Surrey Bar Association News

2025 President's Report

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 02:20:47 GMT

Surrey Bar Association -2025 President's Report - P.G. Kent

The Surrey Bar Association has continued to support its membership in 2025. Over the past year we have held get-together social "minglers", hosted the ever-popular Township 7 Winery Event, and held a very-well attended Bench & Bar Reception to welcome's Surrey's newly appointed Judges. The Inns of Court Program continues to thrive and was sold out once again this Fall.

I wish to thank personally those members of the Executive who have volunteered their time and effort this past year. Cheryl Stanley, Christie Gilmour, Joey Doyle and Jiya Dassan have all had to leave the Board this term, and their contributions will be sorely missed. A special thank you to Cheryl for all her hard work on making the Inns of Court program the success that it has become, and to all the volunteer Judges and senior lawyers who have played a role in mentoring our younger members of the Bar.

Thank you too, to Peter Buxton, K.C. for all his efforts in heading up the Social Committee- scouting locations, meeting with event planners, and being the social "fixer". To all who attended our events, and supported the Surrey Bar Association through donations and sponsorship and volunteerism, I thank you as well. Without that support we would not be the organization that we have become.

It has been an honour and privilege to serve as President of the Surrey Bar Association. I thank all our members, our hard-working executive, and our partners in the local bench and Bar for their support and contributions. A special thank you to Fraser Region Regional Administrative Judge Bowry for her valuable input and her liaising efforts. It is most appreciated.

I look forward to continued growth of the SBA in 2026 and the ongoing nurturing of a strong and collegial local Bar.

Yours truly

P.G. Kent

President 2025

SBA Bench & Bar Reception 2025!

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 05:11:51 GMT

We are pleased to announce that our 2025 SBA Bench & Bar Reception will take place on Oct 30th at the Civic Hotel in Surrey. Rather than a formal banquet, we have opted for a more free flowing evening of appetizers and a greater chance to mingle as we welcome our new judges. Don't miss out! Tickets can be purchased here.

Surrey Inns of Court Returns!

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 21:08:52 GMT

The Surrey Inns of Court program returns this fall (2025)! Details along with application and registration information may be found here. If you have any questions, please email Cheryl Stanley.

4th Annual SBA Township 7 Winery Summer Social a Resounding Success

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 05:28:19 GMT

Our Summer Social was SOLD OUT! The weather cooperated wonderfully and a great time was had by all! A BIG thank you to our sponsors: KSW Lawyers, Origin Law Group, McQuarrie, MTC Law and Grewal Litigation!

4th Annual SBA Township 7 Winery Summer Social

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 21:11:09 GMT

Our summer social is back at the Township 7 Vineyards and Winery on July 17, 2025. Check out the event and ticket information @ https://surreybar.org/event-6221858

Judge James Henry

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 00:23:12 GMT

We are excited to announce that our very own SBA member and long time local lawyer, James Henry, was appointed and sworn in as a judge of the Provincial Court of BC on March 21, 2025! Judge Henry had most recently been working as Crown Counsel in Surrey since 2017 and prior to that as defence counsel in Surrey and the Fraser Valley. Congratulations Judge Henry!

2024 President's Report

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 06:01:32 GMT

Surrey Bar Association – 2024 President’s Report

It has been an incredible year to be your president. The Surrey Bar Association has continued it long tradition of hosting regular “minglers” throughout the year. We have continued the Inns of Court Program into its third year. We hosted numerous Lunch and Learn Continuing Professional Development talks.

We were hoping to re-introduce the Bench and Bar Dinner but due to some scheduling conflicts, we were unable to make it happen this year.

This year also marked an unusual development with the government’s decision to move forward with Bill 21, a now passed piece of legislation that completely overhauls the Law Society of British Columbia. The SBA hosted a very well attended information session with the President of the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia.

The Surrey Bar Association also continued a presence and voice on many relevant decision-making committees such as the Surrey Court Users Committee and the Mental Health Committee.

As your president it has been an honor to serve the members of the Surrey Bar Association. I would like to thank our members, hard-working executive, and partners in the local bar and judiciary for another successful year. I am looking forward to an even better year in 2025.

Joshua Krueger SBA President 2024

Surrey Inns of Court 2024

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 19:22:15 GMT

All lawyers in the Fraser Region practicing 6 years or less:

THE SURREY INNS OF COURT IS BACK!

Register NOW!

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 offers 20 hours of CPD credit including 2 hours of Ethics/Practice Management.

Register NOW! Don't delay: 2023 sold out!

