CLE Online

Day 1—Estate Planning

Welcome and Introduction

• highlights
• transition issues

Fiona Hunter — Horne Coupar, Victoria
Roger D. Lee — Davis LLP, Vancouver
Helen H. Low — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver

Effective Courtroom Presentation

The Honourable Madam Justice Sandra K. Ballance — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
The Honourable Madam Justice D. Jane Dardi — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver

Family Law Act Overview

• guardianship and parental responsibilities
• definition of spouse, including common law spouse
• termination date/separation date
• who is a parent/reproductive technology/posthumous births
• property division regime

Mary E. Mouat, QC — Lawyer and Mediator, Quadra Legal Centre, Victoria

Networking Break

Drafting Techniques and Tips Under WESA

• revocation of prior wills and testamentary dispositions
• appointment of guardians
• reproductive technology issues
• dealing with powers of appointment in the will maker’s property
• when to define “spouse” in a will
• new WESA terms to consider
• considerations when making specific gifts of personal property, cash, or land
• gifts of land and tangible personal property which are subject to security interests
• ensuring that new survivorship rules do not adversely affect client’s intended dispositions
• social media and internet profile—canvassing people’s online presence and how it is to be dealt with after death

Moderator:  Fiona Hunter — Horne Coupar, Victoria
Panel:
Mary B. Hamilton — Davis LLP, Vancouver
Genevieve N. Taylor — Legacy Tax + Trust Lawyers, Vancouver
Carmen S. Thériault, QC — Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP, Vancouver

Networking Lunch

Beneficiary Plans

• appointment of trustee on benefit plans
• practical implementation issues (vis a vis plan administrators)
• comparing designations by power of attorney

Geoffrey W. White — Geoffrey W. White Law Corporation, Kelowna
Kevin J. Zakreski — BC Law Institute, Vancouver

Multi-Jurisdictional Wills and Conflicts

• drafting considerations/techniques/tips
• the new conflicts rules

Kenneth N. Burnett — Miller Thomson LLP, Vancouver
Professor Elizabeth Edinger — Faculty of Law at Allard Hall, University of BC, Vancouver 

Practice Issues (includes 15 minute networking break)

• file management
• duty owed to existing/past clients to inform them about WESA
• client alerts
  • risk of unintentional alterations
  • revocations under WESA
  • statutory changes affecting existing will for a living client
• due diligence in ascertaining client’s circumstances 
• risk management
• tests for undue influence
• what may constitute a testamentary instrument under s. 58 WESA
  • what records must be kept by lawyer
  • what documents must executors find and disclose
• engagement letters, acting jointly, ending retainers
• construction issues under the new rules of evidence: what a litigator may look for

Moderator:  Helen H. Low — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver
Panel:
James D. Baird — Boughton Law Corporation, Vancouver
Kirsten H. Jenkins — Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP, Vancouver
Megan Swail — Lawyers Insurance Fund, Law Society of BC, Vancouver

Day 2—Estate Administration and Estate Litigation

Opening Remarks

Fiona Hunter — Horne Coupar, Victoria
Roger D. Lee — Davis LLP, Vancouver
Helen H. Low — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver

Estate Administration Under WESA

Highlights of WESA changes to estate administration practices including

• saving gifts to witnesses
• property subject to security interests
• lapsed gifts
• ademption
• abatement
• notice to creditors
• distribution hold period
• ordering of claims against insolvent estates

Richard T. Weiland — Clark Wilson LLP, Vancouver

Powers and Obligations of Personal Representatives

• initial advice to a personal representative
• statutory powers of personal representatives
• discharge and substitution of personal representatives
• proof in solemn form
• WVA proceedings

Amy D. Francis — Legacy Tax +Trust Lawyers, Vancouver

Rights of Beneficiaries and Claimants

• applications for accountings and directions
• bringing or defending a claim on behalf of the estate
• appointing a person to conduct proceeding
• removing personal representatives

Rhys Davies, QC — Davis LLP, Vancouver

Networking Break

Curative Dispensing Provisions and Rectification

• power of court to dispense with consequences of formal defects in execution and attestation
  • the use of the dispensing power in other jurisdictions
  • determining the evidence to meet the legal test
• rectification of wills
  • changes in the evidence for rectification application
  • practical use of the rectification power

Gregory G. Blue, QC — BC Law Institute, Vancouver
Andrew S. MacKay — Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP, Vancouver

Intestacy

• intestate succession
• spousal shares
• spousal home
• parentelic distribution

Hugh S. McLellan — McLellan Herbert, Vancouver

Networking Lunch

New Probate Rules

• highlights of changes
• transition issues
• small estates—not being brought into force
• overview of new procedures
  • who may apply
  • notice
  • probate applications
  • administration applications (including will annexed and special types of applications)
  • disclosure of assets/authorizations to obtain financial information
• limitation periods
• notice of dispute (caveats), citations, subpoenas

Tyler Nyvall — Legal Counsel, Civil Policy and Legislation Office, Justice Services Branch, Ministry of Justice, Victoria
D. Peter Ramsay, QC — Ramsay Lampman Rhodes, Nanaimo

Networking Break

Estate Accounts and Claims for Remuneration

• passing of accounts under the new Probate Rules
• remuneration of trustees and personal representatives
• changes to procedures and forms
• costs

M. Scott Kerwin — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver

PGT Issues

• what PGT will require in probate applications
• when and how PGT will address gifts and legacies for minors
• PGT’s role in spousal home claims
• PGT’s position on ademption by nominees
• PGT’s fees for estate matters

Karl A. Maier — Public Guardian and Trustee of BC, Vancouver