E-brief: March 2018
Call for input – proposed amendments to anti-money laundering model rules
The Law Society is seeking input from lawyers on a number of proposed amendments to the Model Rules of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada regarding anti-money laundering. The consultation materials may be found here. Submissions or comments are accepted until March 15, 2018.
Mental Health Task Force welcomes input
The recently struck Mental Health Task Force is encouraged by the positive response received from the profession to date. Members of the legal community are welcome to send ideas, input or feedback to the task force by email at mentalhealth@lsbc.org.
New property transfer tax return
The 2018 BC Budget announced changes to property transfer tax and a new version of the property transfer tax return is effective as of February 21. See information about these changes on the Government of BC’s website.
2017 Law Society audited financial statements
The Benchers approved the Law Society's 2017 audited financial statements at their March 2 meeting. The audited financial statements will be made available on our website in early April (About us > Strategic Planning and Annual Reports).
Secondary school essay contest on the rule of law
The Law Society is inviting secondary school students in BC to submit an essay on how social media interacts with the rule of law. The deadline for submissions is April 6, 2018. For contest details, visit the website.
From the courts
The three courts’ Policy on Use of Electronic Devices in Courtrooms has been amended to clarify the use that can be made of electronic devices during ceremonies and to provide direction to media on retention and destruction of audio recordings.
The BC Supreme Court has issued a Family Practice Direction on adoption applications, a notice on the implications for trials as a result of the change in date of Family Day in 2019 and a memo on moving the responsibility of scheduling for Nelson and Rossland from Kelowna to Kamloops. See the court’s website for more information.
The Court of Appeal has issued a Civil Practice Directive on consent orders and an updated Civil Practice Directive on family law appeals. Both are effective immediately. For more information, visit the court’s website.
