FACL BC - April 2020 Newsletter

April 2020 Newsletter

20 Apr 2020 11:29 AM | FACL BC (Administrator)

FACL BC Newsletter

April 2020 Edition

Message from FACL BC President, Samson Chan

Dear members and partners,

COVID-19 has changed our lives - the way we interact, work, play, learn and live. We are all going through uncertain times right now - the economy, job market, xenophobia, public health measures, and so on.

But you are not alone. We at FACL BC recognize your needs during these times and we continue to plan and create virtual initiatives to address such needs. This is what community is all about. Specifically, as you will see in our newsletter and social media postings, we have the following virtual events set up for the upcoming weeks, on topics that you will certainly resonate with and find invaluable:

1) Legal Developments in the COVID-19 Era: Federal Employment Benefits, Tenant and Landlord Rights, and Human Rights (April 22)

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in not only how British Columbians live their lives, but also the legal landscape that governs us.

FACL BC invites you to participate in an informational online panel discussion on Wednesday, April 22, 2020 at 5:00 - 6:15 PM to learn more about developments arising out of this pandemic in the areas of Employment Insurance and other federal benefits, tenants’ and landlords’ rights and responsibilities, and human rights law.

This event will feature a panel discussion with our three panellists: Laura Track (Community Legal Assistance Society), Emma Lazo (Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre) and Jim Wu (Forte Law) followed by an interactive question and answer session. This event will be moderated by Hasan Alam (Staff Lawyer - BCGEU; FACL BC Advocacy Committee Chair).

*Pre-registration is required*

2) How to Navigate Through Uncertainty in the Legal Profession (May 14)

With the recent upheaval of our lives due to COVID-19, the impacts are being felt not only on a personal level but also on a professional level and within the legal profession. Join us for a panel discussion on how to navigate through uncertainty in the legal profession on Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 5:00 PM.

The panel will feature those who have gone through something in the past (whether it was the 2008 economic crash, unexpected job loss or personal life change) and discuss how they were able to navigate through this uncertainty in their work and personal lives.

The panel will include Enoch H. Chang (Fasken), Sena Byun (TELUS) and David Namkung (Leaders International). This event will be moderated by Steven Ngo (Visier; FACL BC Director/Secretary).

3) Fridays with FACL (May 1, 8, 22 and 29)

One of the ways FACL BC wants to be of service to our members is by providing a weekly forum to those in our community to speak on a variety of topics relevant to this period of COVID-19. We will do this through a weekly 30 min session hosted by a member from our executive committee which will take place every Friday from 12:30 - 1:00 PM starting May 1, 2020. We know that you are inundated with information and events at this time so we plan to keep this crisp and focused. Each week will cover a different topic and feature a special guest related to the topic.

Session 1. Friday, May 1 - Xenophobia: Lessons from the past with Judge Maryka Omatsu (Ont Court of Justice; FACL — Founder)
Session 2. Friday, May 8 - Anxiety/Mental Health: Navigating through change and breaking the stigma with Winston Sayson Q.C. (Crown Counsel / Trial Prosecutor at BC Public Service)
Session 3. Friday, May 22 - Economy/Business: What is on the horizon? The economic impact of COVID-19 with Yin Liang (Regional Sales Manager at BMO Wealth Management) and Daniel Lau (Managing Director at LM Asset Management)
Session 4. Friday, May 29 - Legal Tech: The future of our practice with Jeremy Hessing-Lewis (Founder of Small Law) and Matthew Peters (National Innovation Leader, Partner at McCarthy Tétrault)

We are proactive in tackling these difficult times. Instead of feeling disappointed in cancelling our physical events planned months ago, we adapt quickly to leverage technology and creativity to address your imminent needs, on topics that may be reluctantly discussed on other platforms. Similarly, you should take advantage of the available resources like ours to stay informed and educated, and be prepared for what's coming. So, sign up and join us.

We are in this together.

Samson Chan

President, FACL BC

Event Updates

1) Mentorship Roundtable and Mixer

On February 20, 2020, over 75 students and lawyers attended our Mentorship Roundtable and Mixer event to learn more about different legal practice areas held at McCarthy Tétrault. Throughout the evening, attendees rotated through 3 informal conversation groups led by lawyers practicing in each chosen legal practice area.

2) Career Development Night in Victoria

On February 27, 2020, FACL BC held our first career development night in Victoria with practitioners from different practice areas of law at Crease Harman LLP. Guest speakers included Pinder Cheema, QC (Law Society of BC Bencher), David Aujla (Crease Harman LLP), and Laylee Rohani (Cook Roberts LLP) who discussed their practice and tips on practice management.

3) TRU Law Equity Panel

On March 6, 2020, FACL BC x Beyond the A took part in a panel event at the TRU Faculty of Law. The panel discussed topics regarding “Equity” in the legal profession, which touched on topics such as race, sex, age in the interview processes and throughout one’s career. Panelists included Steven Ngo (Visier; FACL BC), Adrienne Smith (Adrienne Smith Law), Hisako Takahashi (MJB Law), Jessica Vliegenthart (Fulton & Company LLP) and Kim Carter (Parents Legal Centre). The event hosted over 100 TRU students, faculty members and more. We are so proud to have held our first collaboration event with TRU Law and are looking forward to many more to come!

Sincerely,

FACL BC Membership Committee