COFFEE IN THE TIMES OF COVID
The Substantive Law & COVID-19 Series
Friday, March 4, 2022
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EST
The World of Sole and Small Firm Practitioners
The majority of legal services in Canada are provided by sole and small firm practitioners, many of whom enjoy rewarding practices which they conduct largely on their own terms. Despite that, the sole and small firm practice settings tend to be overlooked in law schools and in the public's perception. Moreoever, there is a common misconception that the large firms have a monopoly on good lawyers and good clients, which is not the case. Angela, Steven and Tiro will provide their experience and insight as well as answer questions.
Facilitators
Tiro Clarke
Tiro was called to the Bar in Alberta in 1996 and has practiced law in Calgary for over 22 years. Tiro has practiced law long enough that sometimes he summarizes what he does as “I fix things”, but there’s more to it, obviously; he also gets clients to where they want to be, whether it’s through a complicated sequence of corporate transactions, a simple house purchase or assisting with their estate planning. As a litigator, Tiro has appeared at all levels of court in Alberta as well as in the Federal Court in files that have ranged from commercial insolvency to estate litigation.
Steven Cope
Steven was called in 1999 and has practiced since then in Fort St. John, B.C. A northerner to the end, Steven is primarily engaged in commercial litigation in the oil and gas industry and a great deal of associated solicitor’s work. He is a dispute resolution panelist for British Columbia for what was originally TILMA, and has continued in that role within its future incarnations and on its Procurement Dispute panel. Too curmudgeonly for big firm life.
Angela Cao
Before starting at Queenstone Law, Angela practiced at litigation law firms in Toronto and gained in-depth litigation experience in a variety of matters. She is a fearless and thorough advocate for her clients. Angela is called to the bar in both British Columbia and Ontario and assists her clients in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Angela has appeared at the Provincial and Supreme Court of BC, the Tax Court of Canada, and various boards and tribunals.
