Residential Real Estate Conference 2021

Course Chairs
Timothy J. Lack — Redpoint Law LLP, Vancouver
Lisa Niro — Bell Alliance LLP, Vancouver

About the Course Chairs

Lisa Niro, a partner at Bell Alliance LLP, practices in the area of real estate. Having built a strong foundation in residential conveyancing, she now has a focus on commercial real estate transactions, commercial and private lending, development, and land assemblies. Lisa acts for developers, institutional and private lenders, as well as for individuals, corporations, and partnerships.

Before becoming a lawyer, Lisa worked as an urban planner and designer which allowed her to gain insight into the development industry and municipal approvals process.

Elder
Elder Joy Dockrey — Nehiyawak (ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐊᐧᐠ) Plains Cree, Mental Health Contractor/Coordinator Star Elders, MCFD Circle 5 Indigenous Svs, Surrey

"Gramma Joy" is a Cree Elder known for the work she does as an animal assisted therapist with her Bulldog, "Fanny Pac." In her spare time, she coordinates the Lower Mainland Aboriginal Veterans (Joy is a Navy veteran), and evaluates dogs to be St. John Ambulance certified therapy dogs. 

Gramma Joy is also a certified mediator and counsellor who works extensively in the community with Indigenous children, youth, and families. 

Gramma Joy's traditional Cree name is translated as Small Black Thunderbird. 

She has also been adopted by the Haida Nation in Old Masset—the Raven Clan. They gifted her a Haida name which translates into "Fairy of Knowledge." 

With Joy's diverse and extensive life experiences she always returns to the philosophy and heartfelt belief that everything we do is always "all about love."

Faculty
Larry S. Blaschuk — Registrar of Land Titles, Land Title and Survey Authority of BC, New Westminster
Barbara K. Buchanan, QC — Practice Advisor, Conduct and Ethics, The Law Society of BC, Vancouver
Yarden Gershony — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Stefani Lefebvre — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Andrew P. Morrison — Shields Harney LLP, Vancouver
Jennifer L. Neville — Hamilton & Company, New Westminster
Noah M. Sarna — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver
Zheting Su — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver
Ron Usher, J.D. — Commissioned Notary Public, R.I., General Counsel and Practice Advisor, The Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia, Vancouver

Click here for full faculty bios

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

Elder Joy Dockrey — Nehiyawak (ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐊᐧᐠ) Plains Cree, Mental Health Contractor/Coordinator Star Elders, MCFD Circle 5 Indigenous Svs, Surrey

Case Law Update (9:10 – 10:10)

• partition and forced sales
• "subject to" clauses
• statutory covenants

Yarden Gershony — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Stefani Lefebvre — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna

BREAK (10:10 – 10:25)

Collapsing and Collapsed Deals: The Role of the Legal Representative (10:25 – 11:25)

• how to handle a collapsing, or collapsed deal, as a legal representative
• things to consider and steps to take
• what to do if you represent the innocent party
• what to do if you represent the defaulting party
• what happens once the deal has collapsed

Andrew P. Morrison — Shields Harney LLP, Vancouver
Lisa Niro — Bell Alliance LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (11:25 – 11:40)

Strata Property Update—Some Solutions for Challenging Situations (11:40 – 12:15)

• pandemic update
• strata corporation claims
• parking and storage lockers

Jennifer L. Neville — Hamilton & Company, New Westminster

LUNCH BREAK (12:15 – 1:00)

Tax Update (1:00 – 1:45)

• new GST rules for short term accommodation supplies and accommodation platform operators
• GST new housing rebate update
• current audit issues in property transfer tax and GST
• PTT planning and penalties—practice points
• proposed federal underutilized housing tax

Noah M. Sarna — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver
Zheting Su — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver

Mortgage Lending Update: Timmy's Top 40 (1:45 – 2:15)

• an up-to-date look at the best practices, current case law, common errors, and helpful hints in mortgage lending

Timothy J. Lack — Redpoint Law LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (2:15 – 2:30)

Truing Up Web Filing Forms (2:30 – 3:00)

• overview of web filing process
• review of Practice Note 02-16
• tips on how to true up a web filing form that won't result in a defect notice
• resources and help materials

Larry S. Blaschuk — Registrar of Land Titles, Land Title and Survey Authority of BC, New Westminster

Professional Responsibility Obligations for Real Estate Lawyers (3:00 – 3:45)

• professional responsibility obligations with respect to avoiding dishonesty, crime and fraud, including money laundering
• common real estate scams and tips

Barbara K. Buchanan, QC — Practice Advisor, Conduct and Ethics, The Law Society of BC, Vancouver

BREAK (3:45 – 4:00)

Hot Topics Roundtable (4:00 – 5:00)

• review of Title, reviewing charges, Seawatch case, waiver form
• inadvertently acting as clients agent
• disputes between client and realtor (who referred you the deal)
• late day closings, breaches, and tendering
• vague and uncertain terms in the CPS and holdbacks
• insurance coverage
• notes to the statements of adjustments, merger, survival of reps
• implied undertakings
• other closing documents
• lawyer's duty to client vs. the client's insistence on something you think may not be true (e.g., the non-resident asserting that he/she is resident of Canada)

 Moderator: 
Ron Usher, J.D. — Commissioned Notary Public, R.I., General Counsel and Practice Advisor, The Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia, Vancouver

Barbara K. Buchanan, QC — Practice Advisor, Conduct and Ethics, The Law Society of BC, Vancouver
Yarden Gershony — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Timothy J. Lack — Redpoint Law LLP, Vancouver
Stefani Lefebvre — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Lisa Niro — Bell Alliance LLP, Vancouver
Noah M. Sarna — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver
Zheting Su — Thorsteinssons LLP, Vancouver