Judge Cohen's Retirement Ceremony

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 22:16:40 GMT

LAST SITTING OF

THE HONOURABLE JUDGE GARY COHEN

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024

COURTROOM 101 at 4:30 PM

SURREY, BRITISH COLUMBIA

ORDER OF CEREMONY

1. Call to Order

2. Remarks from:

· The Honourable Chief Judge Melissa Gillespie (presiding)

· The Honourable Regional Administrative Judge Rita Bowry

· Douglas Robinson, KC, on behalf of the Canadian Bar Association

· Sandy Thompson, Family Bar

· Mike Fortino, BC Prosecution Services

· Chris Johnson, KC, Defence Bar

· Steven Point, UBC Chancellor, prior Lieutenant Governor of BC and judge of this court

3. Closing remarks by the Honourable Judge Gary Cohen

Reception to follow at Occasions at the Pond Restaurant

Congratulations to newly-designated KCs!

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 22:06:46 GMT

The Surrey Bar Association would like to extend our congratulations to two SBA members who recently received the King's Counsel designation, Rubinder (Rob) Dhanu and Gurminder Sandhu!

Rubinder Dhanu (2004) has vast expertise in criminal law, having worked both as a Crown prosecutor and defence attorney. His focus areas include drug, firearm and organized crime prosecutions, as well as representing victims of domestic and sexual violence. Dhanu has navigated all court levels, including the B.C. and Alberta Courts of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. From initiating his own law group as a sole practitioner in Vancouver, he has expanded his practice with more than 20 legal professionals across Abbotsford and Surrey. He has also mentored numerous associates and students.

Gurminder Sandhu (2000) is an experienced civil litigator practising throughout B.C. courts, focusing on general civil litigation, family law and insurance law. As a partner at his firm, Sandhu’s work covers various areas, including cases involving human rights issues, traumatic brain injuries and real estate disputes. He's a bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia since 2022 and served on the Federal Judicial Advisory Committee (B.C.) from 2021 to 2023.

Read about all the KC appointees here.

Welcome the 2024 SBA Executive!

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 21:55:29 GMT

Please welcome the new and returning SBA Executive for the 2024 year!

President: Joshua Krueger
Vice President: Chelsea Dubeau
Treasurer: Jatinder Singh Gill
Secretary: Gurleen Randhawa
Past President: Peter Buxton, KC
Directors at Large:
- Gordon Kabanuk
- Cheryl Stanley
- Junki Hong
- Zain Ali
- Christie Gilmour
- Spencer Hamade
- Soleman Hashmi
- Navdip Chhabra
- Gurinder Cheema
- Paul Kent
- Joey Doyle

Read the full profiles of our executive team here.

President's Report 2023

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 22:36:13 GMT

This has been a year of growth and engagement for the Surrey Bar Association.

We hosted “get togethers” in the spring, summer, and fall, including a very special event at one of the local wineries. These in-person events are particularly useful in increasing networking opportunities and providing informal interaction between members of the bench and practitioners.

We entered year two of the Inns of Court Program with full enrolment and a wide variety of topics of discussion. We had dinners at the Morgan Creek Golf Course and wonderful presentations by experts in a wide variety of topics. We thank the senior practitioners who volunteered their time and the judges that attended to provide a “view from the bench” on the subject matter. Many thanks to our committee members who made this a memorable experience.

We decided to move our Bench and Bar Dinner back to its traditional time of year and we look forward to presenting it in the Spring of 2024.

Our membership has remained constant, but we are working hard to expand it by providing innovative and relevant opportunities, including:
- Lunch and learn opportunities,
- Quarterly “get togethers”,
- Expanded website interactions,
- Providing a voice on the Surrey court Mental Health Committee, and
- Managing the barristers’ lounge at the Surrey Provincial Court.

I have enjoyed my time as your President, and I look forward to continued participation and work with the Surrey Bar Association. I thank everyone who helped me in this task.

Sincerely,

Peter Buxton K.C.

SBA President 2023.

Christmas Toy Drive 2023

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 07:04:51 GMT

EMAIL AND DATES:

This year’s direct deposit email is: 2023toyfund@gmail.com. The fundraiser runs from November 1, 2023 – December 4, 2023.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION:

A $30 deposit by e transfer to 2023toyfund@gmail.com gets an Indigenous child in care an age-appropriate Christmas gift. All funds go directly to purchasing, wrapping and delivering the toys for kids and gift cards for teens. Helps Law matches up to 100 gifts!

INFORMATION:

Thank you all for your participation in the past in the CBABC Aboriginal Lawyer’s Forum/Helps Law Corporation Christmas Toy Drive! I am immensely proud of, and grateful for, my astonishing community.

I am so excited to announce that once again this year, I am asking for a $30 donation from individuals and organizations to buy a toy for an Indigenous child in care through the Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society. This is the fourth year we’ve done this drive and every year, it is the highlight of my Christmas season.

This year, I’m reaching out directly to you because much of our campaigning used to be done on social media, most notably twitter (now ‘X’). Unfortunately, despite more need than ever, social media engagement is at its lowest point since I started using the medium. I would be appreciative if you would pass on this information to your friends, family, colleagues and anyone who might be so moved to contribute.

