New Online Divorce “App”

Get help using Clicklaw, New on Clicklaw, The broader context

This morning, the BC Ministry of Attorney General announced the new Online Divorce Assistant Application. This new online tool will assist people in BC to finalize divorces. It is intended to speed up processing times and to help get rid of filing errors.

Who is it for (currently)?

Applicants who:

The new Online Divorce Assistant Application
  • agree on all family law issues applicable to them – such as spousal support, and dividing family property and debt(s);
  • do not have dependent children; and
  • who intend to “joint-file” their divorces (work together, in cooperation, to get the job done).

Currently, 30% of the 10,000 divorces filed every year in BC are filed jointly.

How do I use the App?

You can use the Online Divorce Assistant on any smartphone or computer, but it is ideally viewed on devices that are at least tablet-sized. It takes about 15-30 minutes to complete.

What does the App do?

Once you go through the app and answer all its questions, you can print out the finished documents and take them to a BC Supreme Court registry for filing.

Will the App change over time?

According to the Ministry, “Plans are underway to expand the Online Divorce Assistant in coming months to include joint-filing divorces in cases that involve children.”

Stay informed:

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2018 Bi-Monthly Update Series: May/June

New on Clicklaw, The broader context

To keep you informed, here are some highlights of changes and updates made to Clicklaw in May and June:

Jan-Feb | Mar-Apr | May-Jun | Jul-Aug | Sep-Oct | Nov-Dec

The Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch (CBA BC)

Many Dial-A-Law scripts have been recently reviewed. For a complete list of these resources, see their listings here (sorted by “last reviewed date”). Some of them are:

Working with Your Legal Aid Lawyer
by Legal Services Society

Now available in French. This fact sheet outlines client and lawyer roles and responsibilities, so each knows what to expect from the legal aid contract.

Gender Self-Determination Project
by PACE Society

A program designed to help trans* folks get proper ID. We work one-on-one with anyone who identifies as trans, two-spirit, non-binary, or otherwise gender-diverse to apply to change their name and/or gender marker and acquire updated IDs. We are able to cover any costs that we cannot get waived by the organizations themselves.

Environmental Legal Aid
by West Coast Environmental Law

West Coast Environmental Law offers free legal advice to help community groups, First Nations and individuals understand their environmental rights. We also offer funding support through our Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund (EDRF), which connects British Columbians with a network of private environmental lawyers around the province willing to work at a legal aid rate.

SFU Centre for Education, Law and Society

The following lesson ideas and educational resources for teachers and students have been reviewed or updated to reflect the new BC curriculum:

Employment Standards Act Reform Project
by British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI)

BCLI has issued a consultation paper on BC’s Employment Standards Act to seek public comment on tentative recommendations for reforming the Act. Responses are requested by 31 August 2018.

Environmental Law Centre, University of Victoria

Submissions on Human Trafficking to Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights
by Pivot Legal Society

Consensual, adult sex work and human trafficking are distinct. Canada’s laws and policies will only be effective if they recognize the difference between these two concepts.

Cannabis in Canada
by the Government of Canada

Information on what you need to know and what the law means for you. Topics include cannabis and the border, cannabis impairment, and how the laws and regulations will impact your business.

Guidance Document – Competitive Advantage: Compliance with PIPA and the GDPR
by Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC (OIPC)

Effective May 25, 2018, some organizations subject to PIPA must also comply with the European Union (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This guidance helps organizations in BC determine whether they are subject to the GDPR and explains how to comply with both PIPA and the GDPR.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

  • The Internet of Things
    An introduction to privacy issues with a focus on the retail and home environments.
  • Guidelines for Obtaining Meaningful Consent
    This document sets out practical & actionable guidance regarding what organizations should do to ensure that they obtain meaningful consent. It contains information about the guiding principles for obtaining consent, determining the appropriate form of consent, and the legal requirements.

New & Updated Common Questions

Common Questions help narrow down the resources people should start with. Do you get asked the same questions over and over again by your clients? Send your suggestions to editor[@]clicklaw.bc.ca

Stay informed:

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July 2018 Events (BC-wide, Online)

Clicklaw events, The broader context

Bookmark this post! It will be updated as more events are announced. You can also get frequent updates via our Twitter. Have a suggestion? Email us.

