SectionTalk

u ADVOCACY

Several Section members have provided invaluable input in responding to contemporary legal issues in the BC court system: „ The continuation of civil jury trials — Civil

Litigation, Construction Law. „ Access to justice amplified by the pandemic — Civil Litigation, Family Law, Criminal Justice,

Wills & Trusts, Administrative Law, Unbundled Legal

Services, Children’s Law, Social Justice, Immigration

Law, BC Northwest. „ Issues relating to the Land Ownership Transpar-

ency Act and the Land Ownership Transparency

Registry — Real Property—Vancouver, Commercial & Real Estate—Okanagan and Vancouver Island.

u NOTEWORTHY MEETINGS

Tips and Traps for Drafting Trust Deeds and Wills

Trusts — Wills & Trusts—Vancouver

Andrea Frisby and Laura Peach, both of Legacy Tax & Trust Lawyers, provided tips and traps to consider when drafting trust deeds and wills trusts. Annual Administrative Law Case Law Update — Administrative Law

In this popular annual meeting, Meera Bennett and Katie Webber, counsel for the Ministry of Attorney General, led the discussion on key decisions of the past year, including the post-Vavilov landscape and how the revised standard of review framework has been applied so far in BC.

Real Estate Development — Local Government

Development Approvals — Real Property—Vancouver

Kathleen T. Higgins discussed current legislation and relevant case law, and provided a primer on the different kinds of approval that local governments grant, such as Official Community Planning and zoning amendments, subdivision, development & building permits.

Unusual Issues That Arise From Your “Typical”

Estate/Probate Matter — Wills & Trusts—Okanagan

Leah Card of Fulton & Company LLP discussed unusual issues that can arise from typical estates and probate matters.

Trials and Tribulations with Mr. Justice Alan Ross

— Civil Litigation—Vancouver

In this popular webinar, Justice Alan Ross spoke candidly about his experiences as a newer member of the judiciary.

u ON PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

Many Sections hosted meetings discussing topical and useful practice management tips.

„ Law Society’s Anti-Money Laundering Rules — Client Identification and Verification: This popular Business Law meeting, hosted by Barbara

Buchanan, QC, detailed the anti-money laundering (“AML”) obligations of lawyers. Barbara also provided practice tips for lawyers who will need to verify or identify their clients as part of their

AML obligations.

„ Navigating Through Practice Management

Challenges: The General Practice, Solo & Small

Firm Section hosted Allison Wolf, PPC, who provided an interactive and comprehensive discussion on common practice challenges such as managing time and clients efficiently and preventing burnout.

„ Where Do We Go From Here — Thriving in a

Post-Pandemic Legal Market: The General Practice,

Solo & Small Firm also hosted Heather Suttie, who presented practical strategies and tips to help small firm and solo lawyers determine their marketing budgets, ensure they are targeting the right clients, and thrive in their practices.

„ Staying Engaged While Transitioning Into

Retirement: The Senior Lawyers Section hosted

Bonita Thompson, QC, Sonali Sharma, Jo-Anne

Stark, Derek Brindle, QC, and David Dundee. The panelists shared their personal experiences and relevant information about innovative and evolving approaches to professional services while providing more balance and increased flexibility for senior lawyers, especially during the pandemic.

If you are interested in this content, some meetings are recorded and available to CBABC members. Contact sections@cbabc.org.

\ EMAIL: SECTIONS@CBABC.ORG

SOGIC UPDATE — by Lisa M.G. Nevens (they/them) and Dustin Klaudt (he/him)

SOGIC Will Hold Two More Section Meetings This Year

These meetings will centre the experiences and needs of LGBTQ2SI+ Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, who are frequently marginalised within our communities: 1. A joint Section meeting with the Aboriginal Lawyers Forum is planned to educate members of all

Sections on two-spirit identities and the legal issues that may be faced by those who hold those identities. “Two-spirit” is a term used in some Indigenous cultures to describe some gender, sexual, and/or spiritual identities. The session may also address how LGBTQ2SI+ concerns were addressed by the inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

2. A joint Section meeting with the Civil Liberties/Constitutional Law Section on the intersections between race, sexual orientation, and gender identity in the context of policing.

We have also continued our outreach to courts and administrative tribunals in BC and across the country to help improve access to justice and experiences within the justice system for trans people and all those with minority gender identities and expressions. Finally, Pride season is coming up! While we anticipate that most, if not all, Pride events will be online again this year due to the pandemic, be on the lookout for social media campaigns highlighting Lawyers with Pride.

WLF UPDATE — by Kyla Lee

Elevating Women in Law Firms: Practical Tips and Advice

It is no secret that women leave law firms and the practice of law altogether at a much higher rate than men. Data (bit.ly/bt0621wlf-1) also shows that men are listed as partners in law firms in bigger numbers than women. As a profession, we must think about how we elevate and acknowledge the women in our law firms. Here are three tips: 1. Celebrate Successes, Big and Small — Celebrating the success of women goes a long way in fostering a culture where women are perceived to be competent and feel valued. Consider sending out an email at the end of the day to the firm congratulating people on their big and small achievements to boost office morale and the perception of female members of the firm.

2. Think Before Assigning a Task — When assigning a task, stop and ask yourself why you have chosen that person for the task. Are you assigning the task because it is a “soft” task that you associate with women?

Soft tasks involve more emotion-forward or clerical work. Examples include the clerical work getting a file ready for trial, letting a client vent so that they feel heard, and handling organizational tasks. Keep track of the tasks you assign each person at your firm, and code them “hard” and “soft” to see whether there is an imbalance.

3. Make Space for Women to Speak — In meetings and discussions, be cognizant of how much space men are taking in the discussion and be proactive in correcting discrepancies. If men dominate the conversation, remember to solicit opinions from the women present.