WESA and the New Rules: Is Your Estates Practice Ready?

Presented by CLEBC in collaboration with BC Law Institute

Rebroadcast:
"Summer Series": Monday & Tuesday, July 28 & 29, 2014; Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm EACH DAY

(Original course: Thursday & Friday, November 21 & 22, 2013) 

Who should attend: Lawyers, paralegals, legal support staff, notaries public, and all others who work in the area of wills, estates, and succession law; the course may also be of interest to trust officers and accountants.

Learning level: All levels

The new Wills, Estates & Succession Act (WESA) and the new Probate Rules are coming into force on March 31, 2014. The legislation and Rules will result in major changes in practice and procedure. Learn what is changing and how you can more effectively assist your clients now and in the WESA era. This is a two-day course with Day 1 focusing on Estate Planning issues and Day 2 dealing with a combination of Estate Administration and Estate Litigation issues. Find out how the new legislation will change the advice needed by your planning clients, and how the new estate administration and estate litigation procedures will affect your practice.

Faculty will refer to the CLEBC book Wills, Estates and Succession Act Transition Guide 2013 Edition during their presentations. We strongly recommend that you bring your copy to the course. If you do not have the book, you may purchase a copy separately. *Order the book at the same time as you register for the course and SAVE $30. See special pricing below—please call Customer Service to order.

After taking this course you will be able to...

• understand the changes WESA will bring
• know how to use the new Probate Rules
• identify ways that your practice will need to change
• advise your clients regarding the new legislation

CLEBC and BC Law Institute would like to thank BMO Harris Private Banking and thednalab.com, a division of Maxxam Analytics for their generous support in sponsoring this event.

CLEBC is using Twitter at this program. You can post a question or comment on Twitter using the hashtag: #clebc. Want to find out more? Download: A Guide for Using Twitter at CLEBC Programs.

You are encouraged to check our website for more information and resources on the new Wills, Estates and Succession Act (WESA).

Law Society of BC CPD Hours: 12 hours (a minimum of 2 hours will involve aspects of professional responsibility and ethics, client care and relations, and/or practice management)

Course Chairs 
Fiona Hunter — Horne Coupar, Victoria
Roger D. Lee — Davis LLP, Vancouver
Helen H. Low — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver

Pricing
1. "Summer Series" Rebroadcast
EARLY BIRD (Register by Friday, June 27, 2014): $810
After Friday, June 27, 2014: $900

CLEBC Program Lawyer
Nadia Myerthall
nmyerthall@cle.bc.ca

Course Chairs
Fiona Hunter — Horne Coupar, Victoria
Roger D. Lee — Davis LLP, Vancouver
Helen H. Low — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver

Faculty 
The Honourable Madam Justice Sandra K. Ballance — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
The Honourable Madam Justice D. Jane Dardi — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
James D. Baird — Boughton Law Corporation, Vancouver
Gregory G. Blue, QC — BC Law Institute, Vancouver
Kenneth N. Burnett — Miller Thomson LLP, Vancouver
Rhys Davies, QC — Davis LLP, Vancouver
Professor Elizabeth Edinger — Faculty of Law at Allard Hall, University of BC, Vancouver
Amy D. Francis — Legacy Tax +Trust Lawyers, Vancouver
Mary B. Hamilton — Davis LLP, Vancouver
Fiona Hunter — Horne Coupar, Victoria
Kirsten H. Jenkins — Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP, Vancouver
M. Scott Kerwin — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Roger D. Lee — Davis LLP, Vancouver
Helen H. Low — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver
Andrew S. MacKay — Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP, Vancouver
Karl A. Maier — Public Guardian and Trustee of BC, Vancouver
Hugh S. McLellan — McLellan Herbert, Vancouver
Mary E. Mouat, QC — Lawyer and Mediator, Quadra Legal Centre, Victoria
Tyler Nyvall — Legal Counsel, Civil Policy and Legislation Office, Justice Services Branch, Ministry of Justice, Victoria
D. Peter Ramsay, QC — Ramsay Lampman Rhodes, Nanaimo
Megan Swail — Lawyers Insurance Fund, Law Society of BC, Vancouver
Genevieve N. Taylor — Legacy Tax + Trust Lawyers, Vancouver
Carmen S. Thériault, QC — Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP, Vancouver
Richard T. Weiland — Clark Wilson LLP, Vancouver
Mark S. Weintraub — Clark Wilson LLP, Vancouver
Geoffrey W. White — Geoffrey W. White Law Corporation, Kelowna
Kevin J. Zakreski — BC Law Institute, Vancouver

Day 1—Estate Planning

Welcome and Introduction

• highlights
• transition issues

Fiona Hunter — Horne Coupar, Victoria
Roger D. Lee — Davis LLP, Vancouver
Helen H. Low — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver

Effective Courtroom Presentation

The Honourable Madam Justice Sandra K. Ballance — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
The Honourable Madam Justice D. Jane Dardi — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver

Family Law Act Overview

• guardianship and parental responsibilities
• definition of spouse, including common law spouse
• termination date/separation date
• who is a parent/reproductive technology/posthumous births
• property division regime