  • Friday, July 13 (2:00 – 3:00 pm): Disability Alliance BC presents a free workshop on Registered Disability Savings Plan at RBC Cambie & Broadway, Vancouver.

Under 50? Learn how to open a Registered Disability Savings Plan account and receive up to $1,000 per year. Get more information here.

  • July 14 – 23 (various dates): Seniors First BC presents workshops in Vancouver and Burnaby.
    • Saturday, July 14 (11:00 am – 12:00 pm) Elder Abuse: What Is It? How Do We Deal With It? Workshop (in Mandarin/Cantonese) – 228-2055 Boundary Road, Vancouver. Get more information here.
    • Monday, July 16 (10:00 – 11:45 am) Elder Abuse and Social Connection Workshop – MOSAIC 5575 Boundary Road, Vancouver. Get more information here.
    • Thursday, July 19 (8:00 am – 4:00 pm) Seniors’ Health and Safety Fair – Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver. Get more information here.
    • Friday, July 20 (11:00 am – 12:00 pm) Powers of Attorney, Joint Bank Accounts and Representation Agreements Workshop – South Burnaby Neighbourhood House, 4460 Beresford Street, Burnaby. Get more information here.
    • Monday, July 23 (10:00 – 11:45 am) Elder Abuse and Social Connection Workshop – MOSAIC 5575 Boundary Road, Vancouver. Get more information here.
  • Monday, July 16 (6:00 – 11:30 pm): PovNet presents a burger and beer social at the Morrissey, 1227 Granville Street, Vancouver.

This event is for PovNet members, front line workers, social justice lawyers and all the wonderful people we’ve had the opportunity to work with throughout the year. Come and join us for a burger and beer social at the Morrissey! Please reserve a ticket as soon as possible. Bring colleagues and friends (include them in your ticket numbers or forward them the link to grab their own ticket). Get more info and reserve your ticket here.

  • Friday, July 20 (1:00 – 2:30 pm): Nidus presents a free presentation on Personal Planning at South Granville Seniors Centre, Vancouver.

Are you prepared in case of incapacity, for end-of-life, or for other support needs? Find out about the essential planning documents you can make – to ease the burden on others and avoid the need for government involvement in your personal affairs. No registration is required. Get more information here.

Stay informed:

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Revitalization of Indigenous law at the ILRU

The broader context

by an ILRU Master’s Student at UVic Faculty of Law

What is the ILRU?

The Indigenous Law Research Unit (ILRU), housed in UVic’s Faculty of Law, is the only research unit dedicated to the restatement and revitalization of Indigenous law in Canada.

ILRU partners with Indigenous communities, at their request, to articulate their own legal principles and processes, on their own terms, in order to effectively respond to today’s complex challenges. ILRU also works to deepen broader engagement with Indigenous law through the delivery of workshops and development of academic and public legal education resources.

Personal Significance

As a recent graduate from UVic law and now master’s student, this work is significant to me because all of ILRU’s works starts from the position that Indigenous laws are real, are alive, and are capable of being known and publicly applied. Although it is hard to imagine for some, it was not that long ago that Indigenous people could not even hire a lawyer let alone research and promulgate their own laws and traditions.

Roots in Truth and Reconciliation

ILRU has helped stoke the fires of the legal traditions it has worked with since it emerged in 2012 from a national partnership with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) and the Indigenous Bar Association. The first ILRU project had a significant impact on the TRC’s Calls to Action and was so ground-breaking that Indigenous communities began to contact the ILRU directly to request partnerships to research their own laws. Since that time, ILRU has partnered with Indigenous communities on a wide breadth of legal issues and questions. Currently, ILRU is engaged in nine projects ranging from creating Indigenous law curriculum for use in law schools to work that is aimed at examining the principles and processes in an Anishinaabe legal tradition that relate to community governance.

The Joint Degree Program – Juris Indigenarum Doctor (JID) & Juris Doctor (JD)

The JID/JD dual degree is truly groundbreaking. Similar to the position taken by ILRU, the program begins from the understanding that Indigenous laws are real, knowable, and can be critically examined and worked with by both insiders and outsiders. This program is a double degree that will, throughout the four-year program, instruct students on the complete content of a Canadian common law degree and aspects of various Indigenous legal traditions for the purpose of increasing the students’ capacity to work with and within these legal traditions.

