Membership renewal forms for 2009/10 are now available online. Be sure to take advantage of the new "fillable" forms. You may now complete them from your desktop through Adobe Acrobat/Reader. Simply complete the form, print it, sign it and send it to us.

The deadline for membership renewal is March 31, 2009.

TO MEMBERS OF THE BAR

The Senior Judge of the Supreme Court would like to invite all members of the Bar who practice in the field of family law, either exclusively or only as part of their practice, to meet with him and one or two other judges of the court for an informal discussion on procedures for family law cases in the Supreme Court and what practices or initiatives should be considered to facilitate the resolution of family law cases.

The meeting will be at 10 AM on Thursday, March 5, 2009, in the third floor courtroom of the Court House. In order to encourage as much attendance as possible, the regularly scheduled family chambers session will be cancelled for that day.

Justice John Vertes

A CLE Committee Meeting will be held on Friday, March 6, 2009 – 12:00pm in the LSNT Boardroom. Please confirm your attendance by return.

Take advantage of a special CPD event taking place on Friday, March 13, 2009, at Fuego International Restaurant (Upper Level).

Starting at 9:00am, Brian Olesky of the Law Society of Alberta will be discussing Trust Accounting. All members are encouraged to attend and to bring the individual responsible for doing their accounting.

Shortly after 12:00pm, Ross McLeod, Practice Advisor with the Law Society of Alberta, will give a presentation on Client ID and Verification, followed by a discussion on Legal Ethics.

Members are strongly encouraged to take part in these two sessions. A light lunch will be provided for all attendees. Please RSVP, as appropriate, by return.

NOTE: Members outside of Yellowknife may be eligible for travel assistance to this event. Please contact the Law Society for information.

The Supreme Court of Canada, in R. v. Hydro Québec, called the environment "a diffuse subject that cuts across many different areas of constitutional responsibility, some federal, some provincial." In the climate change arena, differing approaches to greenhouse gas reduction across the country appear to be crystallizing into inconsistent and potentially competing regulatory regimes.

This live, online CLE will present expert discussion of key recent developments and their implications for climate change regulation. Topics include the constitutionality of federal control over greenhouse gas emissions, the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act, 2007 and the recent Federal Court decision in Friends of the Earth v. Canada. Visit the CBA Website for more information and to register for this CLE, happening on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 (9:00-10:30am MT).

Alternatively, the CBA-NWT Branch will be providing a portal for this event at Lawson Lundell LLP, Yellowknife. CBA members are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. If you have not already, please confirm your attendance by return no later than March 9.

This program has been approved for 1.5 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Rollie Thompson, co-author of the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines, and Scott Booth, a Family Law expert, will guide you through the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines, address their uses and their limits, and provide you with practical tips on preparing and presenting your spousal support case in negotiation, mediation and before the courts. This is a conference that Family Law Practitioners cannot afford to miss.

This is a live event presented by the CBA National Family Law Section. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, March 25, 2009, from 9:00 to 10:30am (MT). Members are encouraged to register soon as space is limited.

The CBA-NWT Branch will be providing a portal for this event in the LSNT Boardroom. CBA members are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. Please comfirm your attendance by return no later than March 20.

The CBA is currently seeking candidates for its National Standing Committees for 2009-2010. All CBA members are eligible to apply for positions on the following committees:

Awards
Communications
Continuing Legal Education
Equity
Ethics and Professional Issues
International Development
Judicial Compensation & Benefits
Legal Aid Liaison
Legislation and Law Reform
Resolutions, Constitution and Bylaws
Supreme Court of Canada Liaison

Nomination forms are available in the LSNT Office. Contact us for more information. The deadline for applications is April 15, 2009.