Coffee in the Times of COVID is a virtual gathering of small groups of young lawyers and/or law students around a topic of common interest, designed to facilitate social connection among the legal profession and give participants a chance to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on their personal and professional lives, as well as the areas of law that matter most to them.
Cohort Stream
Coffee in the Times of COVID is about building your legal network, knowledge, and community. The cohort stream will engage a group of up to 20 young lawyers and law students in regular bi-weekly sessions hosted by a team of lawyer-facilitators from a partner Section of the Canadian Bar Association. Registration is free for CBA members and participants must be available to participate in all five sessions in the cohort.
July 20, 2022 - September 14, 2022
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET
Family Law: What It Is, and Why You Should Consider Practicing It
A seminar style discussion with senior family law lawyers from across Canada with an overview of the practice and discussion of topics arising in family law.
Sessions
Family Law: Is It Right for You?
Wednesday, July 20, 2022 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm ET
What does the practice look like and what does the work entail?
Facilitators: Erin Brook, Amber Penney, Shelley Hounsel-Gray, Samantha de Wit
Elements of Family Practice
Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm ET
A review of litigation, collaborative law, and alternative dispute resolution in family law.
Facilitators: Erin Brook, Samantha de Wit, Amber Penney, Teri Burant
Emotions in Family Law
Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm ET
How to handle emotional clients in family law, as well as how lawyers handle the emotional aspects to practicing family law.
Facilitators: Erin Brook, Shelley Hounsel-Gray
Family Law: The Business
Friday, Aug. 31, 2022 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm ET
Building a family law practice, practice management, and billing will all be discussed in the session.
Facilitators: Erin Brook, Amber Penney, Teri Burant
Ask A Family Lawyer
Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm ET
Open forum for questions about family law and an opportunity to network with family lawyers.
Facilitators: Erin Brook, Amber Penney, Shelley Hounsel-Gray, Samantha de Wit, Teri Burant
Facilitators
Erin Brook
Erin was called to the Bar in Alberta and had a general practice there before taking a job working in the Fraser Valley as a Federal Prosecutor. Erin was called to the BC Bar in 2008 and moved back to Nanaimo in 2010. She is actively involved with the Canadian Bar Association BC Branch, and was a long-standing member of the Section Standing Committee, Business of Law Committee and sat on the Professional Development Committee. She is the Nanaimo Chair of the Law Week committee, the Past Chair for the Nanaimo Family Law Section and Current Co-Chair of the Vancouver Island Family Law Section- as well she is the Past BC Family Law Representative and current Chair of the Family Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association’s National Organization. Erin also sits as the Vice-Chair of the Nanaimo County Bar Association.
Teri Burant
Teri's practice is focused on all aspects of Family Law. This includes assisting clients with child support, spousal and/or adult interdependent partner support, parenting matters and division of property, whether the parties are married or lived common law. While she believes that resolving conflict is the best way to serve my clients, she also recognizes that sometimes going to Court is the required method to solve a problem. Teri has appeared before all levels of Court in Alberta.
Amber Penney
Amber brings heart to the family law team at Lenehan Musgrave, in addition to her years of experience. Her preference is to assist her clients in reaching an out of court settlement, but she is a skilled and experienced courtroom lawyer in situations where the courtroom cannot be avoided. Having graduated from the Dalhousie Schulich School of Law in 2011, Amber has an excellent understanding of family law and court procedure. Amber was the winner of the Smith Shield Moot competition, as well as the winner of the Wayne Spracklin Award for highest mark in the Real Estate and Wills section of the Newfoundland bar course. Amber originally articled in Newfoundland, was called to the Newfoundland and Labrador bar in June of 2012 and called to the Nova Scotia bar in July of 2012. Her practice has focused primarily on family law since July of 2012. She is very sensitive to the emotional nature of family law and works closely and efficiently with her clients, whether it be navigating through negotiations and preparation of documents, or representing her clients through complex litigation.
Shelley Hounsell-Gray
“Everyone has a story.” These are the words that have guided Shelley in her family law practice for over 22 years. Since joining Blackburn Law in 2018, Shelley has enjoyed working in the area of Family Law which covers a lot of interesting legal issues. She appreciates being able to support her clients and their children through, what can be, challenging life events. She strives to reach a negotiated resolution, but, at times, when this is not possible, she engages the court process. She is comfortable appearing at all levels of court in Nova Scotia. A recent career-high point was receiving the Queen’s Counsel designation in 2019 in recognition of her contribution to the legal community. Recently she has been a member of two advisory committees for the Federal Department of Justice and is an executive member of the national family law subsection for the Canadian Bar Association. Shelley is also an adjunct professor at the Schulich School of Law and a returning presenter at the National Judicial Institute All Courts Seminar, Federation of Law Societies National Family Law Program, the Canadian Bar Association, Nova Scotia Legal Aid and community-based organizations.
Samantha de Wit
Samantha is a family law lawyer with Duncan & Company Law in Victoria, BC.
Dale Ellert
Dale is a Partner at Ellert Law in Calgary, AB.
