I attended the BC CLE New Civil Rules 2010 conference yesterday and today. The new rules come into force on July 1, 2010.  They are the culmination of a justice reform initiative that commenced in 2002.

The BC Ministry of Attorney General notes the following about the new rules on  its website:

The new rules are meant to make the civil and family justice systems more responsive, accessible and efficient.  They were developed through extensive research and broad consultation and were finalized by the Rules Revision Committee, a committee of senior judges, and experienced private and public sector lawyers.

The new rules will significantly impact on the manner in which BC Supreme Court civil trials - including wrongful dismissal lawsuits - are filed, prosecuted and defended. This is likely why this was one of the best attended CLEs I have ever been to.

The topics covered at the conference were as follows:

Day 1: April 26, 2010

Welcome and Opening Remarks

The Honourable Mr. Justice Malcolm D. Macaulay - Supreme Court of BC, Victoria; Master William McCallum - Supreme Court of BC, Victoria

Introduction to the Course

Justice Macaulay

Pleadings and Forms

Peter Behie, QC - Ramsay Lampman Rhodes, Nanaimo; Barbara Flewelling - Sheane Flewelling, Victoria; Brook Greenberg - Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver; Kerry Simmons - Cook Roberts LLP, Victoria

Documentary Discovery

Geoffrey Gomery - Nathanson Schachter & Thompson LLP, Vancouver; Peter Behie, QC; Ted Gouge, QC - Ministry of Attorney General, Victoria; Stephen R. Schachter, QC - Nathanson Schachter & Thompson LLP, Vancouver

Oral Discovery

Barbara Flewelling; Ward Branch - Branch MacMaster, Vancouver; Murray Clemens, QC - Nathanson Schachter & Thompson LLP, Vancouver; Brook Greenberg          

Alternate Fact Discovery

Ted Gouge, QC

Case Planning

Craig Dennis - Sugden, McFee & Roos LLP, Vancouver; Master McCallum; Ward Branch; Geoffrey Gomery - Nathanson Schachter & Thompson LLP, Vancouver

Day 2: April 27, 2010

Expert Evidence

Marc Kazimirski - Kazimirski Law Corporation, Vancouver; Ted Gouge, QC; David Harris, QC - Hunter Litigation Chambers, Vancouver

Applications

Master McCallum; The Honourable Mr. Justice G. Bruce Butler - Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver; Peter Behie, QC; Geoffrey Gomery

Fast Track Litigation

Master McCallum; Justice Macaulay; Marc Kazimirski; Kerry Simmons

Trial Management

Justice Macaulay; Justice Butler; Craig Dennis

Transition

Master McCallum

The United Kingdom Experience

Stuart Hill - Lovells LLP, London, England

Practice Panel

Craig Dennis; Justice Macaulay; Ted Gouge, QC; Stuart Hill

Wrap-up and Concluding Remarks

Justice Macaulay