Family Law Basics 2025

Product Type: Course

This course has no current sessions.

DescriptionMore DetailAgenda

Get your practice off to a great start!

—Rebroadcasts—
On the rebroadcast date, you will have until midnight of that rebroadcast date to access the course. Please note that technical support will be available during regular CLEBC business hours.

Last Kick at the Can Series 2025
Monday, December 1, 2025
Monday, December 15, 2025

(Original course date: April 10, 2025)

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Who should attend: Articled students, lawyers in the first five years of practice, and lawyers changing practice areas or who need a refresher

Learning level: Fundamental

Join our experienced faculty and learn the practical aspects of running a family law file, from interviewing the client to case management to litigation techniques. Attendees will receive tips and advice that put theory into practice and learn how to develop a practice in this area.

After taking this program, you will:

gain tips and advice on how to effectively manage your clients
be aware of disclosure and discovery, judicial case conferences, and expert reports
understand how to use different methods to resolve family law issues, including using parenting coordinators

Law Society of BC CPD Hours: 6 hours (this course will contain a minimum of 1 hour pertaining to professional responsibility and ethics, client care and relations, and/or practice management)

Course Chair
Meghan Selinger — Silver Selinger LLP, Vancouver

*Last Kick at the Can 2025*
Rebroadcast	$579
Rebroadcast Articled Student	$289

Are you a member of the Indigenous legal community (lawyer/Articled Student/legal support staff/paralegal) or a non-lawyer Indigenous community member?
We value your contributions and encourage your participation in all of our programs. To increase accessibility, we offer a 50% discount* to all Indigenous lawyers/Articled Students/legal support staff/paralegals and a limited number of free online registrations to non-lawyer Indigenous community members. (*discount applies to Regular prices, not Early Bird prices). Please contact Customer Service to find out more.

Unable to attend a course without financial assistance from CLEBC?
Click here for bursary information.

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Registration includes an electronic copy of the reference materials.

CLEBC Program Lawyer*
Nadia Myerthall
nmyerthall@cle.bc.ca
*non-practising

Course Chair
Meghan Selinger — Silver Selinger LLP, Vancouver

About the Course Chair
Meghan Selinger was called to the bar in 2005. She is a partner at Silver Selinger LLP, where she practices exclusively in the area of family law. Meghan is an accredited Family Law Mediator and a qualified Collaborative Divorce Practitioner.

Meghan is a past-chair of the CBA Family Law Vancouver Subsection and has been an elected member of the CBA Provincial Council (Vancouver County). She is also a member of the Trial Lawyers Association of BC, where she has sat on the Education Planning Committee and the Family Law Committee. Meghan has contributed to various legal publications, including as a member of the Editorial Board for CLEBC's Family Practice Manual and as an author of the Family Law Sourcebook updates. She previously co-taught the course on Family Law at UBC, Peter A. Allard School of Law and has chaired family law courses for the TLABC. She has been a guest lecturer at PLTC, CLEBC courses, PBLI courses, as well as other guest presentations.

Faculty
Justice Julie K. Lamb — Supreme Court of BC, New Westminster
Kelsey Beazer — Jenkins Marzban Logan LLP, Vancouver
Shannon Beebe — Basran Robin Allen & Desilets, Vancouver
H. Hailey Graham — Hamilton Fabbro, Vancouver
Kevin J. Heinrichs — Heinrichs Richards LLP, Vancouver
Julia M. Hibbard — Hayward Sheppard, Vancouver
Daylyn Miller — Hamilton Fabbro, Vancouver
Matt Ostrow — Clark Wilson LLP, Vancouver
Peter Schmidt — BTM Lawyers LLP, Port Moody
Shawna L. Specht — ViewPoint Family Law, Vancouver
Shashika R. Stanislaus — Basran Robin Allen & Desilets, Vancouver

Click here for full faculty bios

Course Introduction and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:10)

Meghan Selinger — Silver Selinger LLP, Vancouver

View from the Bench (9:10 – 9:50)

suggestions for an effective chambers application
pointers for trial preparation
getting the most out of a JCC

Justice Julie K. Lamb — Supreme Court of BC, New Westminster

Managing Your Clients: Intake and Communication (9:50 – 10:30)

assessing clients' emotional states
screening clients
retainers and retainer letters
managing expectations
responsibilities for screening for family violence
red flags

Kevin J. Heinrichs — Heinrichs Richards LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (10:30 – 10:45)

Moving Forward: Assessing Options (10:45 – 11:25)

collaborative law
commencing proceedings
negotiation
mediation
arbitration

H. Hailey Graham — Hamilton Fabbro, Vancouver
Daylyn Miller — Hamilton Fabbro, Vancouver

Disclosure and Discovery: Timelines and Tools (11:25 – 12:05)

disclosure triggers and ongoing disclosure obligations
client understanding and awareness
Family Law Rules
- lists of documents
- examinations for discovery
- interrogatories

Shawna L. Specht — ViewPoint Family Law, Vancouver

NETWORKING LUNCH (provided to in-person registrants) (12:05 – 1:05)

Judicial Case Conferences (JCCs) (1:05 – 1:45)

what is a JCC
Family Law Rules
- the scope of JCCs
- disclosure obligations
- available orders that JCC judges can make
- exemptions to JCCs
strategy for effective use of JCCs
preparing yourself and your client
preparing a JCC brief
setting subsequent JCCs

Shannon Beebe — Basran Robin Allen & Desilets, Vancouver
Shashika R. Stanislaus — Basran Robin Allen & Desilets, Vancouver

Expert Reports (1:45 – 2:20)

types of expert reports: section 202 and 211 reports, joint, party's own, courts' own, rebuttal
emerging use of shadow experts

Matt Ostrow — Clark Wilson LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (2:20 – 2:35)

On Your Marks, Get Set, Go: Trial and Mediation Preparation (2:35 – 3:15)

how to prepare for mediation, including mediation briefs
how to start litigation, including:
- framing your claim
- organizing documents
how to prepare for trial, including:
- examinations for discovery
- witness preparation and examination
- experts
- trial management conferences and briefs
- opening and closing arguments

Peter Schmidt — BTM Lawyers LLP, Port Moody

Parenting Coordination: The Process and the Role of Counsel (3:15 – 3:55)

what is parenting coordination
appointments and intake
what files are or are not appropriate for this process
role of counsel
jurisdiction of a PC/enforcement
availability

Kelsey Beazer — Jenkins Marzban Logan LLP, Vancouver
Julia M. Hibbard — Hayward Sheppard, Vancouver

Closing Remarks (3:55 – 4:00)

Meghan Selinger — Silver Selinger LLP, Vancouver

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Family Law Basics 2025

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