Jury Trials 2026


Course Date: March 10, 2026

Full Course Materials
Total: 6h 5min
Total Ethics: 1h
Course Agenda ▼
Course Introduction and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:05)
 
Raymond Lee — Program Lawyer, CLEBC, Vancouver
Robert C. Brun, KC — Harris & Brun Law Corporation, Vancouver
Lisa J. Helps — Helps Law Corporation, Vancouver
 
Preparation is More Important than Charisma (9:05 – 9:55)
 
  • organize don't agonize
  • how is preparation different than judge alone?
  • civil: discovery, agreed statement of facts, and notices to admit
  • criminal: the preliminary inquiry  
Jennifer J.L. Brun, KC — Harris & Brun Law Corporation, Vancouver
Gloria M. Ng — Platform Litigation, Port Moody
 
But How Does it Work? (9:55 – 10:35)
 
  • civil jury selection
  • criminal jury selection 
  • common issues for civil and criminal counsel's role in proper preparation 
  • empanelling the best jury for your side: tips and tricks
Robert C. Brun, KC — Harris & Brun Law Corporation, Vancouver
Chris Johnson, KC — Johnson Doyle Nelson & Anderson, Vancouver
 
BREAK (10:35 – 10:50)
 
The Play Before the Game (10:50 – 11:40)
 
  • selecting and preparing expert witnesses
  • preparing for cross-examination on transcripts
Krista L. Simon — Hammerco Lawyers LLP, Vancouver
Lisa J. Helps — Helps Law Corporation, Vancouver
 
Oh, Those Voir Dires! (11:40 – 12:20)
 
  • a crash course in voir dires
  • preparation and leveraging your rulings with the jury
Lyle G. Harris, KC — Harris & Brun Law Corporation, Vancouver
Paul S. McMurray — Paul McMurray Law Corporation, Vancouver
 
LUNCH (12:20 – 1:00)
 
A Jury Consists of 12 Persons Chosen to Decide Who has the Better Lawyer—Be the Better Lawyer! (1:00 – 2:30)
 
  • opening address
  • examination in chief
  • cross-examination
  • closing arguments
  • instructions, warnings, and professional responsibilities
Robert C. Brun, KC — Harris & Brun Law Corporation, Vancouver
Jennifer J.L. Brun, KC — Harris & Brun Law Corporation, Vancouver
B. Keith Boland — Crown Counsel, Ministry of Attorney General, Vancouver
Kevin B. Westell — Pender Litigation, Vancouver
 
BREAK (2:30 – 2:45)
 
Disaster Ready is Disaster Steady (2:45 – 3:05)
 
  • managing potential issues with the bench, counsel, and the jury
  • when it all goes wrong, how do you right the ship?
  • professionalism and ethics 
Marco von Antal — Holmes Stewart von Antal, Vancouver, Vancouver
Louise Kenworthy, KC — Crown Counsel, Ministry of Attorney General, New Westminster
 
Get to Bulletproof! Jury Verdicts and Appellate Review (3:05 – 3:35)
 
  • civil and criminal jury verdicts and fact finding
  • jury instructions and counsel's role
  • can you make a verdict "appeal proof"?
  • best practices for counsel in jury trials 
Gavin Cameron — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver
Thomas Arbogast, KC — TA Law, Vancouver
 
View from the Bench (3:35 – 4:20)
 
Justice Miriam A. Maisonville — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
Robert C. Brun, KC — Harris & Brun Law Corporation, Vancouver
Lisa J. Helps — Helps Law Corporation, Vancouver
 
Closing Remarks (4:20 – 4:30)
 
Robert C. Brun, KC — Harris & Brun Law Corporation, Vancouver
Lisa J. Helps — Helps Law Corporation, Vancouver