Landlords and tenants should make note of several significant changes to the Residential Tenancy Act which went into effect on May 17, 2018. Landlords who don’t follow the new rules could be liable to pay tenants up to 12 months’ rent. If a landlord wishes to end a tenancy to permit the landlord or a…

Chand v. Southern Railway of British Columbia Limited, 2018 BCCA 41 Southern Railway of British Columbia (“SRY”) is a short-line freight railway based in New Westminster that owns over 125 miles of track and operates a rail line through the Fraser Valley to Chilliwack. In this appeal SRY challenged the finding that the plaintiff was…

Of the honorary title of Queen’s counsel, Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton has said, “The recipients of the honour of the QC designation have enriched the justice system with their contributions to the practice of law. They have demonstrated professional integrity and dedication to their profession and have made valuable contributions as…

The European Parliament vote today in favour of CETA sends a strong signal to business communities in Canada and EU Member States that final ratification of this innovative and progressive trade agreement will occur in the coming months. This is especially important in Canada as the United States under President Trump has indicated that it…

Your relationship status is important to Canada Revenue Agency for a number of reasons including your eligibility for tax benefits and credits. Collaborative family law lawyer and mediator, Karen Redmond covers the topic in her guest post  “Why CRA needs to know your ‘relationship status’,” recently published on JP Boyd BC Family Law Resource blog.…

Watson Goepel LLP is happy to announce the opening of our new Surrey satellite office starting January 2017 to better serve our growing number of clients located in Surrey, Langley, the Fraser Valley and surrounding areas. Located in South Surrey, at 15300 Croydon Drive, Suite #300, we are now open for consultations and meetings by…

Congratulations to corporate commercial law partner Celso A. A. Boscariol on his appointment to Queen’s counsel in recognition of his many and varied contributions to the practice of law in British Columbia. From mentoring young lawyers to supporting community sports, educational and health care organizations and participation in government relations, all in addition to a…

We’re proud to announce Watson Goepel LLP’s Associate Fiona Beveridge’s appointment into BC’s Hear the Child Society roster. Fiona’s new appointment signifies the ongoing work to help make divorce, separation and formal legal proceedings easier for families. Established in late 2009, The Society, is a non-profit organization that provides support opportunities for children who wish to share…

In the recent case: Symons v. Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, 2016 BCCA 207 the BC Court of Appeal has considered the issue of when TTD (total temporary disability) benefits may be reinstated after an unsuccessful attempt to return to work. In this case the Plaintiff was injured in a 2008 motor vehicle accident. Initially…

Finding your way through family law litigation is challenging. To help you guide you through the process the Watson Goepel Family Law Team has put together an overview of a few basic steps that you may go through when you opt to use litigation to resolve a family law dispute. Read the full post on…