In this issue - #147 May 31, 2011

Pushor Mitchell LLP was the large business recipient of the 2011 Green Business Awards. The awards were presented in partnership by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise). Each of the following category recipients has had to incorporate environmental sustainability into their business model and mission/vision statements.  These businesses must also have met and exceeded their industry standards along with ensuring long-term sustainability for their green initiatives.

Construction involves a high degree of risk. Our construction lawyers have the knowledge and industry experience to guide clients through all phases of the construction project.

In a fairly recent decision of our Supreme Court in W Redevelopment Group Inc. v Allan Window Technologies Inc., the court has provided some guidance as to the interpretation of section 90 of the Strata Property Act.  Section 90 allows a builders lien that has been filed against a strata lot to be discharged upon the posting of security proportionate to the unit entitlement of that strata lot compared to the total unit entitlement of all strata lots in the particular strata plan.

The British Columbia Builders Lien Act provides a lien for monies owed to an individual or a company who, supply labour and/or materials to a construction project on most lands in British Columbia.  A builders lien places limited responsibility on owners to protect not only their contractors but also subcontractors, workers, material suppliers and others, who do not contract directly with the owner.

The Builders Lien Act, S.B.C. 2007, c. 45 and the Strata Property Act, S.B.C. 1998 set out five triggering events from which the time to file a claim of lien starts to run.

An individual, partnership or company who has supplied labour or labour and materials to an improvement, on most lands in British Columbia, is entitled to file a claim of lien against the property title.  Renters of equipment, engineers and in some cases, architects are also entitled to file a CBL.  A lien claimant can file a lien without using a lawyer.  The claimant must complete a Form 5 – Claim of Builders Lien (“CBL”).

This series, by BC personal injury lawyer Paul Mitchell Q.C,.will explain the Top Ten mistakes to avoid with your ICBC personal injury claim.
The articles will give tips on how to ensure you do not make serious mistakes that could be fatal to your claim.
For 10 issues of Legal Alert, Paul will focus on one mistake you should avoid, and what you should do instead to ensure your ICBC personal injury claim is not prejudiced.
This month, Mistake # 3, Missing Important Limitation Dates

As business lawyers, we are often asked to clarify the role of the board of directors of a corporation.  The general role of directors is to supervise the management of the business and affairs of the corporation.

Facebook, Twitter, and other services have become a major resource for both prosecutors and defense attorneys, letting them glean more insight than they can get from jury questionnaires. They are also being used in civil jury cases. This article discusses how lawyers are using social media to vet their potential jury pool.

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. But for the zing that citing the lyrics of a popular song can bring to a court opinion or a scholarly legal article, there's no one better than the author of that well-known line, Bob Dylan, a survey has determined.

So, "marijuana grannies," how does your garden grow? Well enough to cultivate 800 healthy marijuana plants, allege police in San Bruno, California.