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• Surrey Inns of Court 2024

  • Start
    Thursday, September 26, 2024
  •  
    5:30 PM
  • End
    Thursday, February 20, 2025
  •  
    8:30 PM
  • Location
    Morgan Creek Golf Course - Creekside Room (except for sessions #5 and #6 - see below)
  • Spaces left
    0

  Registration is closed

  
  

  SURREY INNS OF COURT 2024 

  REGISTRATION IS NOW FULL!  

     

  The Surrey Inns of Court is set to launch a third season!
  

  Come and join us for a meal and the opportunity to sit down and discuss a variety of topics with judges and senior legal counsel. Topics will be related to legal ethics, practice management, expert witnesses, trial advocacy and professional responsibility. There will be opportunity to practice direct and cross-examination skills with the benefit of feedback from a judge and senior legal counsel.

  The program runs from September to February and is available to lawyers 6 years call and under.

  Still wondering if this program is for you? Here are some comments from previous participants:

  “I attended the Surrey Inns of Court program during my first year of call and found it incredibly helpful. The program uses presentations and practical exercises to provide attendees with structured insight into a variety of helpful litigation topics, including how to conduct direct and cross-examination, preparing your case for trial, and tendering expert evidence. In addition to the structured learning, the program also provides attendees with the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions with senior members of the Bar and members of the Bench over dinner. I learned so much through both aspects of this program that I would not have had the opportunity to learn otherwise, and I feel far more equipped to continue building my litigation practice than I did before. I highly recommend the program to any junior litigator looking for mentorship and guidance.”

  “The Surrey Inns of Court Program provides a collegial and welcoming environment for junior lawyers to not only learn critical advocacy skills, but also provides the invaluable opportunity to network with senior lawyers and judges of the Surrey Bar.”

  “What I enjoyed most of all was the informal table conversations, where we had opportunities to ask questions and hear from senior counsel and judges, and just get to know them on a more personal level. A lot of the learning for me happened during those table conversations.”

  Partnering with a faculty roster of local judges and experienced counsel, the Surrey Inns of Court was established in the long standing inherited English tradition of our profession fostering meaningful and lasting mentoring relationships between junior lawyers and experienced counsel and judges to promote professionalism and competence.   

  Sessions will be held at Morgan Creek Golf Course Creekside Room  and other locations TBA  and will include discussions of topics relevant to newer counsel along with ample time to connect with senior colleagues and members of the bench over dinner and/or canapés. 

  Please note that the IOC sessions build on previous topics and discussions. Participants are expected to attend all sessions where possible.  

  As a result of generous sponsorship, we are able to offer the  entire series of 7 sessions for $500.00. Price includes:

  • meals on five of the evenings and canapés for two evenings
  • 20 hours of CPD credit (including 2 hours of ethics/practice management)
  • SBA membership for the balance of 2024 

  For those with a Legal Aid practice, bursaries of up to 50% may be available by emailing LABC directly. 

  The 2024 iteration of our IOC is now SOLD OUT.  To be considered for the 2025 IOC, please complete the APPLICATION FORM and return it to Cheryl Stanley.

  GENERAL OVERVIEW
  

  Session #1 - September 26, 2024 - General Practice - Morgan Creek - Dinner

  • Collegiality and Decorum
  • Communications with other counsel/colleagues (ie professionalism/ high conflict situations) 
  • Communications with the Court
  • Working/ dealing with self-represented litigants (practice points/access to justice/ views from the bench)
  • 3 hrs CPD credit including ethics/practice management

  Session #2 - October 17, 2024 - Ethics & Integrity - Morgan Creek - Dinner 

  We are pleased to welcome Justice S. David Frankel (Retired) who brings a wealth of experience as a former justice on the BC Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of BC, years as counsel with the Federal Department of Justice and now an Alternate Chair of the BC Review Board.
  

  • the BC Code of Professional Conduct
  • Conflicts of interest: clients and the court
  • Ethical dilemmas: instructions from clients; instructions from other lawyers; navigating situations where you perceive a conflict, but the other side doesn't; and managing situations where your own self-interest doesn't align with your client's interest or your duty to the court
  • 3 hrs CPD credit incl. ethics/practice management

  Session #3 - November 7, 2024 - Expert Witnesses - Morgan Creek - Dinner
  

  • Guest Gloria Ng. and an expert TBA will discuss topics surrounding expert witnesses, (moderated by the Honourable Judge Jetté), including:

    • The expert's duty to the court, client's and counsel
    • Ensuring a properly qualified expert – duty of the lawyer
    • Proper qualification of experts and the dangers of straying outside of permissible bounds
    • Disclosure challenges and ethical obligations in family, civil and criminal matters
    • Views from an expert
    • 3 hrs CPD credit incl. ethics/practice management

  Session #4 - November 27, 2024 - Preparation & Presentation of Your Case - Morgan Creek - Dinner

  • The importance of knowing your case and development of a theory
  • Drafting litigation documents and brining the theory to life including: correspondence with counsel and the court/ pleadings, & minutes of settlement & agreements
  • Planning and organizing your case to convey the story effectively
  • Preparing and presenting compelling oral and written arguments
  • 3 hrs CPD credit

  Session #5 - January 23, 2025 - Advocacy Part 1 - Morgan Creek - Dinner

  • Preparing and presenting an opening
  • Preparing and conducting direct examination
  • Preparing and conducting cross examination
  • Preparing and presenting a closing
  • 3 hrs CPD credit

  Session #6 - February 6, 2025 - Advocacy Part 2 - Surrey Provincial Court - Canapés

  • Preparing and conducting direct examination (practical session)
  • Preparing and conducting cross examination (practical session) 
  • 2 hrs CPD credit

  Session #7 - February 20, 2025 - Closing Dinner - Morgan Creek

  • Discussion of a variety of topics of your choice
  • 3 hrs CPD credit

  *Location of sessions and topics subject to change depending on size of the class, venue and guest availability.

  The 2024 Inns of Court is sponsored by: 

  
  

  

  
  

  

  

  

  

  
  

  
  

  If your firm, business or organization is interesting in sponsoring the Inns of Court, please contact:

  Cheryl Stanley or Gordon Kabanuk

  SPONSORSHIP LEVELS
  

  Firms under 10: $500.00

  Firms over 10: $1000.00

  
  

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• Surrey Inns of Court 2024 Dinner Purchase (Judges)

  • Start
    Thursday, September 26, 2024
  •  
    5:30 PM
  • End
    Thursday, February 20, 2025
  •  
    8:30 PM
  • Location
    Morgan Creek Golf Course - Creekside Room

  Register

  SURREY INNS OF COURT 2024  - DINNER PURCHASE  (JUDGES)

     

  Cost of each dinner for Judges is $60.00.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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