Family Law Provincial Court Practice

Course Chair
Jasmeet Wahid — Kahn Zack Ehrlich Lithwick LLP, Richmond
Dela Jahani — Boyd Jahani, Barristers & Solicitors, Surrey

About the Course Chairs

Jasmeet Wahid graduated law school in 2005 from the University of Calgary. Shortly thereafter, she returned to BC, completed her articles and was called to the bar in August of 2006. Jasmeet joined Kahn Zack Ehrlich Lithwick LLP in November of 2007 and became a partner in 2013.

Jasmeet's area of practice is primarily family law. She appears regularly in the Provincial and Supreme Courts of British Columbia.

In her spare time, Jasmeet enjoys traveling, running and yoga.

Dela Jahani is a trial lawyer, with expertise in the area of family, child protection and criminal litigation. Ms. Jahani’s family law experience encompasses all aspects of family law litigation, such as custody/guardianship disputes, property division, spousal and child maintenance. Her child protection experience focuses on all aspects of this litigation especially as they may overlap family and/or criminal law. As an experienced litigator, she has dealt with cases at all levels of British Columbia courts. Having conducted most of her studies in the French language, Ms. Jahani is fully bilingual.

Prior to becoming a member of the BC Law Society, Ms. Jahani was practicing in Toronto in the area of litigation, with a specific focus on criminal law. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2000 and became a member of the Bar of BC in 2002.

Ms. Jahani has continuously been a contributing member in the legal community by volunteering at various legal organizations such as the CBA, and also by mentoring law students. She has also been a volunteer at other charitable organizations such as the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society.

Faculty
The Honourable Judge Kathryn J. Ferriss — Provincial Court of BC, Surrey
The Honourable Judge Lyndsay Smith — Provincial Court of BC, Richmond
Angela M. Accettura — Famliy Maintenace Enforcement Program, Burnaby
Donald Boyd — Boyd Jahani, Barristers & Solicitors, Surrey
Pam Cripps — Manager, Family Justice Report Service, Abbotsford
Patricia Elliott — Program/Policy Analyst, Family Justice Services Division, Ministry of Justice, Victoria
Corinne P. Feenie — Stewart Feenie, Vancouver
Bob Finlay — Finlay Counselling & Mediation Services, New Westminster
David C. Halkett — McQuarrie Hunter LLP, Surrey
Dela Jahani — Boyd Jahani, Barristers & Solicitors, Surrey
Amanda J. Rose — Atticus Legal, New Westminster
Deirdre Prestage Severide — Severide Law/Sea Change Collaborative Divorce, Delta
Jeffrey J. Speed — Speed Law Corporation, Vancouver 
Olga Volpe — Barrister & Solicitor, Manager, Family Law Services, Legal Services Society, Vancouver
Jasmeet Wahid — Kahn Zack Ehrlich Lithwick LLP, Richmond

Welcome and Introduction

Dela Jahani — Boyd Jahani, Barristers & Solicitors, Surrey
Jasmeet Wahid — Kahn Zack Ehrlich Lithwick LLP, Richmond

How to Manage a Provincial Court Family File

• pleadings and filings (i.e. procedure and process)
• effective preparation for family law case conferences, pre-trial conferences, hearings, and trials
• creating and using a trial book for a provincial court trial
• pitfalls and tips
• dealing with evidence from criminal and CFCSA proceedings
  
  Donald Boyd — Boyd Jahani, Barristers & Solicitors, Surrey
  Amanda J. Rose — Atticus Legal, New Westminster

Financial Disclosure

• successfully obtaining disclosure
• imputing income
• collection and enforcement of court orders and agreements
• working with FMEP

Angela M. Accettura — Family Maintenance Enforcement Program, Burnaby
David C. Halkett — McQuarrie Hunter LLP, Surrey

Break

CFCSA

• navigating a child protection case effectively
• tips from director’s and parent’s counsel
• how the process is different from a family case
• intersection with the FLA

Corinne P. Feenie — Stewart Feenie, Vancouver
Jeffrey J. Speed — Speed Law Corporation, Vancouver 

Networking Lunch (Provided)

View from the Bench

• what makes an effective advocate
• wise words, tips
• how to assist the court

The Honourable Judge Kathryn J. Ferriss — Provincial Court of BC, Surrey
The Honourable Judge Lyndsay Smith — Provincial Court of BC, Richmond

Jurisdiction: Challenges with Using the Family Law Act in Provincial Court

• which court
• pros and cons for each court
• the legislation and the rules
• practical and factual limitations

Dela Jahani — Boyd Jahani, Barristers & Solicitors, Surrey
Olga Volpe — Barrister & Solicitor, Manager, Family Law Services, Legal Services Society, Vancouver

Break

Experts Reports

• when and how to use them
• notice and how to qualify the expert
• useful approach to dealing with an expert (if you are opposing the opinion or if you are supporting the opinion)
• using private experts for a section 211 report – letter of engagement, joint retainer letter, and agreements on costs
• scope of publically funded Family Justice Services Division

Donald Boyd — Boyd Jahani, Barristers & Solicitors, Surrey
Pam Cripps — Manager, Family Justice Report Service, Abbotsford
Patricia Elliott — Program/Policy Analyst, Family Justice Services Division, Ministry of Justice, Victoria

Dispute Resolution Options

• mediation, parenting coordination, specialized counseling within a family law context (reunification counseling
• collaborative practice — the team approach (collaborative lawyers, divorce coaches, financial neutral, child specialist)
• the BC Collaborative Roster Society Pro Bono Pilot Project
• duty under the FLA
• process options
• family violence screening
   
  Robert Finlay — Finlay Counselling & Mediation Services, New Westminster
  Deirdre Prestage Severide — Severide Law/Sea Change Collaborative Divorce, Delta