CLE Online

Course Introduction and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:10)

Teresa Sheward — Program Lawyer, CLEBC, Vancouver
Timothy J. Lack — Redpoint Law LLP, Vancouver
Lisa Niro — Bell Alliance LLP, Vancouver

Morning: LEGAL UPDATE

Case Law Update (9:10 – 9:50)

• easements: equitable, implied, and changing or cancelling existing easements
• buyer's remorse: caveat emptor and misrepresentations

Stefani Lefebvre — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna

Strata Property Update (9:50 – 10:20)

• recent updates to the Strata Property Act, including:
  • rentals and short-term accommodations
  • age restrictions
  • electric vehicles
  • CRF contribution
• hot topics, including:
  • crane swing agreements
  • heat pumps

Jennifer L. Neville — Hamilton & Company, New Westminster
Ben L. Scheidegger — Hamilton & Company, New Westminster

BREAK (10:20 – 10:35)

Tax Issues Update (10:35 – 11:05)

• GST and rental purpose-built properties
  • new rebate
  • case law on fair market value
• Underused Housing Tax
• Speculation and Vacancy Tax + Vacancy Tax/Empty Homes Tax Update
• general audit/appeals update

Zheting Su — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver

Collapsing Deals (11:05 – 11:45)

Andrew P. Morrison — Shields Harney, Vancouver
Lisa Niro — Bell Alliance LLP, Vancouver

LUNCH (11:45 – 1:15) with Featured Speaker

Sustainable Success in 2024 (12:15 – 1:00)

Paula J. Price, LLB, BCL, PCC — Certified Executive Coach, Uplevel Lawyer Coaching, Vancouver

Afternoon: PRACTICE MANAGEMENT UPDATE

Additional Inquiries and Searches—Making Visible the Invisible (1:15 – 1:45)

• easements, covenants, rights of way, notices of interest, "options," etc.
• foreshore leases and licenses
• water licenses and permits
• Heritage Conservation Act
• environmental concerns—where is the oil tank?...
• Geographic Information Systems (regional, provincial, and global)
• internet and AI based inquires

Ron Usher — Commissioned Notary Public, R.I., General Counsel and Practice Advisor, The Society of Notaries Public of BC, Vancouver (presenting remotely)

Remote Execution of LTO Documents—What Now? (1:45 – 2:10)

• remote witnessing of documents due to Covid-19 is gone—now what?
• 49 Affidavits of Witness Declaration: when can you use it? when can you not?
• "Pre-authorized Reasons" for accepting documents for filing without Officer Certification
• what are the alternatives?

Edward L. Wilson — Lawson Lundell LLP, Vancouver

ID Verification, Source of Funds, and Client Monitoring: Law Society Requirements and Best Practices (2:10 – 2:35)

• client ID verification
• source of funds
• client monitoring
• how to avoid fraud and anti-money laundering

Barbara K. Buchanan, KC — Practice Advisor, Conduct and Ethics, The Law Society of BC, Vancouver

BREAK (2:35 – 2:50)

Law Practice Management (2:50 – 3:30)

• engagement letters, checklists, and client management
• preparing the file
• limited scope retainers
• independent legal advice
• the AWOL client
• payment of funds
• use of a Power of Attorney

Timothy J. Lack — Redpoint Law LLP, Vancouver
Lisa Niro — Bell Alliance LLP, Vancouver

Hot Topics Roundtable (3:30 – 4:30)

• the insurance binder explained
• licensee's role, duty, and rights
• deposits revisited
• the bunkered tenant who won't leave
• holdbacks
• non-institutional lenders and discharges generally
• the contract terms vs. closing documents
• how to tender correctly
• purchases (and sales) in the foreclosure process
• caveats, CPLs, and priority
• non-resident lenders/mortgagees
• docks and water licences
• release of deposits when held by law firm: what does it mean to be a stakeholder under the Real Estate Services Act?
• special levies for repairs in strata building: what happens if you can't get a ¾ vote?
• bank delay in providing discharges
• new rules on interest bearing trust accounts

Timothy J. Lack — Redpoint Law LLP, Vancouver
Stefani Lefebvre — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Andrew P. Morrison — Shields Harney, Vancouver
Lisa Niro — Bell Alliance LLP, Vancouver
Ben L. Scheidegger — Hamilton & Company, New Westminster
Zheting Su — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver
Ron Usher — Commissioned Notary Public, R.I., General Counsel and Practice Advisor, The Society of Notaries Public of BC, Vancouver
Edward L. Wilson — Lawson Lundell LLP, Vancouver