Claire McOuat

Associate

Claire McOuat (pronounced Mc-COO-it) grew up in the dense forests of Mount Seymour on Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, and Musqueam Territory in North Vancouver. She began her undergraduate degree at McGill before transferring to the University of British Columbia, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with a focus on South Asian history and philosophy. Claire obtained her law degree from the University of Victoria in 2023. Claire practices in family law exclusively.

Claire is warm and empathetic, with a caring demeanour that helps guide her clients through difficult moments in their lives. Claire’s practice focuses on utilizing out-of-court processes, such as negotiation and mediation, to achieve practical outcomes tailored to the specific needs of her clients and their families. Claire enjoys litigation and does not shy away from appearing in court for her clients when needed; however, she recognizes that out-of-court processes allow for more creativity and flexibility- generally leading to better outcomes for her clients, their children, and their families.

As a law student, Claire volunteered with Access Pro Bono, an organization pairing law students and lawyers to provide free legal assistance, and completed a semester at The Law Centre, the university’s free legal clinic. There, she found a passion for helping people navigate some of the toughest moments of their lives. Claire completed her articles at The Law Centre and provided full representation to clients in a variety of areas, including criminal defence, employment, family, human rights, and small claims.

After her articles, Claire became the Supervising Family Lawyer at The Law Centre. In that position, Claire managed the clinic’s full case load of family files, provided lectures on family law, and supervised the work of 14 new law students each term.

Claire has appeared in BC Provincial and Supreme Court, as well as for the BC Human Rights Tribunal, the BC Residential Tenancy Board, and various other administrative bodies.

Claire offers general representation and limited representation, known as “unbundled legal services.”

Contact Claire for a consultation.

Practice Areas

    • Member of the Victoria Bar Association
    • Member of the Canadian Bar Association
    • Board Member of the Family Services of Greater Victoria

  • Claire sees the barriers that many people face when trying to access the legal system. She provides public legal education about family law to various organizations including Songhees Wellness Centre, the Support Network for Indigenous Women and Women of Colour, and the Native Friendship Centre. She also sits on the board of directors for Family Services of Victoria, a non-profit organization providing legal, counselling, and daycare services to families in Victoria.