CHARLOTTE A. SALOMON, K.C.

RETIRED Dec. 2023

"Charlotte provided (fr. 1996-2023) her clients with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the areas of wills, estate administration, and personal injury litigation. She also practised in property transactions, including real estate conveyance, foreclosure, and expropriation." [quote from McBOP.com profile]

In 2008 she became a principal of McConnan Bion O'Connor & Peterson. She was bestowed the honorary title of Queen's Counsel, or Q.C. in 2016 the Q.C. became King's Counsel. on the passing of Queen Elizabeth

PATRICK EDWARD BION
Business-Commercial Services Lawyer
B.A. (UVIC - 1970), LL.B. (UVIC - 1973)

Patrick practises in the wills, estates, and estate planning areas.  He also has extensive experience in real estate development, complex commercial transactions, financing, incorporations and advising small business generally.

Patrick is one of the three founding principals of McConnan Bion O'Connor & Peterson and has practised with the firm since 1975.

McConnan Bion O'Connor & Peterson Law Corporation
Suite # 420 - 880 Douglas Street,
Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 2B7
Phone:  250-385-1383    Toll free:  1-888-385-1383
Email Pat Bion:  pbion@mcbop.com
Web Site:  www.mcbop.com//patrick-e-bion
Map to office:www.lawyers-bc.com/img--maps/victoria/McBOP-Victoria-street-map.html

What Are Representation Agreements?
and
Powers of Attorney?

This information is provided courtesy of the wills & estates lawyers at McBOP.com

Representation Agreements - Reference Info

• Authorizes and empowers another person (your representative) to make health care and personal care decisions of you, including a decision regarding "life support"
• Allows you to identify the type of health care and personal care decisions your representative can or cannot make
• Allows you to specify under what circumstances or events the representative may exercise these powers
• Permits a person under diminished capacity to empower a representative to make routine financial and health care decisions for that person
• Can include provisions to appoint a monitor to ensure your representative carries out your health care and personal care wishes
• Can include power to act in financial or legal matters, as if under a general power of attorney
• Survives subsequent incapacity

Must be in a form that meets prescribed signing and witnessing requirements

Powers of Attorney - Reference Info

• Permits adults to grant authority to another person (the "attorney") to act on legal or financial matters on behalf of the adult
• Can be general or specific as to the legal and/or financial matters covered
• Can be expressed to survive any subsequent mental infirmity (an "enduring power of attorney")
• Can name more than one attorney, to act together, or provide for an alternate attorney
• Is automatically revoked on the death of the grantor
• Is a useful and popular estate planning and management tool
• Avoids expensive applications to court to appoint someone (a "Committee") to act on your behalf in the event you are incapacitated
• Does not extend to making health care or personal care decisions

Must be in a form that meets prescribed signing and witnessing requirements

Contact MICHAEL R. MARK, BA, LL.B. at McConnan Bion O'Connor & Peterson Law Corp. for more information on the above services.

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Footnotes & Archive notes

Definition of "E S T A T E"

1.  What is included in my estate?

Generally, assets that are in your name would be included in your estate.  Exceptions are assets that you hold jointly with another - those assets will go to the surviving owner, and assets for which you are able to designate a beneficiary - such as RRSPs and insurance policies.  The dollar value of the assets actually in your name that are not held jointly or designated to a beneficiary form the assets that comprise your estate, and it is the dollar value of those assets that are used to calculate probate fees.

Definition of "P R O B A T E"

Probate......What is meant by the term "probate"?

Probate is the court order that is issued by the Supreme Court of British Columbia allowing your executor to "execute" the provisions of your will.

Probate is the legal sanction to your executor to carry out the terms of your will and distribute your estate in the manner described in your will.Your executor requires a Grant of Probate before he can obtain control of a number of the assets in your estate including investments held in financial institutions, real estate and the like.

Once the Grant is obtained, an executor can then proceed to liquidate the estate in preparation for distributing it as set forth by your will. If there are persons that have an entitlement under the Wills Variation Act to make application to vary your will, the executor must wait 6 months from date of probate prior to distributing your estate or alternatively, obtain the consent of all those persons who are entitled to apply and/or named in the will to an earlier distribution.

An executor must also obtain a Clearance Certificate from Revenue Canada before wholly distributing your estate.

