CLE Online

Thursday, July 6, 2023

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

Nadia Myerthall — Program Lawyer, CLEBC, Vancouver
Todd R. Bell — Farris LLP, Vancouver
Nikki L. Charlton — Farris LLP, Vancouver
Morag M.J. MacLeod, KC — Barrister & Solicitor, Vancouver

Spousal Support and Retirement (9:10 – 10:05)

• recent appeal cases: BC and beyond
• what's "early" retirement?
• retirement income issues, Boston and more

Professor Rollie Thompson, KC — Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, Halifax and Counsel, Epstein Cole LLP, Toronto

Case Law Update (10:05 – 11:00)

• interesting and important family law cases

Jeannette Aucoin — Clark Wilson LLP, Vancouver
Wayne Fernandes — Farris LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (11:00 – 11:15)

Ethics in Dealing with Self-represented Litigants (11:15 – 12:10)

• do not make assumptions
• Code of Professional Conduct
• first written communication
• oral communications
• providing assistance to opposing self-represented parties
• compliance with rules or statutes
• JCCs
• patience
• Canadian Judicial Council's Statement of Principles

Dinyar Marzban, KC — Jenkins Marzban Logan LLP, Vancouver

NETWORKING LUNCH (provided to in-person registrants) (12:10 – 1:10)

Parenting Time/Repairing the Disrupted Parent-Child Relationship (1:10 – 2:00)

• impacts
• rupture and repair
• therapeutic approaches
• parenting time

Marcelle Blancato, PhD, RSW, RCC — Marcelle Blancato and Associates, Vancouver
Jamila Nazerali Hilborn, MC, RCC — Hilborn Psychotherapy, North Vancouver
Abby Petterson, MA Psych, RCC, RP — AJ Petterson & Associates Inc., North Vancouver

Child Support for Adult Children (2:00 – 2:50)

• what is an adult child?
• what are the traditional markers of adulthood, and do they apply in this age of neurodiversity?
• what is burden of proof in support cases when applying for support of an adult child?
• is there an inherent bias against separated families when it comes to decisions about supporting adult children?

Karen F. Redmond — Redmond Family Law, West Vancouver

BREAK (2:50 – 3:05)

Section 211 Debate (3:05 – 3:55)

• benefits/pitfalls of the reports
• worth the cost?
• better alternatives?

Alex Boland — Connect Family Law, Kelowna
Leneigh Bosdet — Pushor Mitchell LLP, Kelowna

Closing Remarks (3:55 – 4:00)

Todd R. Bell — Farris LLP, Vancouver
Nikki L. Charlton — Farris LLP, Vancouver
Morag M.J. MacLeod, KC — Barrister & Solicitor, Vancouver

Friday, July 7, 2023

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

Nadia Myerthall — Program Lawyer, CLEBC, Vancouver
Todd R. Bell — Farris LLP, Vancouver
Nikki L. Charlton — Farris LLP, Vancouver
Morag M.J. MacLeod, KC — Barrister & Solicitor, Vancouver

Barendregt and BC Relocation Law (9:10 – 10:05)

• what does Barendregt mean?
• Divorce Act v. Family Law Act: differences
• FLA relocation problems continue

Professor Rollie Thompson, KC — Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, Halifax and Counsel, Epstein Cole LLP, Toronto

Arbitration (10:05 – 11:00)

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

BREAK (11:00 – 11:15)

Intersections with Indigenous Issues (11:15 – 12:10)

• bringing Indigenous perspectives into family law/child protection matters
• the importance of cultural continuity
• trauma-informed lawyering and cultural humility
• human rights considerations

Frances Rosner (she/her) — Barrister & Solicitor, Vancouver

NETWORKING LUNCH (provided to in-person registrants) (12:10 – 1:10)

Excluded Property: Where We Are, to the Minute (1:10 – 2:00)

• the impact of the proposed amendments to Part 5 of the Family Law Act—what to expect, including:
  • the expected elimination of the presumptions
  • the greater protection of excluded property
  • the increased list of factors under s. 96
• for those who will remain under the pre-amendment Part 5, where the law sits to the minute on:
  • tracing and tracing methodology
  • joint accounts
  • jointly held property 
• when post-separation property is excluded and when not

Todd R. Bell — Farris LLP, Vancouver

Child Protection Basics for Family Lawyers (2:00 – 2:50)

• overview of BC child protection system
• intersection with Family Law Act
• tips for family lawyers interacting with MCFD or designated Aboriginal agency

Kristine P. All — Thorpe & Company, Vancouver
Fiona M. Beveridge — Fiona Beveridge Family Law, Vancouver

BREAK (2:50 – 3:05)

View from the Bench (3:05 – 3:55)

The Honourable Madam Justice Heather M. MacNaughton — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver

Closing Remarks (3:55 – 4:00)

Todd R. Bell — Farris LLP, Vancouver
Nikki L. Charlton — Farris LLP, Vancouver
Morag M.J. MacLeod, KC — Barrister & Solicitor, Vancouver