Yoko Azumaya obtained her Law Degree from the University of Alberta in 2007 after achieving a Master’s Degree in Neuroscience and a second Master’s Degree in Psychiatry. A career path in law seemed to be the obvious choice as it is a profession that combines both analytical skills and a passion for customer service.
Yoko has focused her practice in Family Law, dealing with issues affecting both married and unmarried couples, including divorce, parenting, support, and division of property issues. Her goal is to help families transition through this difficult period. With this objective in mind, she is diligent in explaining not only the law but also the process to her clients to reduce the emotional and psychological stress of the breakup.
Yoko emphasizes the importance of negotiation and settlement to bring fitting results to clients. With the belief that the parties would reach the most satisfactory outcome through negotiation, she became a qualified Mediator at ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC) and ADR Institute of Alberta (ADRIA).
However, if no other reasonable solution can be reached, Yoko is prepared to litigate in court to advance the clients’ needs. She stays current with changes in the law by regularly attending legal education courses and Canadian Bar Association seminars, which enables her to provide the very best possible service to her clients.
She joined BARR LLP in 2013 and became a partner in 2015. BARR LLP is highly regarded for its quality service in Family Law. Yoko is proud to be a part of a Family Law group that has a wealth of knowledge and years of expertise from which to draw from.
Yoko’s mother tongue is Japanese, having moved to Edmonton from Hiroshima, Japan in 1998. Yoko has been actively involved in the Edmonton Japanese Community Association and is a past-president of the organization.
Much of Yoko’s free time is dedicated to volunteering. At the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) North section, she has been an executive of the Family Law section since 2016. She also has been a member of the Law Day committee since 2008, was responsible for organizing the Family Law Mock Trial in 2014 – 2016, and was a co-chair of the event in 2017 and 2018. Further, she has been a member of the Voice of the Profession Committee since 2020. In 2023, she was voted in to be a CBA Board Member to support fellow members further.
東谷陽子（あずまやようこ）
家庭に関係する法律を主に扱う。離婚や事実婚の破綻に伴って生じる、サポート、養育費、親権、そして財産分与などの幅広い問題を扱う。家庭の法律のほか、遺言や遺産分与を手がける。
1998年に広島から移住。2007年にアルバータ大学のロースクールを卒業。以来、エドモントンで働く。母国語は日本語。日本人というルーツを大 切にするためにEdmonton Japanese Community Associationでボードメンバーとして活躍。フリータイムの多くをボランティアにあて、Edmonton Community Legal CentreやLaw Dayなどに貢献している。
