Day 1: Thursday, March 1, 2018
Welcome and Introduction
Kathryn L. Basran — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
Todd R. Bell — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
Nausea and Jubilation: Drafting Fails and Drafting Wins
- examples of writing disasters taken from case law
- examples of tight, clear writing winning the day
- thoughts to make you feel sick right now
Kathryn L. Basran — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
Todd R. Bell — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
Pleadings
• pleadings generally
• prudent practices
• drafting guidelines & pitfalls
• reviewing & amending pleadings
• useful examples
o client information form
o client acknowledgment letter
o notice of family claim
o response to family claim
o counterclaim
o response to counterclaim
• other useful court forms
o certificate of pending litigation
o Land (Spouse Protection) Act charge forms
o caveat
o list of documents
o notice to admit
Nikki L. Charlton — Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP, Vancouver
Break
Affidavit Drafting
• technical formatting requirements
• content restrictions and requirements
• drafting reply affidavits
• problems and pitfalls
Kevin J. Heinrichs — Henderson Heinrichs LLP, Vancouver
Sonia Kainth — Henderson Heinrichs LLP, Vancouver
Parenting Coordination — Drafting for Success
• legislative framework
• parenting coordination agreements
• court order provisions
• separation agreement provisions
Geeta Gill — Hamilton Fabbro, Vancouver
Networking Lunch (Provided)
Drafting Correspondence
• the basic rules of drafting
o grammar
o style
o layout
• professionalism in letters, emails and other correspondence
o when to use letters vs. emails
o maintaining collegiality, civility, and courtesy
o communicating with clients, counsel and the court
o managing correspondence
• comments on content
o mandatory, helpful, unnecessary and inappropriate content
o settlement proposals
o without prejudice communications
Jesse L. Desilets — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
James A.W. Schuman, QC — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
Break
Professional Conduct and Ethics
• overview of Professional Conduct Department
• common complaints about drafting and how to avoid them
• responding to complaints
Carolyn R. Anderson — Law Society of BC, Vancouver
Negligence Claims in Family Law Practice
• types of errors in family law practice
• how to avoid common drafting errors
Megan Swail — Lawyers Insurance Fund, Law Society of BC, Vancouver
Day 2: Friday, March 2, 2018
Welcome and Introduction
Todd R. Bell — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
Tips for Avoiding Common Drafting Errors
Master Sandra J. Harper — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
Drafting Financial Statements
- form 8 (SCBC) and form 4 (PCBC) a wish list or an accurate reflection
- what information must you obtain from your client
- what information should you obtain from your client
- what documents should you request when reviewing the other party’s financial statement
- using information in the other party’s financial statement to your advantage
- avoiding your form 8 or form 4 being used against your client
- brief overview of imputing income from expenses shown
- consequences of inadequate and late financial disclosure
- common problems and unusual situations
G.C. (Scottie) Scott — Peterson Stark Scott, Surrey
Under the Covers
• claims and activities that the LSBC insurance program compulsory policy covers
• risks the compulsory policy doesn’t cover, such as trust shortages caused by fraudsters and thieves
• commercial liability insurance products that help protect you from those risks
Coran Cooper-Stephenson — Claims Counsel, Lawyers Insurance Fund, Law Society of BC, Vancouver
Maryanne Prohl — Claims Counsel, Lawyers Insurance Fund, Law Society of BC, Vancouver
Break
Drafting Agreements
• separation agreements
• prenuptial agreements
• cohabitation agreements
• marriage agreements
• independent legal advice
Scott L. Booth — Jenkins Marzban Logan LLP, Vancouver
Lindsey A. Cruickshank — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
Networking Lunch (Provided)
View from the Provincial Court Bench
The Honourable Judge Robin McQuillan — Provincial Court of BC, Port Coquitlam
Drafting Orders and Minutes of Settlement
• the “do’s and don’ts”: practical tips on drafting orders
• pet peeves of the Registrars
• drafting court orders and minutes of settlement (and when to use them)
• settlement conferences
• judicial case conferences
• mediation briefs
Meghan J.Selinger — Hamilton Fabbro, Vancouver
Break
Drafting for Ex Parte and Urgent Applications
• the ethical obligations inherent to ex parte applications
• how to properly advance an urgent issue
• the “do’s and don’ts” of drafting content for ex parte applications
• how to say no to your client: don’t risk being the lawyer who cries wolf
Drafting Judicial Case Conference Briefs and Arguments for Short Chambers Applications
• when are each necessary
• when they are, what ought to be included in each and what ought not
• doing the cost-benefit analysis for the client
Todd R. Bell — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
Eli C. Walker — Aaron Gordon Daykin Nordlinger LLP, Vancouver
Closing Remarks
Todd R. Bell — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver