The recent worldwide COVID-19 pandemic is affecting businesses everywhere. Whether it is mandatory or recommended closures, limited hours, skeleton staffing or temporary or indefinite layoffs - everyone is, or will be, impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. The various rights and obligations of employers and employees alike remain in full force and are not deferred from…
Read More
To what extent do you have to answer a purchaser’s question if you are selling your home? You don’t have to answer questions at all, but practically speaking that won’t help sell your home. If you do answer a question then you must do so honestly, but you don’t have to volunteer information beyond the…
Read More
One of the first questions that comes to the minds of people that are recently separated is how to document any agreement between them and their former spouses on issue such as the division of property, care and time with children, child support and spousal support. Often referred to as separation agreements, these documents formalize…
Read More
By Dennis Ryan, Partner and Head of Natural Resources, Lee Turner, Managing Partner, and Nikita Gush, Associate at Doak Shirreff Lawyers LLP, Kelowna, BC The British Columbia government recently passed the Forest Amendment Act, 2019 SBC c 31 (“Bill 22”), which received royal assent on May 30, 2019. This paper will provide a background of…
Read More
Can you use recordings in family law proceedings? Can you? Yes. Should you? That’s not as easy to answer. While courts may allow audio or video recordings of private conversations to be admitted (subject to the general rules of evidence, and subject to whether the prejudicial effects of the evidence outweighs its probative value), the…
Read More
Unfortunately this is not an uncommon statement heard by many family lawyers. Both men and women are forced to stay in an unhealthy and abusive relationship because they fear what will happen to them or their children if they attempt to leave. What are your legal options in these circumstances and what can a lawyer…
Read More
A case comment by Nikita Gush, Articled Student & Dennis Ryan, Partner and Head of the Natural Resources Group at Doak Shirreff Lawyers LLP, Kelowna BC © 2019 The Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) recently held that a trustee of a bankrupt company must attend to the bankrupt’s environmental remediation obligations in priority of satisfying…
Read More
When a company is incorporated, you and your fellow owner/s may be getting along well – after all, you made the decision to start a business because your ideas and vision were aligned. However, like any relationship, there are likely to be ups and downs, and it is important to have a plan in place…
Read More
Written by Michael Sinclair, Partner & Nikita Gush, Articled Student Many business owners wonder how their business will be affected by their separation or divorce. They are concerned to what extent their family law proceedings could intrude on the operation of their business. Recent case law has shed light on the issue of how the…
Read More
Is it wise to negotiate your own family law settlement? Sound investment advice includes spending money on the right things. Where spending money stands to either make you money or save you money in excess of the amount spent, that is normally a wise investment. Many people negotiate their own resolution to family law issues…
Read More