CLE Update
CLE Books and Programs
Lawyers recognize the importance of education, and so do those companies rated by the Globe and Mail Report on Business Magazine as “The 35 Best Companies to Work For in Canada”. On average these companies “provide 40 hours of training a year per worker. As well, they cover full tuition for job-related courses, ranging from MBAs to on-the-job workshops to personal development accounts for courses that employees choose. As a result, 90 per cent of employees polled said they get the training necessary to improve their skills in their current jobs, and 85 per cent said training was preparing them to assume greater responsibility.” CLE’s distinctive excellence is our ability to work with the BC legal community to provide quality legal education and information to further your professional development.

Real Estate
The proclamation of the new Strata Property Act means significant changes to real estate practice in British Columbia. Extensive amendments are needed to most of CLE’s real estate books, and work is now under way to update the Real Estate Practice Manual, the Real Estate Development Practice Manual, and Collected Real Estate Precedents. The materials from CLE’s course on the Strata Property Act, to be held on May 11, will also become a valuable source of information for dealing with the new statute. Course attendees will learn the scope and practical applications of the new legislation from seasoned faculty chaired by Lynn Ramsay, QC.

Business
Buying and Selling a Business - Work is nearly completed on this long-awaited collection of annotated precedents for business acquisitions. Sample asset purchase and share purchase agreements will be included, along with many other useful documents, all reviewed by our distinguished editorial board of Sholto Hebenton, QC, John O E Lundell, and Christine Elliott. Publication is planned for summer, 2000.

Litigation
Class Actions Update, May 5, 2000 - New class actions continue to be launched in many areas by lawyers with diverse backgrounds. This course will provide you with the practical advice, sound strategies, and insight into the latest developments needed to branch out into this type of litigation. Course Faculty also wrote the book - in writing Class Proceedings Act - Annotated, the Honourable Mr. Justice Frank Maczko provides applicable advice for decision makers in the proceedings. This handy reference is organized as a series of discussions prompted by specific sections of the current Act and is current to February 1, 2000.

Strategies in Intellectual Property, April 27, 2000 - This seminar will provide you with an in-depth look at the strategies relevant to intellectual property litigation. Topics covered include forum selection, the use of ADR, and strategies for the management of your client’s confidential information.

Family
At Family Practice Essentials on June 2, 2000 a wide range of tips and strategies will cover the nuts and bolts of this practice area. Registrants receive a 30 per cent discount off the BC Family Practice Manual and Spring 2000 Update, the essential resource book on family law practice upon which the course is based.

Labour
The Employment Law Conference on May 4th and 5th, 2000 will update participants on current topics such as disability, conflict resolution, cross border issues, immigration, Wallace update, mediation, building successful Plaintiff/Defendant cases and many more. Our impressive speakers and faculty will conduct breakout sessions on both days for in depth discussion and skill building.


The Law Foundation of British Columbia
Grants Approved
The Law Foundation approved funding totaling $3,761,903 at its meeting on March 11, 2000.

Funding totaling $2,956,170 was approved for the following 20 continuing grants:

• Battered Women’s Support Services (Legal Advocacy Program 2000/2001) - $42,508
• BC Branch, Canadian Bar Association (Law Week 2000) - $5,000
• BC Civil Liberties Association (Operating 2000/2001) - $122,088
• BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre (Bridge Funding) - $77,920
• British Columbia Law Institute (Operating 2000/2001) - $127,500
• Community Legal Assistance Society (Operating 2000/2001) - $595,000
• Continuing Legal Education Society (Professional Legal Training Course 2000/2001) - $212,500
• End Legislated Poverty (FLAWline Public Legal Education Newsletter and Working Group 2000/2001) - $17,759
• Golden Family Center (Legal Advocacy Project 2000/2001) - $46,382
• Law Foundation Graduate Fellowships (2000/2001) - $50,000
• Nelson District Community Resources Society (Legal Advocacy Project 2000/2001) - $95,786
• North Island Advocacy Coalition Society (Campbell River) (Legal Advocacy Program 2000/2001) - $76,930
• People’s Law School Society (Operating 2000/2001) - $238,500
• Separation and Divorce Resource Centre (Victoria) (Volunteer and Legal Support Services Program 2000/2001) - $36,900
• Tenants’ Rights Action Coalition (Legal Advocacy Project 2000/2001) - $198,737
• University of Saskatchewan (Native Law Centre - Program of Legal Studies and Operating 2000/2001) - $9,350
• University of Victoria, Faculty of Law (Law Centre Clinical Program 2000/2001) - $174,930
• West Coast Domestic Workers’ Association (Legal Advocacy Project 2000/2001) - $96,630
• West Coast Environmental Law Association (Operating 2000/2001 and Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund) - $641,750
• West Coast Legal Education and Action Fund Association (Operating 2000/2001) - $90,000

Funding totaling $805,733 was approved for the following 10 new legal projects under the Aboriginal Justice Issues Initiative:

• BC Dispute Resolution Practicum Society (Court Mediation Practicum Program – Aboriginal bursaries) - $16,000
• Cariboo Tribal Council (Northern Secwepemc Justice Centre) - $143,515
• Carrier Sekani Family Services (Family Law Dispute Resolution Project) - $105,000
• Chawathil First Nation (Parent/Child Advocate Resource Project) - $15,000
• Law Courts Education Society (Courtlink Program for Native Youth with Special Learning Needs) - $45,000
• Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society (Restorative Justice Project) - $40,000
• Vernon First Nations Friendship Centre, Kla-How-Ya Communications (Video on Aboriginal youth and the criminal justice system) - $40,000
• UBC Faculty of Law, First Nations Legal Studies (Centre for International Indigenous Legal Studies) - Year One: $127,718 and Year Two: $125,000 matching grant
• University of Victoria aboriginal policy forum & the Indigenous Bar Association (Aboriginal and Treaty Rights Workshops) - $102,500
• The Spirit of the People Aboriginal Support & Healing Centre Society (Professional Legal Education Workshops) - $46,000

These articles were published in the April 2000 issue of BarTalk. © 2000 The Canadian Bar Association. All rights reserved.