I recently attended a conference put on by the British Columbia Trial Lawyers Association in Vancouver regarding family law. At this conference, ‘A Rock and a Hard Place – Complex Issues in Family Law Practice’, I was on one of the panels. My panel, which consisted of Penny Lipsack from the Office of the Ministry of the Attorney General and myself, dealt with the law concerning international child custody and parental cross border child abduction. During my presentation I discussed the law regarding how jurisdiction in cross border child custody cases could be resolved, and I also talked about some of the recent British Columbia cases which dealt with this issue. I also discussed the law regarding international parental child abduction and some recent cases regarding that area of the law, and concluded by discussing some steps that could be taken to stabilize the situation in cases in which there is a potential for a parental child abduction to occur. The conference as a whole was very useful and stimulating with numerous interesting and knowledgeable presenters.
Your Child has been Wrongfully Taken to CanadaIf your child has been wrongfully taken to, or is wrongfully remaining in BC, there are two main legal remedies that can help you in having your child returned home.
Dealing with International AssetsFor many of our clients, having businesses and other property in our parts of the world was a normal part of their lives. But when these individuals have a looming separation or divorce, it soon becomes clear that their separation or divorce will be quickly complicated by the possible division of these overseas businesses and properties. What can you do to get full disclosure or prevent dissipation of overseas assets? What can you do when you dispute BC's jurisdiction and want another jurisdiction to make a determination over your separation or divorce issues?
Weathering the Storms of Life Even with the best planning, we cannot entirely avoid the challenges that are inherent to life. We can, however, make plans to weather those storms. Having a will and a representation agreement is a very practical way to “weather the storms” of life.