CLE Online

DAY 1:  Analyzing the Case and Developing the File

Welcome and Introduction

The Honourable Madam Justice Carol-Jean Ross — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
Luciana P. Brasil — Branch MacMaster LLP, Vancouver

File Opening

A. Dealing with your Client

• matter selection and rejection—the most important step of any file
• cementing the relationship and creating achievable expectations
• fee arrangements that work for you and the client

Art Vertlieb, QC — MacKenzie Fujisawa LLP, Vancouver

B. Creating and Managing a Litigation File

• preliminary review and opinion
• accepting instructions and educating the client
• preparing an effective and useful chronology
• smoking out your opponent’s case
• crafting a winning theory of the case and brief of law
• assembling an efficient and winning team—everyone has a place in the sun
• managing good and bad news

Art Vertlieb, QC — MacKenzie Fujisawa LLP, Vancouver

Drafting Pleadings and Affidavits

A. Pleadings

• overview of pleadings
• do’s and don’ts of pleadings
• matters which must be specifically plead

Diana L. Dorey — Dolden Wallace and Folick LLP, Vancouver

B. Affidavits

• when to use an affidavit
• basic substantive and procedural requirements
• the do’s and don’ts of affidavit drafting

John Douglas Shields — Shields Harney, Vancouver

Networking Break

Chambers Applications

• materials
• presentations
• authorities
• short form and special leave applications
• the do’s and don’ts of chambers practice

Master Shelagh Scarth — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver

Discovery

A. Discovery and E-Discovery

• discovery of documents
• document production and the scope of Rule 7-1
• practical steps and procedures for preparing lists and organizing documents 
• e-discovery issues and practice

Graham J. Underwood — Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Justice, Victoria

B. Examination for Discovery

• preparing your client for discovery
• preparing to examine the opposing side
• effective techniques on examination for discovery
• objections on discovery
• concluding and adjourning the discovery

Lyle G. Harris, QC — Harris & Brun, Vancouver

Lunch (on your own)

Settlement

• settlement conferences and mediation
• negotiation resolution for your client
• practical tips for effective settlement advocacy

Colleen Cattell, QC — Fitzpatrick & Company, West Vancouver

Privilege

• how to recognize and protect documents protected by solicitor-client privilege and solicitor-brief privilege
• how to make or defend an application for disclosure of documents over which privilege has been claimed

T. Mark Pontin — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver

Networking Break

Professionalism and Practice Management

A. Dealing with Self-Represented Litigants

• issues unique to SRLs
• practice tips

Casey L. Leggett — Martin & Associates, Vancouver

B. Lawyers Insurance Fund (LIF)

• what is LIF?
• reporting requirements and duties of insureds
• how to inform clients of a possible claim
• early reporting—proactive management of claims
• claim avoidance tips

Coran R.R. Cooper-Stephenson — Law Society of BC, Vancouver

C. Code of Professional Conduct

• duties to your client
  • duty of confidence
  • duty of loyalty
• duties to state and court
  • not to mislead (evidence and authorities)
  • preparation of affidavits
  • expert’s reports
• duties to other lawyers
  • default proceedings
  • adjournment requests
  • communicating with the court
  • undertakings
• dealing with self-represented litigants
  • issues unique to SRLs
  • practice tips

Lisa Martz — Gundmundseth Mickelson LLP, Vancouver
Joan M. Young — McMillan LLP, Vancouver

DAY 2:  Preparing For and Conducting the Trial

Organizing Your Evidence (Including Documents)

• know your case, investigative fact finding, chronology, and theory of the case
• relevance
• admissibility
• persuasiveness
• order of witnesses
• discovery evidence
• books of documents
• document agreements

Claire E. Hunter — Hunter Litigation Chambers, Vancouver

Preparing Direct and Cross-Examination of Witnesses

A. Direct Examination

• preparation; what evidence can that person give that will help my case
• documentary review
• interview
• minutes of evidence
• preparing the witness to give evidence: the process, documents, and exhibits
• conducting direct examination—keeping it simple
• checklists

B. Cross-Examination

• is a cross-examination necessary?
• what can you get from the witness that will help your case?
• what evidence has the witness given that you want or need to challenge?
• exposing liars versus blunting the sword
• courtesy
• the rule in Brown v. Dunn

Luciana P. Brasil — Branch MacMaster LLP, Vancouver

Networking Break

Opening and Argument

• define the issues
• summarize the evidence
• apply the law
• demonstrate the results you want

Kevin D. Loo — Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson LLP, Vancouver

Obtaining and Using Admissions (Including Using Examination for Discovery Evidence)

• the notice to admit
• reading in discovery evidence
• documentary proof—the Evidence Act
• using discovery evidence in cros-examination

Thomas R. Buri, QC — Buri, Overstall, Smithers 

Finding and Instructing Expert Witnesses

• hHow to find an expert witness
• ethical issues concerning preparation of reports and production of an expert’s file
• maximizing the utility of your experts
• cross-examination of experts

Howard A. Mickelson, QC — Gudmundseth Mickelson LLP, Vancouver

Trial and Case Management: New Rules and Strategies

• what is trial and case management
• the role of the judge
• the role of counsel
• making trial and case management work for you

Hunter Parsons — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver

Summary Trials

• what type of case is appropriate for a summary trial
• organizing the evidence
• tactical considerations

Thomas R. Buri, QC — Buri, Overstall, Smithers 

Networking Break

Wrapping it Up

• preparing orders, judgments, and costs
• settlement documentation and procedure
  • releases and covenants not to sue
• the Health Care Costs Recovery Act
• revisiting matters with the trial judge
• the Public Guardian and Trustee and infant settlements
• enforcement of judgments

Alex Sayn-Wittgenstein — Murphy Battista LLP, Vancouver
Matthew Van Nostrand — Guild Yule LLP, Vancouver

Advocacy Practice Panel

The Honourable Madam Justice Carol-Jean M. Ross — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
Howard A. Mickelson, QC — Gudmundseth Mickelson LLP, Vancouver
K. Michael Stephens — Hunter Litigation Chambers, Vancouver
Mark G. Underhill — Underhill Gage Litigation (as of March 1, 2015), Vancouver

Closing Remarks

The Honourable Madam Justice Carol-Jean Ross — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
Luciana P. Brasil — Branch MacMaster LLP, Vancouver