Field Schools

One of the most exciting components about the JID/JD program is the field course that students will undertake during their third and fourth years and comprise the entirety of their course load during the semester. During these terms students will, under the close supervision of academic supervisors and community knowledge keepers, learn about a particular Indigenous community’s legal traditions by observing the ways in which their legal processes are applied today. The field schools will also have students work with the specific community on law-related projects. The purpose of these terms is to imbue students with the skills necessary to understand the institutions, sources of law, forms of reasoning, legal principles and procedures within those People’s law(s).

Walking the Walk

The first field course, “C?ELA?N?ENE?*: A Field Course in the Re-emergence of W?SA?NEC? Law Fall 2018” will be offered in Fall 2018 and taught by John Borrows and Rob Clifford. The significance of having the focus of the first field course be W?SA?NEC? law merits specific mention here. The work of reconciliation and revitalization is something that falls on the shoulders of every Canadian citizen and institution. Often times the work can seem overwhelming, too abstract, or any other myriad of sensations as it asks Canadians to grapple with hard truths about our past and present. I ask readers to draw inspiration from what is being undertaken at University of Victoria when dealing with such struggles and look to those closest to you. I am grateful to be a part of an institution that, while understanding the need to be attentive to national and global issues, begins by working with those who have and continue to be directly impacted by the University’s physical presence upon their territories.

*Words may not render properly in RSS and WordPress. Please see the link for the correct rendering.

Stay Informed with the ILRU:

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June 2018 Events (BC-wide, Online)

Clicklaw events, The broader context

Bookmark this post! It will be updated as more events are announced. You can also get frequent updates via our Twitter. Have a suggestion? Email us.

  • June 1 – 5 (various dates): the provincial government presents various events as part of Victims and Survivors of Crime Week in Canal Flats, New Westminster, Victoria, Skidegate, and Old Massett. See more details and contact info for each event here (PDF).
    • Friday, June 1 (10:00 am – 12:00 pm) Information on services available for victims & survivors of crime – Base Camp Coffee, 4957 Burns Ave., Canal Flats
    • Friday, June 1 Integrated Support for Victims of Sexual Violence Symposium – Justice Institute of British Columbia, 715 McBride Blvd., New
      Westminster
    • Saturday, June 2 (6:35 pm) Domestic Abuse Awareness Project – Royal Athletic Park, 1014 Caledonia Avenue, Victoria
    • Monday, June 4 (6:00 – 8:30 pm) Transforming the Culture (film & discussion) – Haida Heritage Centre Kay Linagaay Sea Lion Town/Skidegate
    • Tuesday, June 5 (6:00 – 8:30 pm) Transforming the Culture (film & discussion) – Tluu Xaadaa Naay Longhouse, Old Masset
  • June 4 – 6 (various dates): Courthouse Libraries BC and Access Pro Bono present two webinars for current and prospective volunteers with Access Pro Bono. Advocates and front-line workers are welcomed to join.
  • June 4 – 28 (various dates): the provincial government’s Rental Housing Task Force is hosting public meetings in 10 locations across BC throughout June.

The Task Force invites rental housing providers, renters, housing advocates, and stakeholders to attend a 3-hour facilitated workshop in their community. They are seeking input to identify solutions and ideas for making recommendations to modernize BC’s tenancy laws and policies. Find the location closest to you and register online here.

  • Tuesday, June 5 (9:30 am – 12:30 pm): Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS) presents Preventing, Investigating and Responding to Workplace Sexual Harassment at the CLAS office in Vancouver.

This three-hour interactive workshop will help you understand your legal obligations to prevent, investigate and respond to sexual harassment in the workplace. The course is accredited for 3 hours of Continuing Professional Development credit by the Law Society of BC. Workshop fee is $100 per person. If you are a non-profit organization and the fee poses a barrier, please contact us to discuss alternative arrangements. Get more information here (PDF).