3.  How much are probate fees in the province of British Columbia?

Probate fees are calculated on the value of your estate, at date of death, in accordance with the following formula:
GO TO www.ag.gov.bc.ca/legislation/shareddocs/wesa/qa.pdf

N. NIMA ROHANI

Nima was born and raised in Victoria .... Has a degree from the University of Victoria, in anthropology and a law degree from Australia's James Cook University.

His solicitor practice is primarily in real estate law and construction law, as he has had hands-on experience working with trades, engineers, and home owners

His practice areas include:

• Business Law
• Creditors' Remedies
• Estate Administration
• Real Estate
• Wills, Trusts & Incapacity Planning
• Residential Tenancy Branch Disputes and Hearings

N. NIMA ROHANI,
Partner,
McConann Bion O'Connor & Peterson Law Corp.
Suite # 420 - 880 Douglas Street,
Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 2B7
Phone:  250-385-1383    Toll free:  1-888-385-1383
Web Site: www.mcbop.com/lawyer/n-nima-rohani/
E-mail: nrohani@mcbop.com

REID FRASER, J.D.

Reid was born in Victoria and has been active in the community all of his life. Upon returning home Reid completed his articles with McConnan Bion O'Connor & Peterson working in both the litigation and solicitor practice groups.

In his first year of practice Reid has represented clients at all levels of court in British Columbia and has trial experience in both the Provincial Court and Supreme Court of British Columbia.

Practice Areas
· Real Estate
· Civil Litigation
· Creditors Remedies
· Estate Litigation
· Family Law
· Personal Injury
· Medical Malpractice
· Wills, Trusts & Incapacity Planning

Education
· Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), University of British Columbia (2013)
· Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), James Cook University, Honours First Class (2016)
· Certificate of Qualification, National Committee of Accreditation (2017)

Call to the Bar
· British Columbia Bar, 2018

Awards
· Top of Class, Contract Law, James Cook University (2014)
· Masters of Coursework, James Cook University (2016)

REID FRASER,
Barrister & Solicitor,
McConann Bion O'Connor & Peterson Law Corp.
Suite # 420 - 880 Douglas Street,
Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 2B7
Phone:  250-385-1383    Toll free:  1-888-385-1383
Web Site: www.mcbop.com/lawyer/reid-fraser
Email: rfraser@mcbop.com

Nicholas maintains a hybrid practice as both a barrister and solicitor. In his solicitor's practice, Nicholas regularly advises on a wide range of real estate and business matters, including contract drafting and negotiation, acquisitions and dispositions, estate planning and administration, and commercial leasing. In the realm of litigation, Nicholas' primarily practices in matters relating to commercial disputes and estate litigation.

Nicholas represents clients at all levels and is committed to providing his clients with practical, efficient, and responsive advice.

When not in the office, Nicholas can be found on the golf course or spending time with his family."  [quote fr. McBOP.com firm website 2024.01.03]

Nicholas D. McKnight,
Barrister & Solictor
McConnan Bion O'Connor Peterson, Law Corp.
Suite #420 - 880 Douglas Street,
Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 2B7
Phone:   250-385-1383
Toll free:  1-888-385-1383

Web: www.mcbop.com/lawyer/nicholas-d-mcknight
Map to office:www.lawyers-bc.com/img--maps/victoria/McBOP-Victoria-street-map.html

The Capital Regional District, CRD, includes the Municipalities of:
Central Saanich / Colwood / Esquimalt / Highlands / Langford / Metchosin / North Saanich / Oak Bay / Saanich / Sidney / Sooke / Victoria / View Royal (on southern Vancouver Island) and they in turn ar part of the Electoral Areas of: Juan de Fuca, Southern Gulf Islands, and Salt Spring Island. (see [www.crd.bc.ca/govlink.htm for more information]

Victoria Bar Association
"... The Victoria Bar Association (the "VBA") is the local bar association in Victoria, British Columbia.
The Association acts as a liaison between the lawyers of Victoria and other institutions such as the Courts, government, and the University of Victoria Faculty of Law. It also works closely with the Law Society of British Columbia, the Canadian Bar Association and other legal organizations.
The VBA provides scholarships for students and contributes to law related charities.
The VBA also organizes 4 dinner social events and a number of sporting events each year that are generally well-attended by its members and guests.
[quote 2009.01.11 vicbar.com]

Canadian Bar Association, Civil Litigation - Vancouver Island Section
"... What We Do
Deals with law, which regulates the jurisdiction of the courts in civil matters and the procedures for the conduct of civil cases and the enforcement of judicial decisions of a civil nature.
Join this Section and play a role in shaping legislation and government policy..." [quote 2009.01.11 www.cba.org/BC/s_civil_visl

MICHAEL R. MARK, BA, LL.B.

