This week, the BC Provincial Court and BC Supreme Court announced protocol for speaking in court. Now, everyone is asked to introduce themselves to the court – not only by name but by pronouns and preferred titles.
For some people, these announcements do not seem like big news. It is huge for others. This new protocol means that the courts can better acknowledge people based on how they identify.
This makes for a more respectful and open environment. It makes our courts more inclusive and embraces diversity. In her announcement, the Chief Judge of the BC Provincial Court explained that introducing this measure is meant to improve the experiences within the legal system for gender diverse parties and to avoid uncomfortable tension.
Those assumptions – based on how someone looks, how someone sounds, or how someone’s name appears – can be wrong. When pronouns are used that are inconsistent with a person’s identity, it can inflict harm. Even if there are no bad intentions, mis-gendering a person can be leave them feeling disrespected, dismissed, or alienated.
Hammerco's Managing Partner Morgyn Chandler is included in the 2024 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Canada's most comprehensive guide to legal talent.
If you share an intimate image of yourself with someone through email, a messaging app, or text, you have a right to privacy and to not have your image shared without your consent.
When it comes to the question of whether a parent is required to provide for their child in their will in BC, the answer is far more complex than a simple yes.
Hammerco Lawyers' Managing Partner Morgyn Chandler and Associate Zoë Marler successfully secured an award of over 1 million dollars in compensation for their client.