Vivienne Stewart, Lawyer and Founder
Vivienne has lived and worked in various areas of Vancouver and is familiar with Kitsilano, City Hall area, Mount Pleasant, Hastings-Sunrise, Point Grey, Kerrisdale, and East Vancouver. She has served...
View ArticleBe careful out there in cyberspace! Part 1
Why should you be careful when you are on Facebook, talking in a chatroom or getting involved in any kind of discussion board? Strange as it may seem to many of us, people communicating on the Internet...
View ArticleBlogging and Old School
With the end of summer (for most of us), school starting up this week and everyone keen to get back to work and start new projects, I thought it was high time to get this blog moving forward. When I...
View ArticleBikes and Cars: where to draw the line? At Three Feet!!
Full disclosure right up front on this one: I frequently commute to work on my bike from North Vancouver but I also drive to the office more than I should or would like to. I will also concede that as...
View ArticleMy friend told me I have a good case and I can sue for lots of money! What do...
I have fielded many questions from people who think they know what their legal issue is and frame their question in that context. After I have drawn some more information out of them, I often find that...
View ArticleWhy You Need a Will
I am always surprised by how many people I meet who have not yet got around to making a Will. This post, prepared by Patricia, is intended to help you think about why, if you do not have a Will or if...
View ArticleDo I Need A Power of Attorney?
In addition to making a Will, if you are at all concerned about not being able to deal with your financial or personal affairs on your own, now or in the future, you should have both a Power of...
View ArticleNo Fault Divorce – no fault but not necessarily pain-free: Part I
I am often consulted by a husband or wife when their relationship is not going well or they feel they have run out of steam trying to keep it going. Economic pressures, work problems, family issues –...
View ArticleNo Fault Divorce Part II: Desk Order Divorce in B.C.
If the spouses are able to communicate in a civil manner and to negotiate a settlement for even some (if not all) of their issues, they have access to what we often refer to as a “Desk Order Divorce”....
View ArticleThe New BC Family Law Act: Why you should have a Cohabitation (a.k.a. a...
On March 18, 2013, the new BC Family Law Act comes into effect, replacing the current Family Relations Act. The new Act makes some substantial changes to the current regime dealing with division of...
View ArticleLibel: be careful what you post in cyberspace
A recent Ontario court decision shows how attacking someone personally and falsely on the Internet can result in a criminal conviction for the attacker. The line between criminal and civil libel can be...
View ArticleFamily disputes: do I need a lawyer?
Q: Should I have a lawyer with me for a first Family Case Hearing in Provincial Court? A: The Provincial Court Family Rules do not require you to attend a family case conference with a lawyer. If you...
View ArticleCohabitation Agreements – BC 2013
On March 18, 2013, the new BC Family Law Act comes into effect. Because of its significant effect on the property rights of unmarried, cohabiting couples, I am repeating an earlier post here: The New...
View ArticleNo executor of this estate
This is a question I recently had from the family of a deceased relative: Q: My Aunt just passed away. The executor of her will passed away the year previously. Her only remaining family includes the 4...
View ArticleWorkplace Bullying and Harassment in British Columbia
On July 1, 2012, an important change was made to the Workers Compensation Act in British Columbia. The Workers Compensation Board now accepts claims from workers for compensation for diagnosed mental...
View ArticleStrata Nightmares: Bullies Beware!
Most people who live in a strata situation have stories about the nightmare owners or tenants who have made their lives miserable to the point that they either sold and moved out or moved out and...
View ArticleStrata 101: The Role of the Strata Council
Who makes the decisions: the Strata Council or the Property Manager? An owner says: the way our Strata Council runs our strata is to simply do whatever the Property Manager tells them they should do....
View ArticleStrata 101: Role of the Property Manager
This article is the 2nd part (read Part 1) of our 2-part series of the role of Strata Council vs. the role of the Property Manager, where we answer: Who makes the decisions: the Strata Council or the...
View ArticleStrata 101: Can I Rent Out My Condo?
Rentals are often a divisive issue for owners of strata property. There is still a commonly-held belief that the presence of tenants will reduce property values in a strata building and that tenants...
View ArticleDying without a Will in British Columbia
What happens if you die without a will? If you die without a will, you will be deemed to have died “intestate”. Dying without a will means you give up the right to say: - who you want to give your...
View Article