Preferred areas of practice in civil litigation include:  estate litigation (e.g. wills variation), personal injury, and commercial disputes.

If you have been treated unfairly by a deceased parent or spouse under the terms of his or her will, consider obtaining the advice and assistance of an experienced estate litigation lawyer.  Wills can be varied by the court to ensure adequate, just and equitable provision for a spouse or child of the deceased.

Challenging Provisions of a Will & Estate Litigation

A child or spouse of a person who dies leaving a will can challenge the provisions of will and seek a variation pursuant to the Wills Variation Act.

The court will consider whether, in all of the circumstances, the deceased person (testator) made adequate provision for the claimant under the terms of the will.  The considerations are wide and varied, but they include the nature of the relationship between the testator and the claimant, the size of the estate, and the relative needs of the other beneficiaries to the will.

Claims must be made within 6 months from issuance of probate of the will. 

Probate is the process in which the executor of the will probates or proves the will to the court.  If a child or a spouse is not satisfied that the will makes adequate provision for him or her, legal advice ought to be obtained promptly so that legal action, if warranted, may be commenced in a timely way.

Michael Mark has extensive experience in both civil litigation and in criminal litigation as a Federal prosecutor in drug, and complex tax evasion prosecutions.

Michael has practiced in Victoria since his admission to the Bar in 1991 and he became a principal at McConnan, Bion, O'Connor & Peterson Law Corporation in January 2000.  He is also a past executive member of the Victoria Bar Association.

Michael Mark, LLB - Estate Litigation / Wills Lawyer
Senior Partner
McConnan Bion O'Connor Peterson Law Corp.
Suite #420 - 880 Douglas Street,
Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 2B7
Phone  250-385-1383   
Toll free  1-888-385-1383
E-mail:  mmark@mcbop.com

Web Site:  McBOP.com/michael-r-mark
Map to office:www.lawyers-bc.com/img--maps/victoria/McBOP-Victoria-street-map.html

see also Representation Agreements vs Powers of Attorney

MICHAEL JAMES O'CONNOR, KC
B.A. (UVIC - 1971), LL.B. (UBC - 1974), Admitted to the BC Bar 1975

Michael has been a senior partner at McConnan, Bion, O'Connor & Peterson since 1976. Michael's preferred areas of practise include wills, estates and conveyancing, as well as all forms of civil litigation, including personal injury claims, expropriation, property tax assessment appeals and contract disputes.

Michael chaired the highly successful Capital Campaign of the Greater Victoria Hospital Foundation s/a Foundation, "Together We Care", raising 17 million dollars for the hospitals on Southern Vancouver Island.  He is a member of the CH Channel 6 Community Advisory Board [s/a en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHEK-TV] and a Trustee of the British Columbia Government House Foundation (www.ltgov.bc.ca).  He has held several executive positions with several sports bodies at the local, Provincial and National levels.  He is the Vice Past Chairman of the 1994 Commonwealth Games www.commonwealthgames.ca held at Victoria, BC.

Michael J. O'Connor, QC
McConnan Bion O'Connor & Peterson Law Corporation
Suite # 420 - 880 Douglas Street,
Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 2B7
Phone:  250-385-1383    Toll free:  1-888-385-1383

Email:  moconnor@mcbop.com
Web Site:  www.mcbop.com/lawyer/michael-j-oconnor-k-c/

Map to office:www.lawyers-bc.com/img--maps/victoria/McBOP-Victoria-street-map.html

DIRK RYNEVELD, K.C.

Dirk currently has a varied litigation practice advising both private and government clients on administrative law and civil litigation issues.  He is primarily engaged as senior external counsel for the Civil Forfeiture Office of the BC Ministry of Justice.

His areas of practice include:
· Civil Forfeiture for the BC Ministry of Justice
· Personal Injury
· Real Estate
· Wills
· Estate Administration

Dirk Ryneveld, K.C. joined the firm of McConnan Bion O'Connor & Peterson in Victoria as Associate Counsel in June 2009, after a six-year term as Police Complaint Commissioner for BC.  Prior to that, Dirk was a Senior Trial Attorney from 1999 - 2003 at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia at the Hague, where he conducted several war crimes trials and also was lead counsel for the prosecution of the Kosovo component of the Slobodan Milosevic trial.

