Our People

Our Story

FH&P Lawyers LLP can proudly trace its ancestry back in time to 1903 when John Ford Burne became the first Solicitor in Kelowna, two years before it was incorporated as a city in 1905.

Following several name changes since those early days, in 2014 our firm morphed into what we know today as FH&P Lawyers LLP. The initials are the first letters of the last names of the three senior partners that year, Doug Flannigan, James Herperger, and Rod Pacholzuk.

Today, the future continues to look bright with 23 practicing lawyers and many skilled paralegals and legal assistants. Our firm has offices in Kelowna, Penticton and Salmon Arm helping clients throughout the Interior of British Columbia. Our lawyers offer a full-service law firm practicing in over 25 different areas of law with a combined 375 years of experience.

John Ford Burne, Kelowna's first Solicitor
In the Beginning

1903

In 1903 John Ford Burne, became the first Solicitor in Kelowna. Born in England, he came to Canada in order to begin practicing law and did so opening up an independent practice. When Kelowna was incorporated as a city in 1905, Burne was the first Police Magistrate. Two years later he was made the first judge of the Small Debts Court of Kelowna.

Weddell Horn

1957

Forty years after joining the firm in 1917, EC Weddell who was also the “City Solicitor,” met Jim Horn in the summer of 1957 allowing him to do his articles. The two worked well together and created a new partnership which resulted in a firm name change to Weddell Horn.

Fillmore and Company

1960s-1970s

A young Howard Berge began practicing in Kelowna at Fillmore and Company in the 1960s and built a solid reputation alongside Derril Warren and Hugh Ladner. In 1978 Doug Flannigan joined the firm.

Berge & Company

1980s

In 1982 Flannigan became a partner when Warren & Ladner left. The firm name was changed to Berge (Jim) Bishop (Keith) Purvin-Good & Flannigan. A couple of years after this change Rod Pacholzuk joined as an Associate and would eventually become a partner in 1989. Also, in 1987 Jim Herperger became an Associate with the firm which was now named Berge & Company.

Merger Discussions

2000

In the year 2000 both Don Lewthwaite who was practicing at Weddell Horn in Kelowna and Rod Pacholzuk, began discussing a possible merger into one larger firm to able to assist more people seeking legal help throughout the Okanagan.

Berge Horn

2001

On July 1, 2001, their discussions became a reality when Weddell Horn and Berge & Company merged to form Berge Horn. The lawyers of this new identity offered a full-service firm practicing in most areas that they do still today.

Special Olympics Golf Tournament

2012

When the Special Olympics were in search of a title sponsor to their annual golf tournament, FH&P Lawyers (Berge Horn at the time) were there to answer the call in 2012. Since then each year our Firm helps organize the tournament and raises funds for the various programs for children ranging from 2-18 years old in Kelowna. 

Brand New Home

2013

Following years of planning FH&P Lawyers hired local company Worman Construction to build a new expanded building at the corner of Lawrence Avenue and Water Street in Downtown Kelowna. The Firm finally moved into the brand new brick building in 2013 at 275 Lawrence Avenue beside the historic firehall.

FH&P Lawyers LLP

2014

Finally, in 2014 Berge Horn once again morphed into what we know today as FH&P Lawyers LLP. The initials are the first letters of the last names of the three senior partners that year, Doug Flannigan, James Herperger, and Rod Pacholzuk.

FH&P Lawyers LLP Penticton

2019

After years of discussion and planning, FH&P Lawyers expanded and opened a new office at 74 Wade Avenue East in Downtown Penticton in December of 2019.  Associate Counsel Ian McAndrews who had been in Penticton for 31 years opened the Firm and became the first lawyer in the expansion.  The goal of this second office is to assist more people in living in the South Okanagan.

Bernard Avenue Expansion

2021

Our Firm located on Lawrence Avenue in Downtown Kelowna has been busting at the seams from the first day we moved in.  Despite the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 our staff grew requiring more office space to accommodate the expanding services.  We opened a second space on Bernard Avenue and have several staff working and assisting clients.

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Latest News & Articles

by Our Story

Recent Changes Open Door for Family Members of Temporary Foreign Workers

March 24, 2023 Family members of Temporary Foreign Workers may now be eligible for work permits thanks to recent changes within Immigration Canada to meet the country’s ongoing labour demands. Jasmine Somal, an FH&P Associate practising Immigration Law, reviews the changes and who can now apply for an open work permit in 2023.

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Enforceability of Contracts for Estate & Executors

March 15, 2023 Episode 53 of the Law Talk Podcast features Jen Schreurs, an Associate with FH&P and a certified Trust & Estate Practitioner (TEP), to discuss enforceability of contracts upon death and those implications for the estate.

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Why are Express Entry draw scores so high?

March 10, 2023 High scores for the Express Entry Skills Immigration program may be alarming or discouraging, causing dismay and hopelessness based on the level of competition. Carly Perryman, paralegal for the Immigration Team at FH&P, provides an analysis of why the scores are so high and how candidates can increase their chances of earning a high score to secure permanent residency in Canada.

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