Meet Our Team
Joel J.W.G. Szaefer
Family-Focused. Results-Driven.
Joel is the owner and principal lawyer at Joel J.W.G. Szaefer Professional Corporation. Joel was born and raised in Lambton County and he is proud to offer family law advice and representation in his home community. Joel knows firsthand the many features that make Lambton County great, including the lake, the river, the Valley, the surrounding farmland, and, most of all, the people.
Joel’s practice is focused exclusively on family law. He is knowledgeable in all family law issues, including custody (now called decision-making responsibility), access (now called parenting time), child support, spousal support, marital and common law property matters, marriage and other domestic contracts, Children's Aid Society matters, and adoptions.
Joel provides practical legal advice. If your matter can settle without the need for Court, he can guide you through that process; however, if Court is required, Joel is well-versed in Courtroom advocacy. He is no stranger to the Courtroom and appears before the Ontario Court of Justice, the Superior Court of Justice, and the Court of Appeal for Ontario, the province's highest Court.
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Joel completed his Honours Bachelor’s degree, his Master’s degree, and his Juris Doctorate at the nearby University of Western Ontario, with a legal education focused primarily on family law. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Ontario Bar Association, the Advocate's Society, and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. At the local level, Joel has served on the Board of Directors for many Lambton County not-for-profit organizations, including Victim Services of Sarnia-Lambton and the Sarnia Family Counselling Centre.
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Joel is currently the President of the Lambton Law Association.
J. Paul Rowley
Where compassion meets experience.
Paul is an experienced lawyer and an Associate at Joel J.W.G. Szaefer Professional Corporation. Paul is a graduate of the University of Windsor Faculty of Law and was called to the Bar in 1996.
Paul's practice covers all issues in family law, including separation and divorce, decision-making responsibility and parenting time (formerly called custody and access), child and spousal support, property issues, and adoption. Additionally, Paul is a Panel Member of both the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, and the Public Guardian and Trustee.
Paul has a significant background working as in-house counsel at the Children's Aid Societies of Windsor and Chatham. Paul now brings his wealth of experience to bear when representing families who have become involved with the Children's Aid Society.
Paul is a firm believer that with enough skill and attention, many matters can be resolved through mediation or negotiation. Paul has extensive experience representing clients in mediation, and taught the subject as a Sessional Instructor in the Paralegal Program at St. Clair College in Windsor. When a matter cannot be resolved outside of Court, Paul's Court and Trial experience allow him to navigate your matter through the system both effectively and efficiently.
Additionally, Paul is also a mentor to younger lawyers. He provides mentoring through Legal Aid Ontario's Second Chair Program by assisting students in preparation for the Family Law component of their Bar exam, as well as a career coach with the Coach and Advisor Network for lawyers seeking to transition to a family law practice.