Shawan Das

Family Lawyer

Partner at Chhina Das LLP

Langley, BC

Areas of Focus

• Divorce and separation
• Parenting time
• Child support
• Spousal support
• Property division

My Principles

I believe it's important to really understand each of my clients. I listen carefully to their emotional needs; only then can I craft a strategy that works specifically for them.

Biography

Shawan was born in Bangladesh and, after living briefly in India, came to Canada with her parents as a refugee. Her family settled in Vancouver, where she attended school.

Shawan studied at the University of Toronto where she obtained a BA with Honours in 2007. She completed a double major in Women's Studies and Equity Studies with a Minor in Sociology. She returned to British Columbia shortly after finishing at the U of T, working first at UBC and then at Service Canada.

In 2008, Shawan pursued her childhood dream of becoming a lawyer, obtaining her Juris Doctor in 2011 from the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Law. She joined another well established law firm in the Fraser Valley where she continued to work as a senior associate prior to beginning her partnership practice at Chhina Das LLP in 2020.  

Shawan was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2012. Although she initially focused on the practices of Family Law and Civil Litigation, she now works exclusively in Family Law. She is also a past member of the executive of the Fraser Valley Bar Association.

Shawan is very passionate about education and helping young people pursue their goals. She currently holds academic positions at Langara College,  BCIT, and KPU.  Shawan teaches business law, employment law, civil litigation, and conveyancing at the various institutions.

Shawan’s commitment to ensuring access to education and equal opportunities has been driven in part by her own family’s dedication to these goals. She has seen first-hand what a dramatic impact these can have in a child’s life. In 2008, her father established a school for underprivileged children in a remote Bangladesh community. Now ranked as the number one school in the district, it is fully funded by Shawan’s family and has 200 students ranging from ages 12 to 17.

Education

• 2007 - Major in Women's Studies and Equity Studies with a Minor in Sociology, University of Toronto
• 2011 - Juris Doctor, University of Victoria

Bar Admission

• 2012 - British Columbia

Languages

• English
• Bengali
• Hindi (partial)