The world right now is very dark. People feel insignificant in the face of conflicts, slaughter, and war. I remember being very much in that same place in 2017 when Isabel Jackson, KC, then the head of ALF, spoke at a Canadian Bar Association BC Branch. When she said there were children in our community going without for Christmas, I felt better because I knew there was something I could do – you can’t do something about everything, but, as my best friend always says, you can do what is within your reach. Children not getting Christmas gifts in our community? We can do something about that!

Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services (VACFSS) is an Indigenous led organization that ensures the well-being of Indigenous children and youth who have come into a continuing care order. They are the sole provider of MCFD services to the Indigenous community in Vancouver. Their work is crucial to reducing the numbers of Indigenous youth in care through a commitment of developing child specific lifelong plans with an emphasis on returning to family, extended family and community and secondly to ensuring that those children that are leaving the system are doing so with a strong Indigenous identity and a leadership vision of their future.

The toys supplied go straight to VACFSS on December 10 this year, and each of the children or teens under their ambit will receive a gift, as will the families for food luxury. I am so proud to support VACFSS, and we work hand in hand with them to ensure we are meeting their needs.

Our toy sponsor, Granville Island Toy Company, has joined us again! Joanna, Tanyth and their team select the toys based on age group and popularity (they never give us their dead stock; last year, Barbies and Lego and Playmobil were all included!), give us a 10% discount and wrap and deliver the toys for us in time for the VACFSS banquet and distribution. They are our secret weapon and we’d be hard pressed to do it all without them. Granville Island Toy Company is a small, woman-owned local business so every penny we give them also comes back into our community. I encourage you to patronize them (I bought all my nephews toys from them last year!) as they are, truly, a beacon in our community.

Last year, we raised $11,200, which paid for more than 200 toys, 50 HappyTeen gift cards of $50 each, 50 President’s Choice gift cards at $50 each for food luxury for the families and 30 Walmart gift cards of $50 each for special needs families who had household need. A small leftover amount was donated to the Native Education Centre.

Helps Law collects the funds, deposits them into a separate account and then distributes the funds based on the direct feedback from VACFSS about their need. We keep accountable by posting tallies and receipts on twitter, facebook and sending those accountings to VACFSS and ALF. We do not give charitable receipts, but I can certainly send you an email acknowledging your donation should you need it, and Helps Law derives no benefit or taxation status from doing this fundraiser – we just cover the costs and match up to 100 gifts.

Please do not hesitate to contact me for any information. You guys! It’s the most wonderful time of the year – let’s make sure everyone in need can say the same to their kids. Please pass this email on!!!

With love and gratitude,

Lisa

HELPS LAW CORPORATION

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts BC

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 00:01:57 GMT

The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), an interdisciplinary and international association of professionals dedicated to the resolution of family conflict, is establishing a BC Chapter. An inaugural event will be held 12:30 pm on November 14, 2023 via Zoom, with Professor Nicholas Bala presenting the BC Parenting Plan Template with a following discussion with Prof. Bala and Judges Ferriss and Guild. For information on this event and membership please click here.

Surrey Inns of Court a Resounding Success!

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 20:13:50 GMT

Surrey Bench and Bar come together to form Inns of Court

In late 2019/early 2020, a group of lawyers and judges in British Columbia’s fastest growing municipality, Surrey, recognized the need to connect the judiciary and senior counsel with the junior bar to provide mentorship and professional development opportunities. From there the development of the Surrey Inns of Court program quickly took off through a partnership with the Surrey Bar Association and the local judiciary. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck and in person training events ceased, the formal Inns program went on hiatus. Not being deterred, the group quickly pivoted and successfully managed to deliver online advocacy training sessions to local lawyers with the help of some experienced presenters. These events were well attended and solidified the need for the Inns program in Surrey.

When pandemic restrictions eased, the Inns program was revived with the inaugural meeting in September 2022. From September 2022 to March 2023, a cohort comprised of lawyers under 6 years call from all practice areas met monthly with volunteer mentor Provincial Court judges and senior practitioners for evenings filled with conversation on topics related to legal ethics, practice management, expert witnesses, trial advocacy and professional responsibility. With the support of the Office of the Chief Judge, participants were also given an opportunity to practice their direct and cross-examination skills in a courtroom setting, afterhours, with the benefit of feedback from a judge and senior lawyer. Each monthly meeting was designed to stimulate conversation between the mentor judges, senior lawyers, and the participants over a meal in a relaxed and friendly environment. When the program’s 2022 session ended, it was clear that it was a resounding success and filled a need within the local bar. Feedback was provided by the participants:

“I appreciated the opportunity to practice conducting a cross-examination and direct examination in front of several judges and senior members of the bar. These mentors took the time to provide meaningful feedback tailored to each participant. Although the cross-examination and direct examination were based on a criminal law fact pattern, the practical tips that I learned during this session are equally applicable to the civil context.”

“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.”

“I believe that the collegiality of the Inns of Court Program is a very useful thing for younger lawyers. A relaxed and friendly environment, and the sharing of a meal with mentors and judges creates an atmosphere that fosters learning on a variety of topics relevant to the practice of law. The fact that a quest speaker/expert presents on a different topic at each dinner also gives insight into how that topic applies in practice.”

