CLE Online

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

Nadia Myerthall — Program Lawyer, CLEBC, Vancouver
Todd R. Bell — Farris LLP, Vancouver

Tips for Avoiding Common Drafting Errors (9:10 – 9:30)

The Honourable Madam Justice Wendy A. Baker — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver

Pleadings and Affidavits (9:30 – 10:30)

• pleadings generally
• prudent practices
• drafting guidelines and pitfalls
• reviewing and amending pleadings
• useful examples
• other useful court forms
• affidavit drafting

Karen F. Redmond — Redmond Family Law, West Vancouver

BREAK (10:30 – 10:40)

Drafting Correspondence (10:40 – 11:25)

• the basic rules of drafting
  • grammar
  • style
  • layout
• professionalism in letters, emails, and other correspondence
  • when to use letters vs. emails
  • maintaining collegiality, civility, and courtesy
  • communicating with clients, counsel, and the court
  • managing correspondence
• comments on content
  • mandatory, helpful, unnecessary, and inappropriate content
  • settlement proposals
  • without prejudice communications

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

BREAK (11:25 – 11:35)

Drafting Financial Statements (11:35 – 12:30)

• form 8 (SCBC) and form 4 (PCBC) a wish list or an accurate reflection
• what information must you obtain from your client
• what information should you obtain from your client
• what documents should you request when reviewing the other party's financial statement
• using information in the other party's financial statement to your advantage
• avoiding your form 8 or form 4 being used against your client
• brief overview of imputing income from expenses shown
• consequences of inadequate and late financial disclosure
• common problems and unusual situations

Nikki L. Charlton — Farris LLP, Vancouver

LUNCH (12:30 – 1:10)

Drafting Agreements (1:10 – 2:00)

• cohabitation agreements, marriage agreements, separation agreements
• independent legal advice
• lessons from the case law 

Lindsey A. Cruickshank — Cruickshank & Company, Vancouver

BREAK (2:00 – 2:10)

Drafting Orders and Minutes of Settlement (2:10 – 2:55)

• drafting court orders and minutes of settlement (and when to use them)
• pet peeves of the Registrars
• settlement conferences
• judicial case conferences
• mediation briefs
• tips on avoiding client complaints

Meghan J. Selinger — Silver Selinger LLP,  Vancouver

BREAK (2:55 – 3:05)

Drafting for Ex Parte and Urgent Applications (3:05 – 3:55)

• the ethical obligations inherent to ex parte applications
• how to properly advance an urgent issue
• the "do's and don'ts" of drafting content for ex parte applications
• how to say no to your client: don't risk being the lawyer who cries wolf

Drafting Judicial Case Conference Briefs and Arguments for Short Chambers Applications

• when are each necessary
• when they are, what ought to be included in each and what ought not be included
• doing the cost-benefit analysis for the client

Todd R. Bell — Farris LLP, Vancouver

Concluding Remarks (3:55 – 4:00)

Todd R. Bell — Farris LLP, Vancouver