  • June 5 – 6 (various dates): Law for Nonprofits presents various workshops in Cranbrook and Vancouver.
    •  Tuesday, June 5 (10:00 am – 12:00 pm MDT) Recordkeeping and Privacy for Non-Profits – College of the Rockies, Cranbrook. Free to non-profit organizations within the West Kootenay/Columbia Basin area. Get more information and register online here.
    • Tuesday, June 5 (1:00 – 3:00 pm MDT) The New Societies Act: What You Need to Know – College of the Rockies, Cranbrook. Free to non-profit organizations within the West Kootenay/Columbia Basin area.  Get more information and register online here.
    • Wednesday, June 6 (9:30 am – 12:00 pm) The New Societies Act: What You Need to Know – the Alliance for Arts + Culture, Vancouver. The fee is $50. City of Vancouver Bursaries available. Get more information and register online here.
    • Wednesday, June 6 (1:30 – 4:00 pm) Employment and Human Rights 101 Workshop – the Alliance for Arts + Culture, Vancouver. The fee is $50. City of Vancouver Bursaries available. Get more information and register online here.
  • June 5 – 13 (various dates): Plan Institute presents information sessions and workshops by phone and in Vancouver.
    • Tuesday, June 5 (10:00 am – 12:00 pm) Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) – Plan Institute Office, Suite 260 – 3665 Kingsway, Vancouver. Cost: free. Register online here.
    • Thursday, June 7 (10:00 am – 12:00 pm) Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning Workshop – Plan Institute Office, Suite 260 – 3665 Kingsway, Vancouver. Cost: $65.00 per person or $90.00 for two. Register online here.
    • Wednesday, June 13 (10:00 am – 12:00 pm) Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) – teleseminar by phone/computer. Cost: free. Register online here.
  • June 6 – 7 (various dates): People’s Law School presents two classes on Wills and Estates for the public on the following topics in Burnaby and Port Moody.
  • Tuesday, June 12 (5:00 – 9:00 pm): the Kettle Society presents 2018 Making a Difference Fundraiser at The Permanent, Vancouver.

Come to celebrate The Kettle Society’s inspired mental health work at an evening to benefit our core service programs. Taking place at The Permanent, one of Vancouver’s most stunning heritage spaces, each guest will enjoy a complimentary themed cocktail and delicious food from The Lazy Gourmet. Cocktails and conversation will lead to a performance by The Kettle Choir, and our keynote speaker Lieutenant-General, the Honourable Roméo Dallaire (Ret’d) speaking on Mental Health and Invisible Wounds. Get your tickets here.

Please join us in our new space at 1720 Grant Street to meet our staff and learn about our programs. RSVP info@scyofbc.org.

Celebrate 20 years of welcome, belonging, and opportunity that is Kinbrace Community Society (1998 – 2018). Get more information and register online here.

Join FIPA staff, board, members, and others in the information and privacy community at FIPA’s 2018 Annual General Meeting. The event will feature a talk by Vincent Gogolek who will be reflecting on his time with BC FIPA. Get more information here. To register, send an email to fipa@fipa.bc.ca with your name, email, phone number, and membership status.

  • Wednesday, June 20 (5:45 – 7:00 pm): YWCA Vancouver presents 2018 AGM & Tuning In: Examining Trends on Millennials, Masculinity and Gender Equality at  UBC Robson Square, Vancouver.

Please join us for YWCA Metro Vancouver’s Annual General Meeting. We are excited to welcome Shachi Kurl, Executive Director of the Angus Reid Institute, to deliver a keynote that will examine trends on millennials, masculinity and gender equality. Get more information and register online here.

  • Friday, June 29 (12:30 – 2:00 pm): Disability Alliance BC presents Snack & Chat: Filing Income Taxes – Tips and Benefits at #204 – 456 West Broadway, Vancouver.

Come to DABC’s 3rd Snack and Chat, and learn about income tax filing and the benefits of filing your income taxes. To register, please contact Val at 604-875-0188 or feedback@disabilityalliancebc.org. Lunch will be provided. Get more information here.

Stay informed:

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Visualizing Data for Legal Advocacy

The broader context

by Peter Kim, Communications & Digital Engagement Manager, Pivot Legal Society

Pivot Legal Society’s mission is to target and remove systemic barriers to justice for communities affected by poverty and social exclusion. We do this through strategic litigation, advocacy, and public education and outreach to empower those affected by homelessness, police violence, people engaged in sex work, and individuals who use substances.

