and proud to be so.
“This is a vital growing community right here in New Westminster, and as more people come here, we hope that they will see that they can get excellent legal services right here in their own community,” says Ian Kinman, the owner and senior lawyer at the firm. “You don’t need to go to downtown Vancouver to the glass-and-steel high rises.”
In fact, the company’s location couldn’t be better: they’re right across the street from the provincial courthouse in New Westminster. “It’s a great spot, right next to everything, so you don’t have to worry about going all over the place,” he said. The full service law firm focuses on a variety of areas, such as personal injury, civil and commercial litigation, corporate and commercial transactions, family law and more.
“We really like to think of ourselves as the firm that can deal with the vast majority of legal issues that people might have, whether it’s for an individual or a small business,” he said. “We also have two excellent criminal lawyers who are attached to our firm, who can assist clients with that category of work, too.”
Kinman says that one of the reasons they’ve established a great reputation over the years is their focus on communication.
“Client service is very important,” he said. “Many people are unfamiliar with the legal system and only need legal services every few years, so we work hard to be sure they understand what’s going on, and to have strong communication and personal service.”
In fact, the firm is able to work with individuals in a variety of languages, including Korean, Punjabi, Mandarin, Farsi and more, thanks to a diverse staff.
Kinman notes that recent changes in legislation around ICBC cases has left a lot of people uncertain about their legal needs.
“With those changes, a lot of firms are simply turning people away. But we’re saying we will still talk to you, hear your situation, and help you understand your rights and what is and is not possible,” he said. “We may not be able to help in the end, but we think people deserve the opportunity to discuss it and know what the options are.”
“I love this community and we’re proud to be able to serve the people here,” he said.
Many of their clients come to them from recommendations from family and friends, which the team says is a rewarding experience.
“When a client comes back or when they recommend someone else to us, we know we’ve done a great job,” he said.
Kinman & Associates was formed in 2007, but grew out of an earlier law firm that had been serving New Westminster since 1960, and where Ian had been practicing as a lawyer for many years. In all, he’s been working in the Royal City for more than 30 years now.
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