“The Surrey Inns of Court program was a phenomenal opportunity to connect with other members of our profession, and to pick the brains of some of Surrey’s senior counsel and members of the Bench. While each session was full of practical information, having an opportunity to practice direct/cross examination (and receive feedback) in front of a Judge was an invaluable experience - we so rarely get a “test run” in our profession!”

“Coming out of COVID, it was such a pleasure to be able to connect in person with colleagues around my year of call. It was also great to have guest judges and speakers attending both to share their knowledge and perspective, but also to make the courtroom a little less intimidating. It was a good and low-stakes environment to ask questions without being worried about being judged or messing something up mid-trial.”

Because of its success, the decision was made to carry on with the Inns program and a call for expressions of interest to the local bar has been made for the 2023-2024 season. Thank you to all who volunteered their time to enrich the learning of the participants and build the collegiality of the bench and bar in Surrey!

CBA (BC) Battle of the Bar Bands 2023

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 03:54:23 GMT

Another successful Battle of the Bar Bands raised over $168,000.00 for the CBC (BC) Benevolent Society that provides emergency funding to lawyers, students and their families in times of crisis when no other resources are available.

Congratulations to the Vancouver band "Still Living at Home" for winning the 2023 competition.

But most importantly, A HUGE THANK YOU to our local bar and others for your support!

As a result of your incredible generosity, our local band Crown Jewels was able to sell over 230 tickets and in combination raise over $40,000.00 for the Benevolent Fund! Much of that support came from our local small firms and individual lawyers. Well done!!

The SBA and Crown Jewels wishes to thank all who purchased tickets and acknowledge the following firms and individuals for their financial support:

Joseph M. Prodor

Jack Hittrich

Leo Fumano

David Ferguson

Dale Melville

Paul McMurray

David Milburn

Julie Grenier

Jordan Allingham

Allen Goldin

Harbir Rehlan

Ranjit Randawa

David Karp

Kristy Neurauter

Kevin Westell

Mike Klein

Gail Barnes

Vince Michaels

Abdul Abdulmalik

Mark Swartz

Aman Jaswal

Diana Davidson

Nima Sahebi

Hovan Patey

Zack Myers

Darrel Schultz

Guillaume Garih

Mark Berry

Casey St. Germain

Justin Dosanjh

Jeff Ray

Mark Gervin

Edison Heba

The Muldoon Family

Brian Coleman

Gordon Kabanuk

Brian Shaw

Vanessa Soon

New Executive For 2023

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 07:38:33 GMT

We are looking forward to a great 2023 and have elected a new executive to serve the SBA!

In particular we are pleased to announce Peter Buxton KC as our new President. Peter has a long history with the SBA going back to its earliest days and we are privileged to have him return to serve on our Executive. Check out Peter's profile and the rest of our crew here.

If you have any suggestions for ways the SBA may engage with our local legal community, please do not hesitate to reach out to any one of our executive members.

President's Report 2022

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 00:20:25 GMT

What an interesting year it’s been! As we gradually re-emerged following the immense challenges of COVID, the SBA moved back from an online world to what we love the most: in person social gatherings, networking, friendships and mentoring. In addition to “get togethers” in April, May, June, and October, 2022 saw the full official launch of our very own “Inns of Court for Surrey” – a sold out mentoring program established in the long- standing inherited tradition of fostering meaningful mentoring relationships between junior lawyers and experienced counsel and judges. Thank you to all the judges and senior lawyers who have given of their time and expertise along the local law firms that came alongside in sponsorship!

This year also saw the return of our very own Annual Bench & Bar Dinner after a 3- year hiatus! We were able to once again, enjoy an evening together reconnecting as friends and colleagues and welcoming additions to our local Bench.

The SBA continues to:
inform and provide a voice regarding issues impacting our local legal community through our website and emails;
offer CPDs;
participate in the Surrey Provincial Court Users Committee and the Surrey Court Mental Health Committee;
promote access to justice and sponsor initiatives (ie Access Pro Bono);
manage and support the Barrister’s Lounge at the Surrey Courthouse; and
look for ways to serve our local legal community.

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with this wonderful organization as President (once again) this past year, and wish to thank our members, hard-working executive, and partners in the local bar and judiciary for another successful year.

Gordon K. Kabanuk
SBA President 2022

SBA Annual Bench & Bar Dinner Returns!

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 04:42:41 GMT

We are excited to announce that our flagship annual event: the SBA Bench & Bar Dinner, returns Nov 3/22 after a 3 year hiatus! Details may be found here.

Discord for SBA Members

Thu, 19 May 2022 00:57:04 GMT

The SBA has set up a Discord forum where members may post on a variety of topics and even join voice channels to communicate live. We envision this online community to be a place for members to network and share. There are areas where members may post potential job offers, items for sale, suggest new CPD topics or discuss local and legal issues. You will need to set up a Discord account but the service is free.

