Family Law Basics for Paralegals and Legal Support Staff 2022

Course Chair
David C. Halkett — McQuarrie Hunter LLP, Surrey

About the Course Chair
David Halkett is a partner with the law firm of McQuarrie Hunter LLP. He was born in Montreal and moved to Vancouver in 1980 where he graduated from UBC with a BA in History in 1988 and an LLB in 1991. He articled with Ray Connell and was called to the BC bar in 1992. David worked with two smaller firms from 1992 to 2003 when he joined McQuarrie Hunter LLP. He has practiced almost exclusively family law since 1996 and has appeared in all levels of BC court. David is the co-chair of the Westminster Family Law Section of the CBABC (in that role or as Chair since 2005), and has been involved with committees regarding the Family Relations Act review, the Rules review, Provincial Court Rules review, and the Code of Conduct review.

Faculty
The Honourable Administrative Judge Robert N. Hamilton — Provincial Court of BC, Surrey
Master Kimberley A. Robertson — Supreme Court of BC, New Westminster
Ann Halkett — Director of eDiscovery Services, Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP, Vancouver
Amandeep Kahlon — McQuarrie Hunter LLP, Surrey
Derek C. LaCroix, KC — Executive Director, Lawyers Assistance Program of BC, Vancouver
Wendy Matthews — Designated Paralegal, Grandview Law Group, Surrey

Click here for full faculty bios

Welcome and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:10)

David C. Halkett — McQuarrie Hunter LLP, Surrey

File and Document Management (9:10 – 10:00)

David C. Halkett — McQuarrie Hunter LLP, Surrey
Wendy Matthews — Designated Paralegal, Grandview Law Group, Surrey

BREAK (10:00 – 10:05)

E-discovery (10:05 – 10:40)

Ann Halkett — Director of eDiscovery Services, Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (10:40 – 10:55)

Provincial or Supreme Court—How to Choose (10:55 – 11:30)

David C. Halkett — McQuarrie Hunter LLP, Surrey

BREAK (11:30 – 11:35)

Well-being in the Practice of Law (11:35 – 12:20)

Derek C. LaCroix, KC — Executive Director, Lawyers Assistance Program of BC, Vancouver

LUNCH (12:20 – 1:00)

Chambers Practice (1:00 – 1:30)

Master Kimberley A. Robertson — Supreme Court of BC, New Westminster

BREAK (1:30 – 1:35)

Child and Spousal Support (1:35 – 2:20)

Amandeep Kahlon — McQuarrie Hunter LLP, Surrey

BREAK (2:20 – 2:30)

The Registry Perspective (Pre-recorded) (2:30 – 3:20)

Bruno Jessacher — Deputy District Registrar, Family Registry, Vancouver Supreme Court, Vancouver

BREAK (3:20 -3:25)

Provincial Court Practice (3:25 - 3:55)

The Honourable Administrative Judge Robert N. Hamilton — Provincial Court of BC, Surrey

Closing Questions and Comments (3:55 – 4:00)