Family Law Drafting Basics 2015

• be able to draft family law documents and pleadings
• be aware of common drafting errors and mistakes
• improve your ability to meet your clients’ needs
• benefit from the wisdom and experience of senior family law practitioners

Webinar Archive: This course will be added to the Webinar Archive. See below to subscribe.

Can't make the live course/live webinar?

1. Order the online course materials, an archive of all CLEBC papers published since 2001. ... OR
2. Subscribe to the Webinar Archive, a repository of recordings of most CLEBC past courses.

Annual subscription rates for both options are based on firm size.

Mark your calendar!
10th Biennial Family Law Conference—Thursday & Friday, July 9 & 10, 2015

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

Day 1: Thursday, April 9, 2015

Welcome and Introduction

Kathryn L. Basran — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver

Todd R. Bell — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver

Pleadings

• pleadings generally
• prudent practices
• drafting guidelines and pitfalls
• reviewing and amending pleadings
• useful examples
  • client information form
  • client acknowledgement letter
  • notice of family claim
  • response to family claim
  • counterclaim
  • response to counterclaim
• other useful court forms
  • certificate of pending litigation
  • Land (Spouse Protection) Act charge forms
  • caveat
  • list of documents
  • notice to admit

Morag M.J. MacLeod — Barrister & Solicitor, Vancouver

Affidavit Drafting

• technical formatting requirements
• content restrictions and requirements
• drafting reply affidavits

Kevin J. Heinrichs — Henderson Heinrichs LLP, Vancouver
Sonia Kainth — Henderson Heinrichs LLP, Vancouver

Networking Break

Parenting Coordination—Drafting for Success

• legislative framework
• parenting coordination agreements
• court order provisions
• separation agreement provisions

Morag M.J. MacLeod — Barrister & Solicitor, Vancouver

Lunch With Featured Speaker

The Honourable Madam Justice Pamela Kirkpatrick — Court of Appeal for BC, Vancouver

Drafting Correspondence

• the basic rules of drafting
  • grammar
  • style
  • layout
• professionalism in letters, emails, and other correspondence
  • when to use letters vs. emails
  • maintaining collegiality, civility, and courtesy
  • communicating with clients, counsel, and the Court
  • managing correspondence
• comments on content
  • mandatory, helpful, unnecessary, and inappropriate content
  • settlement proposals
  • without prejudice communications

Jesse L. Desilets — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
James A.W. Schuman, QC — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver

Networking Break

Professional Conduct and Ethics

• do’s and don’ts in drafting

Carolyn R. Anderson — Law Society of BC, Vancouver

Negligence Claims Arising out of Drafting Errors

• the basics of coverage and reporting to the Lawyers Insurance Find
• how to avoid the most common drafting mistakes

Megan Swail — Lawyers Insurance Fund, Law Society of BC, Vancouver

Day 2: Friday, April 10, 2015

Welcome Back

Kathryn L. Basran — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
Todd R. Bell — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver

Common Drafting Errors and Mistakes

Master Douglas Baker — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver

Drafting Financial Statements

• form 8: a wish list or an accurate reflection?
• what information should you obtain from your client?
• what documents should you request when reviewing the other party’s financial statement?
• using information in the other party’s financial statement to your advantage
• avoiding your form 8 being used against you
• imputing income from expenses shown and how to gross up
• introduction to calculation of income under s. 16 of the Child Support Guidelines
• common problems and unusual situations

Sumit Ahuja — Lindsay Kenney LLP, Langley
G. C. (Scottie) Scott — Peterson Stark Scott, Surrey
Ari  S. K. Wormeli — Lindsay Kenney LLP, Langley

Networking Break

Drafting Agreements

• separation agreements
• prenuptial agreements
• cohabitation agreements
• marriage agreements
• independent legal advice

Kathryn L. Basran — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
Scott L. Booth — Jenkins Marzban Logan LLP, Vancouver

Networking Lunch (provided)

View from the Bench

The Honourable Judge Joanne Challenger — Provincial Court of BC, North Vancouver

Drafting Orders and Minutes of Settlement

• the “do’s and don’ts”: practical tips on drafting orders
• pet peeves of the registrars
• drafting court orders and minutes of settlement
• settlement conferences
• judicial case conferences
• mediation briefs

Jane M. Reid — Jenkins Marzban Logan LLP, Vancouver

Networking Break

Drafting for Ex parte and Urgent Applications

• the ethical obligations inherent to ex parte applications
• how to properly advance an urgent issue
• the “do’s and don’ts” of drafting content for ex parte applications
• how to say no to your client: don’t risk being the lawyer who cries wolf

Drafting Judicial Case Conference Briefs and Arguments for Short Chambers Applications

• when are each necessary?
• when they are, what ought to be included in each and what ought not?
• doing the cost-benefit analysis for the client

Todd R. Bell — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
Eli C. Walker — Aaron Gordon Daykin Nordlinger LLP, Vancouver

Closing Comments and Q & A

Kathryn L. Basran — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver
Todd R. Bell — Schuman Daltrop Basran & Robin, Vancouver