Winning the court of public opinion

As a legal advocacy organization, our most pressing battles to advance the rights of disenfranchised communities are fought in the courtrooms of law; but in today’s digital age, where the flow of information is never-ending, we strive for change in the court of public opinion as well. We do this through our use of data as a powerful visual tool to convey meaning in an accessible manner.

Making sense of data using interactive infographics

Our four campaign areas—sex work, drug policy, homelessness, and police accountability—are richly supported by data sets and research that remains, in large part, inaccessible from mainstream consumption. Pivot translates this information into a meaningful form to enhance its communications campaigns: interactive infographics.

Click on the image to view the interactive infograph
Click on the image to view the interactive infograph

We use data to tell a story, be it the dire urgency of the current overdose epidemic or ways in which police enforcement interferes with public health efforts. Interactive infographics deliver meaning instantly. Where a paragraph of words struggles to convey its message in minutes, a graph or chart can effortlessly deliver meaning within seconds.

 

Click on the image to view the interactive infographic
Click on the image to view the interactive infographic

This is significant because of the way in which people consume information in the social media age. Words alone often fail to register because of shortened attention spans and a propensity to rapidly scroll on our smartphones. We have become an audience spoiled by choice and quantity. Infographics are that visual aid to capture the interest of the easily distracted and draw them in.

 

Click on the image to interact with the graph on Pivot Legal Society's website
Click on the image to interact with the graph on Pivot Legal Society’s website

Increasing online engagement

We have seen a measurable impact in the way our visuals have engaged our online audience. This blog post on the scale of British Columbia’s overdose crisis and harm reduction efforts had an average “time on page” value of 6:38 seconds—an eternity by online standards.

Plotting a harm reduction map

Click on a location to learn more about the site. Zoom in and out to get a better view.

Pivot has created one of the first harm reduction maps of its kind in Canada, plotting the locations of all Health Canada-approved supervised consumption sites and many of the country’s overdose prevention sites. The content has received over 30,000 impressions so far and has been shared with other health service providers.

Using interactive infographics as a tool for legal advocacy

The innovative yet disruptive forces of the internet are forcing industries to evolve. The news media and brick and mortar retail are two such examples where adaptation isn’t an option, but rather an imperative for survival.

To a lesser degree, how we communicate and engage our community of supporters and the public more generally must also adapt to compete in the marketplace of information, already a crowded space where the strength of content alone isn’t enough. Interactive infographics are just one tool we use to give us the edge and help us achieve our strategic objectives to improve the lives of Canada’s most marginalized people.

Stay Informed with Pivot Legal Society:

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2018 Bi-Monthly Update Series: March/April

New on Clicklaw, The broader context

To keep you informed, here are some highlights of changes and updates made to Clicklaw in March and April:

Jan-Feb | Mar-Apr | May-Jun | Jul-Aug | Sep-Oct | Nov-Dec

Courthouse Libraries BC

New extended hours for Kamloops, Nanaimo, New Westminster locations: Monday to Friday, from 8:30-12:00 pm, 12:30-4:00 pm.

The Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch (CBA BC)

Many Dial-A-Law scripts have been updated. For a complete list of these resources, see their listings here (sorted by “last reviewed date”). Some of the updated scripts are:

Disability Alliance BC

The following resources have been updated:

The help sheets and videos from the series “How I Need to Know” are now available on Clicklaw. The publications provide information for people with disabilities who are victims of crime. See the listings here (sorted in alphabetical order).

Legal Services Society

New and updated publications:

New languages other than English are now available for the following publications:

Parents Legal Centre

The Parents Legal Centre (PLC) provides a lawyer and an advocate to help parents in select locations settle their child protection matters early on and collaboratively (everyone works together). Locations: Surrey and Vancouver.

Nidus

Pivot Legal Society

One of our new contributor organizations have made their resources available on Clicklaw:

Is That Legal? (CyberMisogyny Legal Guide)
by West Coast LEAF

Understanding Canadian law on issues of online harassment, exploitation, & abuse. Now available in Arabic, Chinese (simplified & traditional), Punjabi, and Spanish. Co-published with Legal Services Society.

Strata Property Law—Phase Two
by British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI)

This project is intended to make recommendations to reform the Strata Property Act, in seven identified areas, to help in the development of the next generation of strata-property law in British Columbia.

