CLE Online

Day 1: Thursday, June 2, 2022

Welcome and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:10)

Todd R. Bell — Basran Robin & Bell, Vancouver

The Year in Review Update (9:10 – 9:25)

• changes to the law at the appellate level (BCCA and SCC) as well as noteworthy trial decisions
• changes to the law in the areas of property division, spousal and child support, income determination, family violence, dispute resolution, and court procedure

Todd R. Bell — Basran Robin & Bell, Vancouver

Practice in Provincial Court Including Navigating the New Provincial Court Rules (9:25 – 9:50)

• recent changes to the Provincial Court Rules
• urgent applications
• tips for using the new forms
• use of affidavits
• preparing for Case Management Conferences and Trial Preparation Conferences
• live or virtual?

The Honourable Judge Kathryn J. Ferriss — Provincial Court of BC, Surrey

BREAK (9:50 – 10:05)

Understanding and Dealing with the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of the Separation (10:05 – 10:35)

• the good: the healthy healing process
• the bad: when the separation hinders the children
• the ugly: when the separation harms the children and complicates the legal process

Nicole Aubé, PhD, RPsych — Vancouver

BREAK (10:35 – 10:50)

Managing Your Clients: Intake and Communication (10:50 – 11:35)

• assessing clients' emotional states
• screening clients and knowing when to run screaming
• retainers and retainer letters
• managing expectations
• responsibilities for screening for family violence
• top 10 red flags

Nicola D. Allen — Basran Robin & Bell, Vancouver
Kathryn L. Basran — Basran Robin & Bell, Vancouver

BREAK (11:35 – 11:50)

Parenting Coordination, the Process and the Role of Counsel (11:50 – 12:30)

• the process in brief
• the PC agreement/court ordered appointments
• day to day issues being addressed by roster members
• role of counsel
• enforcement

Stephanie L. Fabbro — Hamilton Fabbro, Vancouver
R. Craig Neville, KC — Watson Goepel LLP, Vancouver

LUNCH (12:30 – 1:10)

Moving Forward (1:10 – 1:50)

• assessing options
• mediation
• collaborative law
• negotiation
• commencing proceedings

Nancy J. Cameron, KC — Nancy Cameron Law Corporation, Vancouver
Ian B. Hayward — Hayward Sheppard, Vancouver

BREAK (1:50 – 2:05)

Making the Most of Client Meetings (2:05 – 2:50)

• look for information beyond what your client offers
• keep your client focused
• trust is overrated
• help your client understand the law
• do not sugarcoat the law
• client behavior
• advice
• practical meetings

Kevin J. Heinrichs — Henderson Heinrichs LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (2:50 – 3:05)

Disclosure and Discovery—Timelines and Tools (3:05– 3:45)

• disclosure triggers and ongoing disclosure obligations
• client understanding and awareness
• Family Law Rules
  • lists of documents
  • examinations for discovery
  • interrogatories

Annie C. Kaderly — Aaron Gordon Daykin Nordlinger LLP, Vancouver
Brandon St. Pierre — Aaron Gordon Daykin Nordlinger LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (3:45 – 4:00)

Judicial Case Conferences (4:00 – 4:30)

• preparing yourself and your client
• document preparation
• Family Law Rules
  • the scope of JCCs
  • disclosure obligations
• effective use of JCCs
• COVID-19 considerations

Meghan J. Selinger — Silver Selinger LLP, Vancouver

Day 2: Friday June 3, 2022

Welcome Back (9:00 – 9:05)

Todd R. Bell — Basran Robin & Bell, Vancouver

Chambers Practice (9:05 – 9:55)

• preparing the notice of application
• affidavits—what to avoid
• without notice orders—short leave and restraining orders
• submissions—presentation and content

Master John W. Bilawich — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver

BREAK (9:55 – 10:10)

Experts (10:10 – 10:55)

• types of experts: s. 202 and 211 reports, joint, party's own, courts' own, rebuttal
• new contents of experts' reports

Anne Demeulemeester — Silver Selinger LLP, Vancouver
Todd R. Bell — Basran Robin & Bell, Vancouver

BREAK (10:55 – 11:10)

Justifying Your Calculations: Spousal Support and Child Support Guidelines Cases (11:10 – 11:45)

• income calculation for the Advisory Guidelines
• income calculation for the Child Support Guidelines
• understanding the software
• understanding your results

Scott L. Booth, KC — Jenkins Marzban Logan LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (11:45 – 12:00)

Law Society of BC: Professional Conduct Department, Complaints and Investigations, Lawyers Indemnity Fund, Errors in Family Practice (12:00 – 12:45)

• tips to prevent complaints
• responding to the Professional Conduct Department 
• LSBC updates and highlights
• tips to prevent allegations of negligence
• when and how to report to the Lawyers Indemnity Fund

Carolyn R. Anderson —  Manager, Professional Conduct, Law Society of BC, Vancouver
Megan Swail — Lawyers Indemnity Fund, Law Society of BC, Vancouver

LUNCH (12:45 – 1:25)

On Your Marks, Get Set, Go: Trial and Mediation Preparation (1:25 – 2:10)

• mediation briefs
• judicial case conference briefs
• client preparation
• organizing documents
• witnesses
• experts
• trial management conferences
• opening and closing arguments

Mark R. Slay — North Shore Law LLP, North Vancouver

BREAK (2:10 – 2:25)

Section 8—The FLA Three-step: How Does It Work and How Do We Do It More Effectively? (2:25 – 3:30)

• assessment
• choosing the process: negotiation, collaboration, mediation, med/arbitration, and litigation
• BIOC
• GETTING PAST YES:
  • confirming settlement: drafting effective separation agreements, minutes of settlement, and consent orders
    
• PREPARING FOR NO:
  
  • capacity and process breakdown

Mary E. Mouat, KC — Quadra Legal Centre, Victoria

BREAK (3:30 – 3:45)

Conducting Effective Hearings Before the Registrar (3:45 – 4:25)

• avoiding assessments
• inquiries, assessments, and accounts process and procedure
• settling orders

Master Scott A. Nielsen — Supreme Court of BC, New Westminster

Closing Remarks (4:25 – 4:30)

Todd R. Bell — Basran Robin & Bell, Vancouver