April 2022
This month’s spotlight shines on Lisa Mackie of Alexander Holburn.
How did you first get involved with CLEBC?
My first involvement with CLEBC was for the 2017 Strata Property Update. I was fortunate to be invited to be the online moderator, and I joined the panel at the end of the day for a roundtable discussion.
What are you currently working on (or have most recently worked on) with CLEBC?
I was recently a co-chair and speaker at the 2021 Strata Property Update. I am also a contributing author for the British Columbia Strata Property Practice Manual, and I sit on the editorial board for that publication.
What inspired you to become a lawyer?
Well, my dad would say that I was inspired at a young age by the opportunity to continue bickering with my twin sister, Taryn Mackie, for a living. Taryn and I both eventually became lawyers, although we have yet to appear opposite one another in a courtroom… I suspect if that ever happens, my dad will be in the gallery.
How did you decide to focus your practice on strata property?
I actually stumbled into this area shortly after graduating law school. Prior to articling, I spent a year as a legal researcher with the BC Law Institute, and one of the law reform projects that I worked on related to seniors housing issues. When I began looking for articling opportunities, I was introduced to a boutique law firm that practiced almost exclusively in strata property law. I immediately took a shine to the practice, and it has been my “home base” ever since.
You are very active in the legal community both as a contributor to publications and as a speaker. What motivates you to give back to the profession?
Through CLEBC, I have had the chance to reconnect with counsel who practice in this field every day, and I get the opportunity to help those who are just starting out in the area. I think we can all acknowledge that this practice can be particularly challenging at times – our clients quite literally live in their problems, so it can be hard for us to walk away from a file at the end of the day. I think that the publications and courses are ways we can all learn from one another, and make our jobs a bit easier.
What advice would you pass on to a newly called lawyer?
I am a fan of what I call the “five-minute-freak-out.” When you are just starting out in practice, it can be very intimidating to tackle new tasks by yourself, whether it’s your first client meeting, your first Chambers application, or your first negotiation. Things won’t always go according to plan the first time around (or the tenth time around!), and I think the best advice I can give is to just stay focused on the task at hand, limit yourself to five minutes to hit the proverbial panic button, and regroup. You got this.
Other than law, what are you passionate about?
I am an amusement park enthusiast! My dad took me on my first roller coaster ride at Expo 86, and I was instantly hooked. I suppose the strata property practice is not unlike a roller coaster ride either…