Environmental Law Centre UVic

Their work on legal issues affecting the environment in BC have been recently added to Clicklaw. See the full listings here and some of their most recent reports below.

Landlord Registry™
by LandlordBC

A program for landlords & building/property managers in BC. For $39 plus tax, enrollees receive access to the e-learning tool I Rent It Right™ and a 3 year access to the online tool kit. This program provides them with fundamental education & best practises in regard to the Residential Tenancy Act.

Property Assessment Appeal Board – Online Dispute Resolution
by the Property Assessment Appeal Board of BC

This new service is available for you to appeal the property assessment of your residential properties. It allows you to have the option to resolve your appeal completely online.

An Evaluation of the Cost of Family Law Disputes: Measuring the Cost Implication of Various Dispute Resolution Methods
by the Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family

This study describes the results of a survey of family law lawyers and their views of the use of collaborative processes, mediation, arbitration and litigation in family law disputes.

Stay informed:

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May 2018 Events (BC-wide, Online)

Clicklaw events, The broader context

Bookmark this post! It will be updated as more events are announced. You can also get frequent updates via our Twitter. Have a suggestion? Email us.

BCCLA members and friends are invited to hear highlights of the BCCLA’s work over the past year, as well as our key priorities into the months ahead. We will also attend to usual AGM business and announce our newly elected Board of Directors. Registration required. Get more information and register online here.

  • Thursday, May 3 (12:00 – 1:00 pm): Courthouse Libraries BC presents the webinar Legal Aid Services for Indigenous People.

This webinar is aimed primarily at frontline staff working in community organizations and public libraries throughout BC. Our goal is to help you be better able to support Indigenous clients facing legal issues by knowing about the services and resources available in your communities.

Our presenter, Rhaea Bailey, is the Legal Services Society Manager of Indigenous Services. She will provide an overview of the organization, the work they do, and how, when and where to access their services. Get more information and register online here.

  • May 3 – 10 (various dates): People’s Law School presents free classes on the legal issues of everyday living in Port Moody and Burnaby.
    • Thursday, May 3 (7:00 – 8:30 pm) Strata Homeowner Survival Guide – Port Moody Library. Register in person at the library, or by calling 604-469-4577. Get more information here.
    • Thursday, May 10 (7:00 – 8:30 pm) Wills and Estates – Burnaby Public Library – McGill Branch. Register in person at the library, or by calling 604-299-8955. Get more information here.
  • May 3 – 22 (various dates): Plan Institute presents events by phone and in Vancouver:
    • Thursday, May 3 (7:00 – 9:00 pm) Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning Workshop – Plan Institute Office, Suite 260 – 3665 Kingsway, Vancouver. Cost: $65.00 per person or $90.00 for two. Register online here.
    • Tuesday, May 22 (7:00 – 9:00 pm) Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) – teleseminar by phone/computer. Cost: free. Register online here.
  • May 10 – 16 (various dates): Law for Nonprofits presents various workshops in Creston, Nakusp, Golden, Invermere, Kaslo, and Vancouver.
    • Thursday, May 10 (2:00 pm – 4:00 pm) Societies Act Transition Workshop – College of the Rockies – Creston campus. Free if your organization is registered with the West Kootenay Transition Hub. Get more information and register online here.
    • Wednesday, May 16 (9:30 am – 12:00 pm) Employment and Human Rights 101 Workshop –  the Alliance for Arts + Culture, Vancouver. The fee is $50. City of Vancouver Bursaries available. Get more information and register online here.
    • Wednesday, May 16 (1:30 pm – 4:00 pm) Societies Act Transition Workshop –  the Alliance for Arts + Culture, Vancouver. The fee is $50. City of Vancouver Bursaries available. Get more information and register online here.
    • Thursday, May 17 (1:00 – 3:00 pm) Societies Act Transition Workshop – Selkirk College, Nakusp. Free if your organization is registered with the West Kootenay Transition Hub. Get more information and register online here.
    • Thursday, May 24 (1:00 – 2:30 pm) Societies Act Transition Workshop – Golden. Free if your organization is registered with the East Kootenay Transition Hub. Get more information and register online here.
    • Thursday, May 24 (1:00 – 2:30 pm) Societies Act Transition Workshop – Invermere. Free if your organization is registered with the East Kootenay Transition Hub. Get more information and register online here.
    • Wednesday, May 30 (1:00 – 3:00 pm) Societies Act Transition Workshop – Selkirk College, Kaslo. Free if your organization is registered with the West Kootenay Transition Hub. Get more information and register online here.

