Annual Report 2016/2017

  • August 16, 2017

Submitted by Section Chair, Michael Sinclair

Summary of Meetings

Number of Meetings Held:8

September, 29, 2016
Guest Speaker: Sharla Schofield
Meeting Title/Topic: Digging Deeper on Views of the Child
Synopsis: A talk on views of the child reports.

October 18, 2016
Guest Speaker: Donna Mihalcheon
Meeting Title/Topic: Bankruptcy Issues in Family Law
Synopsis: A discussion of the issues surrounding bankruptcy in the context of family law files.

November 15, 2016
Guest Speaker: Veronica Beier
Meeting Title/Topic: FMEP Enforceable Orders
Synopsis: A summary on how to draft orders that are enforceable by FMEP.

January 10, 2017
Guest Speakers: Brenda - Manager of Registry Operations for the Kelowna Registry and Shannon, - Divorce Clerk From The Kelowna Registry.
Meeting Title/Topic: Kelowna Registry Best Practices
Synopsis: Kelowna registry staff were present to provide us with registry best practices and tips to avoid the dreaded rejection notice.

February 23-24, 2017
Guest Speakers:Larry Kahn, Q.C., Aaron Franks, Grant Hardwick, Justice Peter Leask, Jeffrey Rose Q.C., and Todd Bell
Meeting Title/Topic: Family Law CLE
Synopsis: 2 day multi-topic CLE on current topics in Family Law.

April 18, 2017
Guest Speaker: Derek Sanders
Meeting Title/Topic: Calculating Guideline Income for Buisness Owners
Synopsis: Derek outlined some of the factors that lawyers need to consider in calculating a person's guideline income when they are the owner of a business/corporation.

May 11, 2017
Guest Speaker: Derek Sanders
Meeting Title/Topic: Calculating Guideline Income for Buisness Owners
Synopsis: Derek outlined some of the factors that lawyers need to consider in calculating a person's guideline income when they are the owner of a business/corporation.

May 26, 2017
Guest Speaker: N/A
Meeting Title/Topic: Year-End Social
Synopsis: Our year-end social at BNA Brewing where complimentary appetizers and a diverse range of refreshment options were served.

Comments and Observations of the Chair

Our lunch-time seminars were particularly helpful in increasing local engagement in the bar. As a partial result, our board size has swollen to include far more local lawyers.
The Predator Ridge CLE was a fabulous success, with attendance being much higher than any previous year (this was the 3rd year I believe). Planning for this was arduous and time-consuming but the reviews were positive. It is good to offer a multi-day family law CLE outside the lower mainland. We attracted lawyers from all over BC for this.