By: Susan Emam. For over a year, family law practitioners and interest groups across Canada have been waiting with bated breath for the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Ahluwalia.[1] Earlier this month, the decision was finally delivered, solidifying Canada’s recognition of the tort of intimate partner violence in a 6-3 judgment. Factual Background The appellant wife and respondent husband were married for 16 years.[2] For the duration of their marriage, the responde

By: Susan Emam. The British Columbia Court of Appeal (the “BCCA”) recently upheld a British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal (the “Tribunal”) decision which awarded a complainant over $600,000 in damages. Factual Background The complainant, Victor Mema, was born in Zimbabwe and is a Black person. In 2015, Mr. Mema, was employed with the City of Nanaimo (the “City”) as its Chief Financial Officer. In May 2018, he was suspended from his position. Two months later, he was terminat

Separation can be a confusing and emotional process, especially when legal terms and procedures come into play. In British Columbia, many people assume that separation requires formal steps like court filings or official agreements. The truth is quite different. BC law does not recognize a formal process called “legal separation.” Instead, separation is a status that arises from the actions and intentions of the spouses themselves. What Separation Means in British Columbia In

Separation brings many challenges, but when children are involved, the focus must always be on their well-being. For many parents, deciding how to care for their children after a separation can feel overwhelming and emotionally charged. While every family is different, the guiding question is always the same: what arrangement serves the best interests of your child? This post explains important considerations under British Columbia’s Family Law Act (FLA) and offers practical

Choosing a child’s name is often a meaningful and emotional decision. But when parents disagree, especially after separation, the question becomes legal: who actually gets to decide? Is There a Law That Says a Child Must Take the Father’s Last Name? There is no law in Canada that says a child must take the father’s last name. Parents are free to choose a surname, as long as they agree. The rules about naming children are found in the Vital Statistics Act , which governs birth

https://nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articles/the-practice/workplace/2025/how-to-build-a-sustainable-pro-bono-practice

https://bartalk.org/article/the-profession/a-guide-to-trauma-informed-lawyering

MS Teams meeting Link: Annual General Meeting | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams

By: Paula Camila Monoga. Why half of marriages end in divorce? Disclaimer: This content does not constitute legal advice and does not...

Part 3. Written by: Paula Camila Monoga. Putting a stop to Intimate Partner Violence begins from within, when we become aware of how we...

Part 2. Written by: Paula Camila Monoga. When we’re in love, sometimes it’s easy to ignore the discomfort we feel in the relationship. We...

Part 1. By: Paula Camila Monoga. Some people believe that love can be one of the most powerful connections between two people that every...

Today, we remember. On this Remembrance Day, the Okanagan Thompson Legal Clinic joins Canadians across the country in honouring the...

Today, on Indigenous Veterans Day, we recognize and honour the extraordinary contributions and sacrifices made by First Nations, Inuit,...

November marks the beginning of Lebanese Heritage Month in Canada! We proudly recognize the rich contributions of the Lebanese community...

November marks a time to celebrate and honor the remarkable contributions of Canadians of Hindu heritage. This community has profoundly...

October marks the beginning of Islamic History Month , which recognizes the contributions of Muslim Canadians to sciences, humanities,...

October marks the beginning of Latin American Heritage Month in Canada. This month, we recognize and honour the substantial...

On September 30, we will be observing the Truth & Reconciliation Day and Orange Shirt Day . Truth & Reconciliation Day honour the...