Stay informed:

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Organization of the Month | April 2018

New on Clicklaw, The broader context

This month, we feature Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch, a Clicklaw contributor.

CBABC is the provincial division of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA). The CBA is a professional, voluntary organization representing 38,000 lawyers, judges, Quebec notaries, law teachers, and law students from across Canada. More than 6,700 are members of the BC Branch. CBABC operates the Dial-A-Law service.

Law Week 2018 is fast approaching and the Canadian Bar Association’s BC Branch is looking forward to celebrating the signing of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms during the week of April 16-22, 2018.

Originated by the Canadian Bar Association and first held in Canada in 1983, Law Week provides an excellent opportunity for the legal profession to educate the public about the vital role that lawyers and the judiciary serve in guaranteeing an open, independent and unbiased judicial system.

Law Week events are held in communities throughout British Columbia during the month of April and into May this year and are made possible through the efforts of lawyers who donate thousands of hours of volunteer time across Canada.

2018 Events include: courthouse tours, free public law classes, Dial-A-Lawyer Day, The Barry Sullivan Law Cup, Meet the Chiefs student forum, and Judges in the Classroom.

Dial-A-Lawyer Day is an annual event and an integral part of Law Week in BC. British Columbians are invited to speak with a lawyer for up to 15 minutes at no cost about the following areas of law: Business, Employment, Family, Immigration, Tort & Motor Vehicle, and Wills & Estates. Last year, a staggering 325 calls were answered by a group of 20 volunteer lawyers who provided the public with this very valuable service.

Law Week is a collaborative project organized through the partnership of the BC Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia, the Law Foundation of British Columbia, the Law Society of British Columbia, the Vancouver Bar Association, and the Trial Lawyers Association of BC.

To find out more information about Law Week and how you can participate, visit the Law Week website.

Follow and participate on Twitter: @BCLawWeek  #BCLawWeek

In other news…

Earlier this year, CBABC announced the launch of the new BC Legal Directory. After 30 years in print, the publication is now a purely online experience optimized for mobile devices and fully accessible to the public for the first time.

The BC Legal Directory is the most comprehensive listing of BC lawyers, including private practice, corporate counsel and government lawyers. The directory also includes the judiciary, paralegals, notaries and law-related groups such as law schools and local bar associations. Lawyer profiles are searchable by name, location, languages spoken and areas of practice. The directory offers more robust profiles and wider exposure for legal professionals, along with the capacity to update a profile at any time.

Stay informed with CBABC:

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Extended Hours in Kamloops, Nanaimo and New West Courthouse Libraries

Uncategorized

Courthouse Libraries BC (CLBC) is pleased to announce extended hours in three heavily used branches, which will increase access for members of the public.

As of today, Kamloops, Nanaimo, and New Westminster will all be open full time, Monday to Friday, from 8:30-12:00 pm, 12:30-4:00 pm. The extended official hours assure that members of the public and all lawyers have more access on Fridays, and that all clients in these locations can benefit from staff expertise for extended hours as well.

These improvements are made possible by funding from the Law Society of BC and Law Foundation of BC. CLBC’s vision is for members of the public as well as lawyers to have the legal information they need and the skills to use it. Now Kamloops, Nanaimo, and New Westminster will offer a similar level of in-person service as CLBC’s other regional libraries in Prince George and Kelowna.

Vancouver and Victoria branches continue to offer continuous uninterrupted staff assistance from Monday to Friday, from 8:30-4:30 pm.

“In person help from our law librarians is consistently ranked as one of the most valued services we offer”, said Kensi Gounden, CLBC’s Chief Executive Officer. “A lawyer can shave hours off their research time with the help of a law librarian’s expertise, and members of the public benefit immeasurably from a librarian who is trained in reference even if that guidance does not extend to legal advice.” Learn more about CLBC’s many services, including free CPD training and remote access to select subscriptions, at www.courthouselibrary.ca

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