Mary E. Mouat, QC — Lawyer and Mediator, Quadra Legal Centre, Victoria

Networking Break

Drafting Techniques and Tips Under WESA

• revocation of prior wills and testamentary dispositions
• appointment of guardians
• reproductive technology issues
• dealing with powers of appointment in the will maker’s property
• when to define “spouse” in a will
• new WESA terms to consider
• considerations when making specific gifts of personal property, cash, or land
• gifts of land and tangible personal property which are subject to security interests
• ensuring that new survivorship rules do not adversely affect client’s intended dispositions
• social media and internet profile—canvassing people’s online presence and how it is to be dealt with after death

Moderator:  Fiona Hunter — Horne Coupar, Victoria
Panel:
Mary B. Hamilton — Davis LLP, Vancouver
Genevieve N. Taylor — Legacy Tax + Trust Lawyers, Vancouver
Carmen S. Thériault, QC — Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP, Vancouver

Networking Lunch

Beneficiary Plans

• appointment of trustee on benefit plans
• practical implementation issues (vis a vis plan administrators)
• comparing designations by power of attorney

Geoffrey W. White — Geoffrey W. White Law Corporation, Kelowna
Kevin J. Zakreski — BC Law Institute, Vancouver

Multi-Jurisdictional Wills and Conflicts

• drafting considerations/techniques/tips
• the new conflicts rules

Kenneth N. Burnett — Miller Thomson LLP, Vancouver
Professor Elizabeth Edinger — Faculty of Law at Allard Hall, University of BC, Vancouver 

Practice Issues (includes 15 minute networking break)

• file management
• duty owed to existing/past clients to inform them about WESA
• client alerts
  • risk of unintentional alterations
  • revocations under WESA
  • statutory changes affecting existing will for a living client
• due diligence in ascertaining client’s circumstances 
• risk management
• tests for undue influence
• what may constitute a testamentary instrument under s. 58 WESA
  • what records must be kept by lawyer
  • what documents must executors find and disclose
• engagement letters, acting jointly, ending retainers
• construction issues under the new rules of evidence: what a litigator may look for

Moderator:  Helen H. Low — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver
Panel:
James D. Baird — Boughton Law Corporation, Vancouver
Kirsten H. Jenkins — Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP, Vancouver
Megan Swail — Lawyers Insurance Fund, Law Society of BC, Vancouver

Day 2—Estate Administration and Estate Litigation

Opening Remarks

Fiona Hunter — Horne Coupar, Victoria
Roger D. Lee — Davis LLP, Vancouver
Helen H. Low — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver

Estate Administration Under WESA

Highlights of WESA changes to estate administration practices including

• saving gifts to witnesses
• property subject to security interests
• lapsed gifts
• ademption
• abatement
• notice to creditors
• distribution hold period
• ordering of claims against insolvent estates

Richard T. Weiland — Clark Wilson LLP, Vancouver

Powers and Obligations of Personal Representatives

• initial advice to a personal representative
• statutory powers of personal representatives
• discharge and substitution of personal representatives
• proof in solemn form
• WVA proceedings

Amy D. Francis — Legacy Tax +Trust Lawyers, Vancouver

Rights of Beneficiaries and Claimants

• applications for accountings and directions
• bringing or defending a claim on behalf of the estate
• appointing a person to conduct proceeding
• removing personal representatives

Rhys Davies, QC — Davis LLP, Vancouver

Networking Break

Curative Dispensing Provisions and Rectification

• power of court to dispense with consequences of formal defects in execution and attestation
  • the use of the dispensing power in other jurisdictions
  • determining the evidence to meet the legal test
• rectification of wills
  • changes in the evidence for rectification application
  • practical use of the rectification power

Gregory G. Blue, QC — BC Law Institute, Vancouver
Andrew S. MacKay — Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP, Vancouver

Intestacy

• intestate succession
• spousal shares
• spousal home
• parentelic distribution

Hugh S. McLellan — McLellan Herbert, Vancouver

Networking Lunch

New Probate Rules

• highlights of changes
• transition issues
• small estates—not being brought into force
• overview of new procedures
  • who may apply
  • notice
  • probate applications
  • administration applications (including will annexed and special types of applications)
  • disclosure of assets/authorizations to obtain financial information
• limitation periods
• notice of dispute (caveats), citations, subpoenas

Tyler Nyvall — Legal Counsel, Civil Policy and Legislation Office, Justice Services Branch, Ministry of Justice, Victoria
D. Peter Ramsay, QC — Ramsay Lampman Rhodes, Nanaimo

Networking Break

Estate Accounts and Claims for Remuneration

• passing of accounts under the new Probate Rules
• remuneration of trustees and personal representatives
• changes to procedures and forms
• costs

M. Scott Kerwin — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver

PGT Issues

• what PGT will require in probate applications
• when and how PGT will address gifts and legacies for minors
• PGT’s role in spousal home claims
• PGT’s position on ademption by nominees
• PGT’s fees for estate matters

Karl A. Maier — Public Guardian and Trustee of BC, Vancouver