Join SBA Discord

President's Report 2021

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 03:53:21 GMT

President's Report 2021 - Chelsea Dubeau

First off, I wish to express my appreciation to our members as we continue to navigate and adapt to our new normal.

We have transitioned to virtual meetings and events, including our Lunch & Learn featuring the Honourable Judge K. Ferriss discussing the transition to the new Provincial Court Family Rules, and the first session of the Surrey “Inns of Court" mentoring program focussing on effective cross-examination techniques. The success of this program is the result of the collaboration and hard work of a dedicated committee including both judges and lawyers, and we look forward to future sessions ranging in topics addressing all areas of practice.

The SBA remains committed to supporting charities and local causes. This year we were able to provide donations and support to Access Pro Bono, as well as assist new lawyers building their practices in Surrey by offering Criminal Codes, White Books, and other resources at no cost. We continue to appreciate the donations and support from our members.

The Barrister’s Lounge continues to be operational, providing court users’ access to copying and caffeine. We appreciate the cooperation of our members with the Surrey Court COVID protocols.

Our membership has steadily increased over the last few years, and we look forward to meeting with each other in person again. 2022 looks to be the return of the Bench & Bar Dinner, Westminster County Golf Tournament, and of course, our infamous seasonal Minglers.

To the departing executive directors, it was a pleasure to work with you and I offer my sincere thanks for your contributions to the legal community in Surrey. It has been my pleasure to serve as president of the Surrey Bar Association over the past year.

Chelsea Dubeau, SBA President 2020-2021

Surrey Inns of Court

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 00:27:54 GMT

We are pleased to announce that the Inns of Court for Surrey has officially launched with our first session to be held on April 29, 2021. For further details click here.

The Surrey Inns of Court was established in the long standing tradition of our profession to foster lasting mentoring relationships between newer calls to the Bar and experienced counsel and judges.

Ultimately, our plan is to hold meetings in more informal social settings. However, given the current restrictions as a result of COVID19, we will hold our sessions online for the time being.

For more information, contact Cheryl Stanley or Gordon Kabanuk

BC Prov Court Family Process

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 04:29:08 GMT

BC Provincial Court Family Process

Early Resolution & Case Management Registries

Implementing in Surrey and Victoria on Dec. 7, 2020

The Provincial Court of BC and Ministry of Attorney General have been working together to modernize the Provincial Court Family Rules.

On December 7, 2020, the Early Resolution and Case Management process model is being implemented in Surrey and Victoria after being prototyped in Victoria since 2019. The early resolution and case management process is designed to encourage parties to resolve family disputes by agreement or to help them obtain just and timely decisions in Provincial Court. The amended rules BC Reg. 525/2020 will apply to matters under the Family Law Act (FLA) in these two designated registries.

The early resolution and case management process introduces early resolution requirements for family law matters proceeding through Provincial Court. In the designated registries, people who want to resolve family law matters (parenting arrangements, child support, spousal support, contact with a child or guardianship of a child) will use this process.

Where appropriate, and not otherwise exempted, the process requires a party to meet early resolution requirements before filing an application about a family law matter. The requirements include: filing a notice to resolve and providing a copy of the notice to the other party, participating in a needs assessment with a family justice counsellor, completing a parenting education program and, if appropriate, participating in at least one consensual dispute resolution session. All other parties must also have met the early resolution requirements before filing a reply to an application about a family law matter.

If the parties have issues that can’t be resolved consensually with the help of a family justice counsellor or child support officer, a privately hired family mediator or a collaborative family law practitioner, they can ask the court for help by filing and serving an application about a family law matter.

The new process also introduces the family management conference, which is an informal, time-limited appearance scheduled before a judge, replacing the traditional first appearance. During this conference, the judge will further assist people to identify issues to be resolved and explore options for resolution. The judge may make certain interim orders, orders with the parties’ consent, case management orders to assist the parties in getting disclosure or otherwise assist with resolution and/or readiness for a hearing or trial, as well as conduct orders to manage interactions between the parties.

Note that the amended rules include a process for seeking orders related to protection orders under the FLA and priority parenting matters (which are defined in Rule 5.01) on a time sensitive basis.

SBA AGM 2020

Sun, 11 Oct 2020 22:56:59 GMT

Due to technical difficulties, the Surrey Bar Association Annual General Meeting that was originally set for Tuesday, September 8, 2020 has been rescheduled to take place on November 4, 2020 @ 5:30 p.m. via MS Teams. To register click here.

President's Report 2020 - Cheryl Stanley

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 04:15:20 GMT

President’s Report - Cheryl Stanley

Surrey Bar Association - September 2020

This has perhaps been the most eventful year in the history of the association. We began 2019 with the usual planned events. The 3^rd Annual WCBA Golf Tournament was an unrivaled success. The Annual Bench and Bar Dinner was a wonderful evening, celebrating (and roasting) new judicial appointments and enjoying each other’s company. In addition, we also enjoyed a number of informal social events providing an opportunity to meet new members.