He has also appeared at all levels of court in British Columbia and the Supreme Court of Canada, as Deputy Regional Crown Counsel from 1974 - `1999.   Dirk was appointed as Queen's Counsel in 1990.

DIRK RYNEVELD, K.C.,
McConann Bion O'Connor & Peterson Law Corp.
Suite # 420 - 880 Douglas Street,
Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 2B7
Phone:  250-385-1383    Toll free:  1-888-385-1383
Web Site: https://www.mcbop.com/lawyer/dirk-ryneveld-k-c/
Street Map:  down town Victoria location near Court House

STEWART JOHNSTON, LLB
Senior Associate Counsel

His practice focuses on business and corporate law, real property law (including development and leasing) and estate planning.

Stewart was founding Chair of the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority and of the Victoria Esquimalt Harbour Society, past chair of Tourism Victoria, former co-chair of the Tourism Working Group of the Pacific North West Economic Region, and past Chair of Skwin'ang'eth Se'las Development Company - a not-for-profit corporation aimed at incubating entrepreneurship among members of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.

Stewart is Commander of the Victoria Commandery of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller.  He has served on several not-for-profit boards including the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Foundation, the Victoria Symphony Society, and the Camosun College Foundation.  In addition to the honour of knighthood in the Sovereign Order, Stewart has received an honorary citizenship from the City of Victoria, the Miracle Award from Tourism Victoria, and life membership in the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.

Practice areas:
· Business Law
· Real Property Law
· Wills, Trusts & Incapacity Planning
· Estate Administration

STEWART JOHNSTON, Senior Associate Counsel
Barrister & Solicitor,
McConann Bion O'Connor & Peterson Law Corp.
Suite # 420 - 880 Douglas Street,
Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 2B7
Phone:  250-385-1383    Toll free:  1-888-385-1383
Web Site: www.mcbop.com/lawyer/stewart-johnston
E-mail: sjohnston@mcbop.com

Probate Reference Information

COURTHOUSE LIBRARIES B.C.

The following information is quoted from the web site below, and noted on their website - last updated Sept. 08, 2022

https://www.courthouselibrary.ca/how-we-can-help/our-legal-knowledge-base/where-can-i-find-wills-and-probate-records

Where can I find wills and probate records?
Last Revised September 08, 2022

Wills

It is a requirement of the wills probate process that a search for a wills notice be completed.

A wills notice identifies that a will has been registered and describes the person who has made the will, where the will is located, and the date of the will.

Anyone is eligible to conduct a search of wills notice of a deceased person.

To be eligible to conduct a search of wills notice for a person who is living, you must be the person themselves or a lawyer. [emphasis added]

The BC Archives holds wills probated in British Columbia between 1861 and 1981. The wills indexes and the wills on microfilm are self serve and open for access in the reference room. The 1981 wills are in hardcopy and stored off-site.

Probate

Probate/estate files include the proceedings of all business relating to:

• the proving of a will, in cases where there was one, or
• the ultimate settling of an estate in instances where the individual died intestate (without leaving a valid will).

Probate files were usually created and maintained by the court registry closest to the residence of the deceased person or the executor of the will. While the contents may vary, many files contain a copy of the will, if there was one. A typical file might contain:

• copy of the will,
• death certificate,
• inventory of belongings,
• claims from creditors, and general family and financial information.

Probate case files and other records for estates probated in Victoria between 1859 and 1992, and in Vancouver between 1893 and 1992, are available at the British Columbia Archives.

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO:
https://www.courthouselibrary.ca/how-we-can-help/our-legal-knowledge-base/where-can-i-find-wills-and-probate-records

Who Practices What Areas of Law, Where, For Whom, Why, and for How Much?
What is the world of lawyers and the world of law about? 
This is a layperson's sampler site - a starting point!

This resource area is a collaboration of many people including lawyers, retired judges, notaries, health and social service professionals currently in practice who received their legal/professional training in different countries including: China, Canada, the United Kingdom, the U.S.A.

