BarTalk October 2000
Volume 12, Number 5

New Women Rainmakers-Vancouver Island Section

At the September 23, 2000 Provincial Council meeting, the Women Rainmakers - Vancouver Island Section was approved as an active CBABC Section. Taking charge of this re-established Section are proposed Co-Chairs Kay Melbye and Marlene Russo of Victoria.

Vancouver Island lawyers have indicated their interest in this new Section that will focus on enhancing marketing and business development skills important to building and maintaining a law practice as well as in contributing to the local community.

If you are interested in joining this new Section or any other Sections for 2000/2001 contact the CBABC and an enrollment form will be faxed to you.

What’s Going On With The WCB?

In July, the CBABC and Law Society jointly and immediately responded to concerns that Worker’s Compensation Board premium rates for lawyers had increased without notice. Specifically, it appeared as if the base rate was increasing by up to 50 per cent – despite research by one of our members, G.G. Ridgeway, which indicated that in 1998 lawyers and notaries paid $693,363.63 and were responsible for only 107 claims totaling $197,161.

Mayland McKimm, then President, wrote a letter to the Chair of the WCB, Maureen Nichols, demanding that any increase to the WCB rate be held in abeyance until consultation had occurred. Six days later, the CBABC received a letter from the WCB’s Chief Financial Officer, Sidney Fattedad, who stated that this was simply a matter of miscommunication. Apparently, there is an increase in base rate, however, there is also a significant reimbursement of surplus that is to be returned in the form of a premium discount to lawyers over the next five years.

The CBABC remains concerned about why lawyers would be refunded the surplus over five years, rather than on a more immediate basis. A further meeting is planned to discuss this issue with the WCB, and the results will be reported in the next issue of BarTalk.

These articles were published in the October 2000 issue of BarTalk and are subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2005, all rights reserved.