In November, Adam Jantunen revived the Impaired Driving Update evening which was greatly enjoyed (perhaps a little too much)! We also reintroduced the Christmas Coffee event at the Surrey Courthouse to an overwhelming response. Both of these events will continue to be firm fixtures in our calendar. Other CPD events were available during the year.

We are acutely aware of the need to support those affected by mental health issues as they navigate the court process. To that end, we remain involved with the progress of the Surrey Mental Health Committee that Gord Kabanuk co-chairs with Judge Stark to assist in ensuring its success.

Our membership continues to grow in strength, and we have also opened up the criteria to include judges. We have garnered the support of the judges over the years and their addition to our membership has only enhanced the association.

We have continued to support relevant non-profit organizations. Most recently, we supported the Pro Bono Going Public virtual event that was held this month.

An additional focus for the year has been to assist young lawyers in their practice. To that end we called for the previous year’s Criminal Codes and White Books etc. that were no longer needed, to place in the hands of junior lawyers at no cost. This program has been well received and it is hoped to continue and expand the program to include other items that could assist lawyers building their practice.

In the same vein, we have set up a committee including both judges and lawyers to organize a Surrey Inns of Court. I currently co-chair this program with Judge Gill and it was anticipated that our first course would be offered this month. That brings me to the reason I described this year as our most eventful.

With COVID 19, many of the events planned for 2020 have been postponed. There was no 4^th Golf Tournament or Annual Bench and Bar Dinner, and social events have had to be deferred to another time.

We are mindful that it is not known when we will be able to gather in person. In November, we will be launching a series of virtual lunchtime events. They will include speakers in all disciplines and there will be opportunity for informal discussions, with no need to change out of your pyjamas! Keep an eye out for the email.

The Surrey Bar Association remains committed to meeting the unique challenges and opportunities that COVID 19 presents. Please take care of yourselves and see you soon!

Cheryl D.A. Stanley

President

Inns of Court For Surrey

Sat, 30 May 2020 06:12:18 GMT

The local judiciary, senior counsel and the SBA are partnering to carry forward tradition and develop a local mentorship program for new(ish) lawyers. We were planning on launching this in the Fall, however we continue to monitor the situation surrounding COVID-19 and will likely be commencing our first sessions in January, 2021. If you are a newer call and are interested participating please contact Cheryl Stanley or Gordon Kabanuk.

Directions from BC Courts re: COVID-19

Fri, 29 May 2020 20:39:26 GMT

BC Courts COVID-19 Alert and Updates:

BCPC COVID-19 Alert & Updates

BCSC Announcements/Directions

BCCA Announcements

Used Criminal Codes & White Books

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 06:13:09 GMT

To assist junior lawyers starting out in practice, the SBA is collecting used materials (ie Criminal Codes/ Civil White Books) and gently used rolling brief cases to provide the same at no cost to those who are within the first 3 years of practice. If you have any of these materials or are looking to give your brief case a new home or are interested in obtaining any of these, please contact Cheryl Stanley.

Traffic Court Returns to Surrey

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 06:15:23 GMT

Effective Nov 4, 2019, all disputed violation tickets issued by Surrey and White Rock RCMP will be set for hearing at the Surrey Courthouse Monday through Friday at 9:30 a.m, 10:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. With the increase in people attending court, parking will undoubtedly be at a premium. You may wish to advise clients to arrive early in anticipation of potential delays at the security entrance.

Renovations Complete!

Sat, 29 Jun 2019 04:45:45 GMT

With the renovations to the Surrey Provincial Courthouse complete, an official opening ceremony was held earlier today.

Our courthouse is the busiest in the province. It is hoped the additional courtrooms, case conference rooms, expanded registries and the addition of a Family Justice Centre, will increase access to justice for our community.

3rd Annual WCBA Golf Tournament

Thu, 27 Jun 2019 23:10:02 GMT

Well, we are back to work today (except those that are retired) after a glorious day of golf Tuesday at the 3^rd Annual Westminster County Bar Associations’ Golf Tournament at Morgan Creek Golf Course. Everyone made it home safely, or at least we haven’t heard otherwise. We hope you enjoyed the event, and look forward to seeing you again next year. We improved considerably on the pace of play issue which plagued us last year, some groups finishing in a very quick time of 4.5 hours.

Congratulations to the winners of the individual contests:

Putting: Brad Bumstead and Corrine O’Handley

KP: Corrine O’Handley and Fernando San Buenaventura

Long drive: Evan Atkinson and Jessie Ramsay

And, of course, congratulations to the winners of the team contests:

Texas Scramble Team: Raj Deol, Jeevan Singh, Kashmir Ghag and Rav Rampuri

Mixed Texas Scramble Team: Jeff and Amy Matthews, Kirsten Tonge and Kelly Routley

Thank you to our generous sponsors of the individual contests, including BMM Valuations (putting), Hamilton Duncan (KPs) and MTC Law (long drives). Their sponsorship provides prizes of $150 each to the winners plus a trophy to keep on their bookshelves at their office or home.

