Hosted by Access to Justice BC (A2JBC) and FACL BC, this timely panel explores how BC can strengthen the conditions for legal technology innovation to make justice and legal services more accessible and equitable for the public. This conversation, featuring Karen Claus (Karen Claus Law) as moderator, Thomas L. Spraggs, KC (Spraggs Group, Spraggs Law and Spraggs Media), Alistair Vigier (Caseway), and Tom Macintosh Zheng (Courtready), will connect justice sector leaders, lawyers and law students to the perspectives and realities of legal tech entrepreneurs to examine how AI and emerging tools can increase the availability, speed, affordability, and customization of legal services. The panel will also explore the policy changes and incentives needed to help prototypes and start-ups scale toward system-wide public impact.

This event takes place on Monday, April 27, 2026, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at RBC Conference Room (#150) located at the lobby level of 885 West Georgia Street. A2JBC and FACL BC are pleased to provide complimentary beverages and light refreshments! We encourage you to register early as spaces are limited. This event is open to all.

This event has been approved for 2 hours of CPD credit.

Agenda:

4:00PM - Doors Open / Registration

4:30PM - Opening Remarks / Moderated Panel Discussion

5:30PM - Closing Remarks and Networking Session

Panelist Biographies

Karen Claus (Moderator) is the founder of Karen Claus Law where she advises technology companies on scaling while managing legal and regulatory risk. She is a technology and privacy lawyer with expertise in commercial contracting, data governance, employment, and AI risk and compliance.

Karen has held senior legal roles at both venture-backed startups and a Fortune 500 company where she built complex compliance programs across various frameworks and supported businesses across SaaS and professional services.

Before starting her firm in 2025, Karen spent 8 years in in-house counsel roles, and began her career as a litigator, practicing for 7 years in both British Columbia and Ontario. She proudly serves as the Vice-Chair of the In-House Committee and a Director-at-Large at FACL BC.

Thomas L. Spraggs, KC (Tom) is the CEO of Spraggs Group, Spraggs Law and Spraggs Media, and serves as President of the Law Society of BC. Tom holds a Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws, and Masters of Business Administration, and is a Qualified Arbitrator. As a member of the Law Societies of British Columbia, Yukon and Alberta, his work has focused on civil litigation, developing a strong foundation in resolving complex disputes.

Known for his forward-thinking approach, Tom has built a reputation for modernizing legal services. At Spraggs Law, he has driven innovation in client service, collaborative processes, and practice management through the integration of technology. Through Spraggs Group, Tom leads the development of integrated professional services, combining legal expertise with HR, financial strategy, and communications to deliver more efficient, client-centered solutions.

Tom has contributed extensively to legal education through CLEBC and CBABC, and has held senior leadership roles within the profession. He served as a Bencher of the Law Society of BC beginning in 2020 and has been actively involved in advancing professional development and governance across the legal community.

Tom Macintosh Zheng is the co-founder of Courtready, which provides practical tools and legal education for Canadians navigating the court and litigation process. To date, more than 10,000 people have used Courtready's free self-help tools. Tom is licensed to practise in Ontario, England & Wales, and has appeared before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Court of Appeal for Ontario, and the Federal Court of Appeal.

Tom recently published Fictitious Citations in Canadian Courts, the first nationwide study tracking AI-hallucinated citations in Canadian legal proceedings. He is also the co-creator of CaseCheck, a citation verification tool built to address the same issue. Courtready's work has been featured in local and national media. He is the 2026 recipient of the Ontario Bar Association's OBA Foundation Award."

Alistair Vigier (Al) is the CEO of Caseway, a Canadian technology and automation company that builds AI systems for organizations working with complex legal and regulatory information. Through partnerships with enterprises, universities, and government bodies, Caseway develops customized infrastructure to analyze documents, automate workflows, and extract actionable intelligence while maintaining strict privacy and security standards.

Alistair’s work focuses on improving access to legal information and reducing inefficiencies in document-heavy environments. His work has been featured in national media, including The Globe and Mail, where he has written on court transparency and access to justice.

Before Caseway, he founded and scaled Jusu, a consumer brand that was later acquired, and has since returned to building systems at the intersection of law, data, and AI.

Final note:

While this event is complimentary, we kindly request that you inform us of any changes to your RSVP as a courtesy to our host, and other potential attendees. Timely notification of any changes ensures efficient planning and helps us maintain the quality of our events. Please note that unexplained absences or repeated no-shows to FACL BC events may affect your ability to attend future complimentary events.

