Annual Report 2017/2018

  • July 05, 2018

Summary of Meetings

Number of Meetings Held: 9

Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Guest Speaker: Diane M. Bell, QC, Clark Wilson LLP
Meeting Title/Topic: Leading the Horses to Water: Effective Counsel Techniques at a Mediation
Synopsis: Experienced family law mediator Diane M. Bell, QC, candidly discussed strategies, techniques and pitfalls for lawyers attending family law mediations as counsel.

Thursday, October 5, 2017
Guest Speaker: Patti Daum, CA, CBV, Daum Valuation and Financial Services Ltd.
Ian Hayward, Hayward Sheppard
Morag MacLeod, QC, Morag MacLeod Lawyer
Meeting Title/Topic: Income Determination for Business Owners
Synopsis: Our speakers canvassed the technical and substantive aspects of income determination for business owners. Morag MacLeod and Ian Hayward provided negotiation strategies on how to reach a compromise on income. We discussed topics surrounding health and wellness and an introduction to the services offered by the Lawyers Assistance Program of BC.

Thursday, November 30, 2017
Guest Speaker: Geeta Gill, Hamilton Fabbro Lawyers and Member of the BC Parenting Coordinators Roster Society
Mark Smith, Clinical Social Worker/Therapist and Member of the BC Parenting Coordinators Roster Society
Meeting Title/Topic: All Things PC
Synopsis: Presentations by a lawyer and a non-lawyer Parenting Coordinator, followed by an interactive conversation about becoming a PC, the role and engagement of PCs, parenting plans, and lawyers advising and assisting their clients in the PC process, and more.

Thursday, January 25, 2018
Guest Speaker: Registrar Stuart Cameron - Supreme Court of British Columbia
Meeting Title/Topic: Demystifying Costs
Synopsis: Registrar Stuart Cameron presented on the ins and outs of costs.


Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Guest Speaker: The Honourable Donna Martinson Q.C., co-chair of the Children’s Law Section
Rachel Malek, Society for Children and Youth of BC
Donna Maser, Managing Lawyer for the Child and Youth Legal Centre
Meeting Title/Topic: The ABCs of Legal Representation for Children
Synopsis: Speakers such as the Honourable Donna Martinson Q.C., Sarah Rauch, co-chairs of the Children’s Law Section, and Donna Maser, Managing Lawyer for the Child and Youth Legal Centre, highlighted what you need to know about this important topic.


Thursday, March 1, 2018
Guest Speaker: The Honourable Thomas Cromwell
Meeting Title/Topic: Family Law - Vancouver Annual Dinner
Synopsis: At the annual Family Law - Vancouver annual social, retired Supreme Court of Canada Justice, The Honourable Thomas Cromwell, has agreed to honour us as our keynote speaker to reflect on 40 years (and climbing) in the law!


Thursday, April 12, 2018
Guest Speaker: Abigail Turner, Partner, Harper Grey LLP
Michelle Adams, Associate, Harper Grey LLP
Meeting Title/Topic: Procedures and Practicalities of Working with Experts
Synopsis: The speakers provided an outline of the Family Rules on experts and highlight issues that arise from the implementation of the Rules in practice. Speakers also discussed the more practical side of working with experts including how to communicate with them, introducing expert reports at trial, and conducting cross examination of experts.


Thursday, May 10, 2018
Guest Speaker: Lucas M. Terpkosh CPA, CA, CBV, CFF, Blair Mackay Mynett Valuations Inc.
Amanda Winters BA, JD, Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP
Meeting Title/Topic: Valuing a Discretionary Trust - The View from 10,000 Feet
Synopsis: The speakers discussed the relevant cases, valuation approaches and specific challenges that arise when valuing a party's interest in a discretionary trust. The focus of the presentation was to provide family law lawyers the tools to decide when to obtain a valuation, to instruct the valuator, and to understand the language valuators use when discussing a discretionary trust.


Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Guest Speaker: N/A
Meeting Title/Topic: Strictly Social
Synopsis: 2017/2018 CBA Family - Vancouver Section hosted their annual year-end social.


Comments and Observations of the Chair

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