With many educational institutions across B.C. open to returning students this fall, parents of school-aged children have had to face the difficult decision of whether to send their child back to school or to continue their education at home for the near future. While the B.C. government has created a detailed plan for the return…

Indigenous Law lawyer Anita Boscariol is a panelist for the Sept. 24th session “Developments in Aboriginal Law and Litigation,” as part of the annual Department of Justice Canada Conference. Anita will share her insights on issues in Aboriginal litigation that public law lawyers should be informed of and engage with. Anita will draw on her…

This article was originally published by The Lawyer’s Daily (www.thelawyersdaily.ca), part of LexisNexis Canada Inc. Closed or inaccessible courts during this pandemic prompted me to consider how we resolve matrimonial disputes generally, and, more specifically, how we can resolve them more effectively in these stressful and uncertain times. Uncertainty creates anxiety, and when you couple…

Both provincial and federal governments continue to update legislation and programs introduced this year in response to COVID-19. This blog post highlights some of the recent changes. Temporary Layoffs in B.C. Under the Employment Standards Act, RSBC 1996, c. 113 (the “Act”), as long as an employer has the contractual authority or the employee agrees…

I’m not quite sure if this is a blog or a rant – or perhaps it’s something in between? In any case, it’s about how parents, lawyers, and indirectly the courts, determine the allocation of fees shared by parents who work with a Parenting Coordinator. A Parenting Coordinator (PC) acts as a neutral third party,…

In its decision in GLAS Americas LLC v DionyMed Brand Inc., 2020 BCSC 367, the BC Supreme Court considered whether a charging order can be granted to lawyers outside of BC. A US law firm (Buckley LLP – “Buckley”) was retained by a BC company (DionyMed Brands Inc. – “DMB”) and its US subsidiaries to…

With the introduction of Bill 21-2020, British Columbia has proposed a series of long-awaited amendments to its Wills, Estates, and Succession Act that will modernize the will-making process in the province. The proposed amendments will enable BC Courts to accept a will that is created, recorded, transmitted or stored on an electronic device (such as…

“Clients come to lawyers with problems they want solved, not issues they want litigated.” – Honourable Roy McMurtry I came across this old quote a few days ago and was prompted to consider how we resolve matrimonial disputes generally, and more specifically how we are resolving them in these pandemic times. Uncertainty creates anxiety, and…

We are pleased to announce that the law firm of Stewart & Winch has joined the law firm of Watson Goepel LLP, effective June 30, 2020. This merger allows Watson Goepel to better serve clients on the North Shore and surrounding areas. Stewart & Winch is an established West Vancouver law firm, providing legal services in…

On 30 June 2020, the Business Corporations Act will be amended to introduce a new type of company called a “benefit company”.  While there are legitimate concerns as to whether this new type of company is actually needed, the concept could provide a lucrative marketing opportunity for many B.C. businesses. What are benefit companies? Benefit…