SectionTalk

u CIVIL LITIGATION — VANCOUVER

Civil Litigation — Vancouver Section hosted three meetings in May and June with exceptional attendance:

„ Chambers Practice Dos and

Vos — Master Vos and

Jonathan Corbett spoke on their views, strategies, and tips on ways lawyers can adapt and succeed in chambers from the perspectives of both the Bench and the Bar.

„ How-to of Summary

Trials — Claire Hunter,

QC and Craig Watson provided their insight and guidance on summary trial applications.

„ The Bad Court Day: Tips for Navigating and

Recovering from Challenging Hearings — Madam

Justice Ahmad, Brook Greenberg, QC and Lisa

Hamilton, QC shared tips and tricks on how to navigate challenging days in court and recover from difficult hearings. u CRIMINAL JUSTICE — VANCOUVER

Criminal Justice — Vancouver Section hosted Wrongful Convictions: Prevention and Reversals, featuring Mary Ainslie, QC, Tamara Levy, Tom Arbogast, and Tony Paisana. The panel described the shortcomings in the law student education on wrongful conviction, which led to the creation of the UBC Innocence Project. The Project gives Allard Law students the opportunity to work with experienced and established lawyers to investigate cases of wrongful conviction. This Section meeting is available to all members for free on PD On-Demand.

u CIVIL LITIGATION

Civil Litigation — Vancouver Island and Okanagan Sections held a joint meeting on Duty

in Contracts with Jeffrey Robinson and Joseph Ensom, who discussed the impacts of the recent Supreme Court of Canada decision to C.M. Callow Inc. V. Zollinger.

u WOMEN LAWYERS

Women Lawyers Forum — Kamloops provided an opportunity for attendees to hear from Bencher by-election candidates in the Kamloops district. This meeting was a first of its kind, and the Section hopes to host similar meetings in the future.

For the 14th Annual National Indigenous Peoples Day Auction held in June, the Aboriginal Lawyers Forum (“ALF”) raised over $13,500 to support the stature and influence of Indigenous peoples in the legal profession.

In collaboration with the Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society, ALF hosted a second Sharing and Support Circle for Indigenous Peoples, in light of the recent discoveries of unmarked graves at residential schools across Canada.

\ EMAIL: SECTIONS@CBABC.ORG

SOGIC UPDATE — by Lisa M.G. Nevens

Look out for CBABC’s Lawyers with Pride digital participation in Vancouver Pride this August! There is much to celebrate this year — most notably significant advancements in trans, non-binary and gender diverse awareness and inclusion in our profession and courtrooms. While that work is ongoing, we are hopeful that this year’s achievements are the start of enduring improvements in access to justice for our historically underrepresented and under-served communities.

The theme of this issue of BarTalk highlights several additional areas of advocacy and education in need of attention. The policing and scrutiny of trans bodies and identities is especially prominent in both sport and heath care. In sport, there are growing efforts to ban trans youth from participating in school sports in the United States as well as intense ridicule and calls to bar the first out trans weightlifting competitor from the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. In healthcare, there is ongoing need for timely access to gender affirming care as well as for system-wide improvements to ensure that trans patients receive equal care for all medical concerns.

Along with applying an intersectional approach to the urgent work of eradicating systemic racism and colonialism, these issues are likely to be the focus of some of SOGIC’s upcoming initiatives. We invite you to join us. Access CBABC Pride 2021 wearable tabs, digital backgrounds, and social cards at cbabc.org/Pride and show your Pride!

WLF UPDATE — by Kathleen Pinno

Many lawyers, especially young lawyers, struggle to recognize their own strengths. I interviewed Shari Pearlman, Assistant Director of the Lawyers Assistance Program, for a recent WLF Newsletter article on the “Impostor Syndrome,” which is an insecurity with one’s designation. It is a feeling or experience, not a pathology. Lawyers — who are often gifted individuals — are commonly affected.

It is important to remember that external contributors such as discrimination and biases in the workplace play a very real role in undermining women and causing feelings of inadequacy. In addition, internal contributors such as perfectionism, low self-worth, and a lack of self-compassion may also cause one to feel like an impostor.

This self-doubt can cause depression, feelings of inadequacy, failure to take risks, and stunted career growth. However, you can leverage feelings of self-doubt to seek help and approach tasks with a humble “beginner’s mind.” Additionally:

1. Lead with curiosity — Consider why you feel self-doubt. Focus on your strengths. 2. Lead with self-compassion — Extend yourself the grace you would give to a friend. 3. Get outside of yourself — Help another person, animal, or plant. Create art. 4. Take Care of Yourself — Brainstorm ways to nurture different dimensions of yourself.

You can also help others by talking about your own challenges openly, pointing them toward assistance when necessary, and giving compliments. If you are struggling with self-doubt, consider visiting lapbc.com or calling the LAPBC at 1-604-685-2171.