Credits, Copyright, Dedication & Inspiration

The area of wills, estates and trusts administration on LawyersWorld.org is in part inspired by multiple people and sources including with historic impact on some of this web site's developers:

• Myrna Cresswell, former senior manager of the then called Office of the Public Trustee of BC, now known as the Public Guardian and Trustee of British Columbia [s/a www.trustee.bc.ca based in downtown Vancouver BC. 
• Mr. Clinton Foote, the Public Trustee and Mrs. Creswell initiated and supported from 1985-1990 a landmark project in the area of "quality of life assurance / enhancement" for many of the Trustee's mentally challenged/impaired clients in a large number of residential care programs in BC, including Mental Health Boarding Homes, Valley View Psycho-Geriatric Hospital (located in the Riverview Hospital / Mental Health Complex, adjacent to the Crease Clinic Facilities) in the Port Coquitlam area.
• The Project Professional Team for the Quality of Life Assurance/Enhancement Project included Psychiatrist, Martha Donnelly at Vancouver General Hospital ; Neuro-Psychologist, Ursula Wild, PHD RPSYCH [in 2008 is listed as a Clinical Associate, with Department of Psychology, Graduate Studies, Simon Fraser University [s/a www.psyc.sfu.ca/grad/index.php?topic=clin_faculty] ; Music Therapist and Social Worker, Yoying Orosa, BSW MT RST see her website as well as Neal Chan, BA MSW (QOLA project director)
  It is through working with the Public Trustee's staff that Mr. Chan became involved with Vancouver and Victoria lawyers and health professionals on Wills Variation and Breach of Trust legal actions as well as Private Trustee Management Services e.g. potential conflict of interests of trustee(s) of an trust funds.
• see also below Dr. Martha Donnelly, who provided encouragement and consultation to Mr. Chan's group work on enhancing the quality of life for seniors in extended care facilities.t
  • Martha Donnelly, MD, CCFP, FRCPC, Psychiatrist
    Director, Division of Community Geriatrics, Department of Family Practice,
    UBC Director, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, UBC Geriatric Psychiatrist, Geriatric Psychiatry Outreach Team, Vancouver Hospital
    Division of Community Geriatrics
    Department of Family Practice,
    GPOT-HCE4
    715 West 12th Ave.
    Vancouver, B.C. V5Z 1M9
    Web site:  Centre for Research on Personhood in Dementia
  • https://give.ubc.ca/ memorial/martha-donnelly/ "in Martha's memory, the Martha Donnelly Memorial Fund has been established at the UBC Faculty of Medicine.
    
    Your gift will pay tribute to Martha's life and contributions to her field, by supporting educational and community engagement activity related to community geriatrics and geriatric psychiatry." (quote fr. above website 2024.01.0.03)
  • Obituary of Martha Donnelly, Vancouver Sun, 2019 vancouversunandprovince .remembering .ca/obituary/martha-donnelly-1072245454)
• Special note should be made of the Pastoral Care Consultant to the above Quality of Life Enhancement Team, The Reverend Gilbert Smith, at that point recently retired from Trinity Presbyterian Church www.trinitypcvictoria.org in Victoria, however still carrying on Pastoral Care Work throughout the Juan de Fuca Hospital System, in Victoria. Reverend Smith who died in 2008 is well known for his support of the local Cricket Community, the local prize winning flower grower's competitions and of course throughout the local Presybterian / Christian community.
  The Jaun de Fuca Hospitals were a network of long term care seniors facilities, providing "intermediate-care" and "extended-care" for physically infirm and psycho-geriatric (various dementias / alzheimer diagnosed) seniors throughout the Greater Victoria area, including: Richmond Hospital, The Priory, Tolmie Hospital.
• [s/a Wills Variation Act [RSBC 1996] CHAPTER 490 this online reference is service of Queens Printers and
  copies of the Act and Regulations are available from www.crownpub.bc.ca
  Crown Publications Inc.
  distributors of BC Government Publications and Reports
  106 Ontario Street
  (note: the store is downtown near to the Bastion Square area Victoria, BC V8V1M9
  Phone:  250-386-4636
  email:  crown@crownpub.bc.ca
  
• Photos and graphics in this legal services section are provided by cartographer / map-maker Angus Weller e.g. Maps of Cities, Regions and Countries sponsored by Weller Cartographic Services Ltd., www.MapMatrix.com   and a number of lawyers involved with this site including Mr. Dil Gosal, LLM GosalLaw.com and Ms. D.R., BA MLS LLB