__________________________________________________

By attending this event, you agree to abide by the FACL BC Event Code of Conduct.

If you have any questions about the Code of Conduct, please email info@faclbc.ca.

FACL BC is proud to announce the launch of the second issue of Silk Threads: The Journal of Asian-Canadian Legal Perspectives, a space for contributors and readers to engage with and share content about the legal issues and topics relevant to the pan-Asian Canadian community in British Columbia. Issue II brings together a collection of articles from a diverse group of community contributors and a number of articles written by FACL BC’s committees. At a time when representation, equity, and inclusion remain critical in the legal profession and beyond, we hope this Journal contributes meaningfully to the ongoing dialogue. We are deeply grateful for your continued support in championing diverse voices and helping us bring this vision to life.

Learn more about the FACL BC Journal at faclbc.ca/journal. You can read the PDF edition of the FACL BC Journal, published in April 2026, here.

Join us on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, from 5:30PM to 9:00PM at Please Beverage Co. to celebrate the publication of Silk Threads, Issue II at our Launch Party! Come hear from a panel of our contributors on their articles, the importance of creating spaces for and highlighting diverse voices within legal publications, and their experience in submitting to Silk Threads and the publication process.

Afterwards, mix and mingle with the authors and members of the pan-Asian Canadian legal community during our reception. Drinks and canapés will be provided to keep the conversation going well into the night.

Print copies of Issues I and II will be available at the Launch Party.

 Agenda:

• 5:30PM - Doors Open / Registration

• 6:00PM - Opening Remarks / Moderated Panel Discussion

• 7:30PM - Closing Remarks and Reception

Registration is open for FACL BC Members and will close at 5:00PM on Monday, April 27. We encourage you to register early as spaces are limited. The dress code for the event is business casual.

Panelist Biographies

As part of the Silk Threads Launch Party, we will host a panel of our contributors who will speak about their articles, the importance of highlighting diverse voices within legal publications, and their experience of being published in Silk Threads. The panel will be moderated by Shermaine Chua, Marketing Team Lead for the Silk Threads Editorial Board.

Shermaine Chua (Moderator)

Shermaine Chua (she/her) is a litigator and volunteer with FACL BC’s Advocacy Committee. Her practice at Dentons Canada focuses on commercial and regulatory disputes. This is her second year on the Silk Threads Editorial Board, and she looks forward to showcasing the thoughtful perspectives in this year’s edition.

Karen Claus (Author)

Taking the Leap from Private Practice Litigator to In-House Solicitor: A Retrospective Reflection

Karen Claus is the Vice-Chair of the In-House Committee of FACL BC and a Director-at-Large on the Board of FACL BC. She spent the first half of her career as a litigator, after which she transitioned to various in-house counsel roles within technology companies. She recently founded Karen Claus Law, which provides fractional General Counsel services to technology companies.

Jade Y. Liu (Author)

Law School Orientation: Day 1

Jade Y. Liu is an articled student in family law at Crossroads Law. A recipient of the George McWhirter Prize in Poetry, she has won poetry contests and been featured in literary magazines across North America. Her writing is most often feminist, and it is fascinated by nature, cognitive metaphors, and (unsurprisingly) the law.

Steven Ngo (Author)

Beyond Silence: Confronting Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession

Steven Ngo is the past president of FACL BC and the founder of Beyond the A. He has been recognized as NAPABA’s Best Under 40, one of Canada’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers, and a recipient of the BC Medal of Good Citizenship. He also teaches at the Peter A. Allard School of Law (University of British Columbia) as an adjunct professor. Outside of law, he hosts 2 Dads 1 Car, a podcast on modern fatherhood and the unspoken truths of parenting.

Final Notes:

The volunteer-run Journal is published by FACL BC, with funding from the Law Foundation of British Columbia. We are grateful for their support in making this publication possible.

While this event is complimentary, we kindly request that you inform us of any changes to your RSVP as a courtesy to both our panelists and other potential attendees. Timely notification of any changes ensures efficient planning and helps us maintain the quality of our events. Please note that unexplained absences or repeated no-shows to FACL BC events may affect your ability to attend future complimentary events.

__________________________________________________

By attending this event, you agree to abide by the FACL BC Event Code of Conduct.

If you have any questions about the Code of Conduct, please email info@faclbc.ca.