And thanks to Integra Medical Consultants Inc. for sponsoring the $15,000 Hole in One contest on Hole 16. Though no one aced the hole, the thought of winning $15,000 with just a stroke of the golf club gave brief thoughts (delusions?) of optimism.

Also thanks to all who donated prizes for the raffle draw, including Mr. Justice Crawford who donated books on golf (too late to help my golf game), MTC Law, Somers Poulin Hall, Baker Newby, McHarg Law, and many others.

Special thanks to Kirsten Tonge, who donated the Mike Weir framed artwork which was auctioned for $475. And Erica Enstrom who purchased it. And Kashmir Ghag who bought the Morgan Creek golf package. Obviously he likes the course. The net proceeds of the tournament are donated to the CBABC Lawyers’ Benevolent Fund.

Thanks to Morgan Creek for their hospitality (and patience with me) as well as the volunteers and the organizing committee of Daniele Poulin, Matt Somers, Lily Ravelo, Wes McHarg, Stephanie O’Mahony, Cheryl Stanley, Gord Kabanuk, Kirsten Tonge, Nick Cooper. And of course Peter Goodwin who stood in as auctioneer.

The committee would like to hear some feedback from you about the tournament, to help plan for next year. Venue, banquet, rules (should double par be the maximum or perhaps double bogey??), how can we recruit more golfers to get a full shotgun start (100 minimum to have the whole course to ourselves), etc. or anything else you would like to address. I think the weather is something we can be thankful for, and over which we have no control.

Thanks.

Rick Molstad

SBA AGM

Fri, 07 Jun 2019 18:55:07 GMT

Our Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday, June 6, 2019. We are pleased to announce the election of a new executive for the 2019-20 term: Cheryl Stanley (President), Chelsea Dubeau (VP), Tanvir Sanghera (Secretary), Aaron Burns (Treasurer), Gordon Kabanuk (Past President); along with the following individuals as Directors at Large: Dan Moseley, Jason Maynes, Greg T. Palm, Christine Purewal, Gagan Khosa and Manjot Cheema. For more details click here.

We wish to give a huge thank you for our outgoing executive and look forward to a great year ahead!

President's Report 2019 - Gordon Kabanuk

Mon, 03 Jun 2019 23:30:14 GMT

Looking back, we had a fantastic year serving our local bar and community and much was accomplished!

Throughout 2018-19, the SBA continued offering opportunities for lawyers, judges and articled students to connect by facilitating a number of well attended social events, including our appy evenings, golf tournament and dinner with the bar associations of Westminster County (where money was raised for the CBA Lawyer's Benevolent Fund - $5,000 over the last 2 years) and, of course, our Annual Bench & Bar Dinners which were held in Oct 2018 and April 2019.

Our latest Bench and Bar Dinner was a sold out affair and a resounding success as we welcomed four of our own local lawyers as new Provincial Court Judges, to Surrey, three of whom were SBA members: Judge Craig Sicotte (our former President), Judge Georgia Docolas and Judge David Albert. Also, the Honourable Madam Justice Palbinder Shergill, a former member of our executive, was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia.

Other highlights of 2018-19 included:

offering free and/or low cost CPDs;
informing on and providing a voice to Surrey lawyers regarding issues impacting our local legal community;
sponsoring Access Pro Bono's "Pro Bono Going Public Event here in Surrey as an "Appeal Court Sponsor";
sponsoring the CBABC Women Lawyer's Forum;
our SBA young lawyers connecting socially with their CPABC counterparts;
maintaining a presence on the Surrey Provincial Court Users Committee and providing input as the renovations at Surrey Court proceeded;
speaking at the formal welcoming ceremonies for new judges appointed in Surrey;
continuing to offer coffee/tea/water and photocopy services in the Barrister's Lounge at the Surrey Courthouse;
participating in the CBA local bar associations President's breakfast;
planning for the future of the SBA; and
continuing to develop and improve our new website to manage our members and events, and offer news and updates via email for local lawyers.

All of this would not have been possible without your involvement as members and the hard work of an amazing SBA Executive!

Personally, I have enjoyed my involvement with the SBA immensely this past year and look forward what lies ahead over the next year!

Gordon K. Kabanuk
SBA President

Annual Bench & Bar Dinner

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 16:17:32 GMT

Our Annual Bench & Bar Dinner held on April 4 this year, was a SOLD OUT event and a resounding success! Lawyers, retired lawyer, judges and students were able to connect and enjoy a wonderful meal together as we welcomed new appointments to our local bench: Judges Craig Sicotte (former SBA President), Georgia Docolas, David Albert and Jennifer Lopes/

Four New Provincial Court Judges For Surrey!

Sat, 06 Oct 2018 03:58:10 GMT

The Government of BC has just announced four new appointments to our local Provincial Court Bench: Judges Dave Albert, Georgia Docolas, Jennifer Lopes and Craig Sicotte.

