Upcoming 2025 webinars:
Courthouse Libraries BC and Community Legal Assistance Society’s Stand Informed Legal Advice Services: Break the Silence on Sexual Violence: Ending the use of coercive legal agreements.
Presenters:
Sarah Marsden, Director of Systems Change and Legal, First United Church and Consultant for Stand Informed-Speak Out, CLAS, and Elizabeth Korompai, Outreach Coordinator, Speak Out and Stand Informed legal advice service, CLAS.
Description:
Through the #MeToo Movement we learned that silencing complainants with Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) causes further trauma and harm, and protects perpetrators, enabling them to continue abusing others. Join presenters from Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS)’s Speak Out project for an interactive discussion on the misuse of NDAs, and their role in perpetuating gender-based violence and systemic inequalities. The presenters will introduce CLAS’s new community consultation initiative, Speak Out, aimed to develop policy and law reform recommendations to improve reporting in organizations of gender-based violence and regulate NDAs. This workshop is open to anyone interested in learning more about NDAs and the Speak Out project. As well as lawyers and advocates, we welcome those working in community-serving organizations in non-legal roles and members of the public.
This session is designed for advocates and lawyers and presented in partnership with Courthouse Libraries BC and Community Legal Assistance Society’s Stand Informed Legal Advice Services.
Participants in this presentation may claim up to 1.5 hours of CPD credit with LSBC (including 0.5 professional responsibility and ethics and practice management).
Date and time:
Tuesday, January 28, 2025 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
To register:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zgeUjuDVSSO7sKer8CPJYw
Courthouse Libraries BC and Community Legal Assistance Society’s Stand Informed Legal Advice Services: Advising Sexual Assault Complainants on Privacy Rights and Admissibility of Private Records in Criminal Trials.
Presenters:
Stephanie Dickson, Pender Litigation
Description:
Criminal proceedings are especially daunting for sexual assault complainants when their credibility and reliability are questioned, and their private records disclosed during trials. R. v. J.J., 2022 SCC 28 improved privacy protections of sexual assault complainants and expanded their rights to participate in court applications that decide when their private information, including third party records, can be used in trials. In this presentation, Stephanie Dickson will discuss R. v. J.J., relevant Criminal Code sections 276-278, and when and how such applications may be made. Stephanie will also highlight best practices in working and supporting clients to navigate sections 276-278 in criminal proceedings.
Presented in partnership with Courthouse Libraries BC and Community Legal Assistance Society’s Stand Informed Legal Advice Services.
Participants in this presentation may claim up to 1.0 hours of CPD credit with LSBC.
Date and time:
Tuesday, February 11, 2025 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
To register:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rX8Ed2FnSLCXIcmVFvCSIQ
Courthouse Libraries BC and Community Legal Assistance Society’s Stand Informed Legal Advice Services: Advising Sexual assault Complainants on Varying or Revoking Publication Bans in Criminal Trials
Presenters:
Janet Dickie, Crown Counsel, Crown Counsel, BC Prosecution Service and Kelly Farvo, My Voice, My Choice.
Description:
Until October 2023, sexual assault complainants who wanted to tell their story were often silenced by publication bans under Criminal Code section 486.4, which most of whom were never informed about when criminal proceedings commenced. Recently enacted Criminal Code section 486.51 now provides sexual assault complainants the opportunity to change or revoke publication ban orders on their own names. Join us for interactive panel discussion with Janet Dickie, Crown Counsel, and Kelly Farvo, the first person in BC’s history to have a section 486.4 publication ban vacated on her name by self-representation in the Supreme Court of BC in 2021. Janet Dickie and Kelly Farvo will provide their respective perspectives on revoking or varying publication bans, discuss the application process and offer practical information for lawyers providing independent legal advice to sexual assault complainants navigating section 486.51 applications.
Presented in partnership with Courthouse Libraries BC and Community Legal Assistance Society’s Stand Informed Legal Advice Services.
Participants in this presentation may claim up to 1.5 hours of CPD credit with LSBC.
Date and time:
Tuesday, March 11, 2025 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
To register:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8dwtrXtmQkaZUSa6jLWM6w
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More CPD opportunities
Archived webinars
Archived webinars are organized by topic. If you plan to review a previously recorded course for CPD credit, it is your responsibility to ensure that your review of the course meets the Law Society of BC's Eligible Activities for continuing professional development.
Legal research course
This course, which is eligible for CPD credit, is a series of videos that demonstrate how to plan a research strategy and employ specific research skills. In the videos we show you how to use popular legal research tools that are free (CanLII) or that you can use for free at the BC Courthouse Libraries.
Take the course (including self-assessment quiz questions) through the Law Society's Brightspace platform.