Canadian Trademarks: Year in Review 2016
Once again in 2016 there has been no progress to bring into force the significant amendments passed in 2014 to the Trade-marks Act, R.S.C. 1985, ... Continued
The Executor’s Year
For those involved in estate administration there is, from time to time, reference made to the “executor’s year.” The following will discuss two questions which ... Continued
Commercial Host Liability – Pub liable for accident caused by intoxicated patron
In the recent decision of Widdowson v. Rockwell, 2017 BCSC 385, the Supreme Court of British Columbia found the owners of the Cambie Bar & ... Continued
Legal Trend: evidence of testamentary intent can ‘save’ otherwise invalid wills or gifts
Background The recently reported case of Bach Estate (Re)[1] is the first decision to rule on section 43 of the Wills, Estate and Succession Act[2] ... Continued
Government of Canada releases first Interim Report on Medical Assistance in Dying
The federal government recognizes that, for all Canadians, medical assistance in dying is a difficult and deeply personal issue. It is important to defend people’s ... Continued
Strata wind-up expertise
With the help of our strata property and real estate teams, the owners in a 58-unit condo development, named Brandywine, successfully petitioned the British Columbia ... Continued
Finalized Canadian Free Trade Agreement to Replace Agreement on Internal Trade
On April 7, 2017, a Canadian Free Trade Agreement (“CFTA“) News Release announced that Ministers representing the federal, provincial and territorial governments concluded negotiations on ... Continued
Innovative seminar well-received by trial lawyers
Amy Mortimore and Mark Weintraub, Q.C., chaired the Trial Lawyers Association’s professional development seminar on estate litigation on April 7, 2017. Amy and Mark’s approach blended ... Continued
Another leading case by our estates team: Court Confirms Multiple Wills for Business Owners
We recently acted in the first BC court case to confirm that multiple wills may be used to reduce probate taxes for business owners. We ... Continued
Legacy donors: Joan and Tom Webster
Many British Columbians do not have a will. According to a 2014 report for BC Notaries, just 55% of us have a signed, legally valid and up-to-date will. ... Continued
The evolving test for wordwide Mareva injunctions or freezing orders
A Mareva injunction (or “freezing order”, as the relief is now called in England, where it originated) prevents a defendant, in many cases facing allegations ... Continued
Leaving a legacy: Loran and Carol
For Loran and Carol Wright, charitable giving isn’t a conscious decision—it’s an ingrained act that is as natural as breathing. They have early memories of ... Continued