FAQ Set #1

We received a number of questions last week about this workshop:

Skill levels

Q: What skill level is the workshop designed for?

A: The workshop is designed for a range of experience levels and will be customized to meet the skill level of registrants (that is why we need to talk to you when registering).  For example, attendees who are just being introduced to hearings will learn the basics of how to convene a hearing and what to do to ensure procedural fairness is accorded, while more experienced attendees will have the opportunity to practice managing and deliberating disputed applications.

Suitability for staff

Q: Would the workshop be useful for administrators or staff as opposed to just people who sit on hearing committees?

A: Administrators and staff who oversee or assist committees that are responsible for conducting hearings need to have a good understanding of how a hearing unfolds in order to know how to prepare for and run an efficient, successful hearing. Do you? You might ask yourself do you know how to vet a hearing panel for conflicts of interests and bias? Do you know what to disclose and what not to disclose to a hearing panel before a hearing, during a hearing, and after a hearing?  Do you understand the different roles of the prosecutor, independent hearing counsel, and registrant’s counsel?  Do you know the different stages of a hearing so you can to plan, organize, and budget for a hearing?

Effort required

Q: How much effort will be required for this workshop?

A: A lot.  Each participant will be engaged in the role playing, asking and answering questions, working through legal and practice issues, and helping others learn.

Instructors

Q: Who will be teaching?

A: Lisa C. Fong and Jaia Rai will be the main instructors, and there may be additional guest instructors depending on the skill level and regulatory background of the attendees. Lisa and Jaia are senior lawyers who practise professional regulatory law. Lisa’s biography can be seen here. Jaia is the manager of discipline and unauthorized practice at the Law Society of British Columbia. She manages a cadre of Law Society lawyers in conducting discipline tribunal hearings and court hearings.