Fall Back to Work "Get Together"

Fri, 21 Sep 2018 21:55:00 GMT

Our annual Fall Mingler, held on September 13 at the Big Ridge was a success! Billed as a casual "get together" without agenda, it was great reconnecting with old acquaintances and seeing new people out. A big thank you to Hamilton Duncan for sponsoring the appetizers!!

President's Report 2018 - Dan Moseley

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 05:51:38 GMT

It was another great year for the SBA! Please see the Annual President's Report prepared by Dan Moseley:

2017-18 President's Report

SBA AGM

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 05:24:42 GMT

The SBA Annual General Meeting was held on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 from at Sammy J's in Morgan Crossing. We wish to say a big "thank you" to our outgoing executive and committees for all the hard work this past year and a "welcome" to our new executive for 2018-19! We look forward to another great year!

Annual Spring Mingler

Fri, 11 May 2018 05:30:29 GMT

The SBA held its Annual Spring Mingler on Thursday May 10, 2018. As always, the event provided a great opportunity for us to get together and connect as friends and colleagues. Thank you to McQuarrie for doing an excellent job of hosting!

Barristers' Lounge Surrey Court

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 23:00:56 GMT

We are pleased to announce that the Barristers' Lounge at Surrey Provincial Court has been outfitted by the SBA with new furniture, art, water cooler, fridge and coffee/tea service! We also have a photocopier for small jobs. Stop by and check it out!

Ethics In Action

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 23:49:52 GMT

The SBA and CBA jointly presented 2 hours of continuing professional development with H. William Veenstra, 2017-2018 CBABC President and Miriam Kresivo, QC 2018 Law Society of BC President, moderating. The CPD was engaging and involved a lively discussion from the participants and presenters. Thank you Bill and Miriam!

SBA Young Lawyers

Sat, 03 Feb 2018 23:46:57 GMT

The Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia invited the SBA Young Lawyers to a networking and social event (buffet dinner followed by a Vancouver Giants game) on Feb 2nd. The event was well attended and by all accounts a fantastic time. A big thank you to the CPABC!!

Winter Mingler

Fri, 19 Jan 2018 23:39:54 GMT

The SBA held its annual Winter Mingler at Sammy J's in Grandview Heights, South Surrey on January 18th. We had a great turn out! Thanks to the Grandview Law Group for sponsoring this event!

President's Report 2017 - Corry Clark

Thu, 22 Jun 2017 21:20:53 GMT

At the Surrey Bar Association AGM held on June 22, 2017, President Corry Clark submitted a year-end report, which is reproduced here for those who were not able to attend:

SBA PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2016-2017

It has been my pleasure to serve as president of the Surrey Bar Association over the past year, which has been a busy and productive one.

Fostering Collegiality and Networking: We hosted three socials, or “minglers” for Surrey lawyers, in October, January and May. These events were brought out many lawyers who do not normally attend Surrey Bar Association events. The annual Bench & Bar Dinner in March was its usual fine success. It was well-attended and as usual created a fine opportunity for interaction between our members and the incoming and outgoing judges in our community. We are hosting a golf tournament in conjunction with other bar associations in Westminster County on July 12, 2017 at Hazelmere Golf Course.

Communication: We have built on the direct e-mail system we developed last year to communicate more regularly with members about the events hosted by the SBA.

Membership: As of the end of June 2017, the Surrey Bar Association has 127 members, an increase of approximately 10% over last year. We have kept the price of membership steady and have offered discounts on SBA events to members, to make membership attractive to more local lawyers.

Surrey Court Barristers’ Room: Although we have not achieved everything that we wanted, a subcommittee of the SBA has worked hard together with representatives of the Provincial Government on improved facilities for the Barristers’ Room in connection with the expansion project for that Surrey courthouse. This continues to be a work in progress, and it is anticipated that the SBA will play a fundamental role in raising funds for furnishing and further improving that space.

Giving Back to the Community: Each year, the SBA tries to make at least one sizeable contribution to causes in our community that has some connection with law or justice. The past year saw a donation to Access Pro Bono as well as a contribution to a scholarship fund in honour of Djavin Bowen, the son of SBA member Gord Bowen.

Educational Opportunities: We ran multiple CPD events last year: two seminars jointly held with the CBABC, a presentation by local lawyer, Sarah Forte, on the topic of “lawyers as employers”, and trust accounting seminars in conjunction with the Law Courts Centre. The feedback from these events was very positive and the turnout was good.

Promoting the Association and Profession: In addition to the aforementioned Bench & Bar Dinner, various members of the executive of the Surrey Bar Association were present for and brought greetings at the welcoming ceremonies for two newly appointed Judges of the Provincial Court sitting in Surrey: Judges Wolf and LaPrairie. These opportunities promoted awareness of the association and further solidified relations with the Bench.

The Executive: The volume of work undertaken by the Surrey Bar Association in the past year is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the board of directors. I am truly honoured to have served with such a fine collection of individuals.