Ethics and Well-Being Forum 2025

December 11, 2025 at 8:00AM - 10:00AM PST

Downtown Vancouver and Live-webinar

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Description
Faculty

Ethics and Well-Being Forum 2025

December 11, 2025

Overview

This forum convenes an expert faculty to examine contemporary ethical issues and professional challenges confronting members of the legal profession. The discussion will consider the pressures inherent in legal practice, including demanding workloads, complex client expectations, and the pursuit of professional excellence.

Participants will hear from benchers of the Law Society of British Columbia and representatives of the Lawyers’ Assistance Program. The session will highlight the supports and resources available to assist lawyers in sustaining a healthy and balanced professional life.

By engaging with these perspectives, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the connection between ethical competence and well-being, leaving them better equipped to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and to serve their clients with integrity, diligence, and care.

Meet the Faculty

  • Managing Partner, Narwal Litigation LLP, Vancouver, BC

    Cheryl is a civil litigator, mediator, and the managing partner of Narwal Litigation LLP. She has appeared in all levels of Court in British Columbia. In December 2023, she was appointed King’s Counsel. In addition to car accident and sports & recreation cases, Ms. D’Sa has handled personal injury files arising out of occupier’s liability such as slip and falls. Ms. D’Sa has represented clients with chronic pain, soft-tissue injuries, psychological injuries, orthopedic injuries and numerous other injuries.

    Ms. D’Sa has been an elected bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia (LSBC) since May 2020. The benchers function as the board of governors of the LSBC. She is the current Chair of the LSBC’s EDI Committee, and a member of the Credentials Committee and Mental Health Task Force. She is one of two bencher representatives on the Board of Continuing Legal Education of British Columbia, and the bencher representative on Justicia. She is also the BC bencher appointed to the Western Canada Competency Task Force.

  • Assistant Director & Lawyer Counsellor, Lawyers Assistance Program, Vancouver, BC

    Shari is a graduate of Wurzweiler School of Social Work, NY, NY (MSW) and Rutgers School of Law, Camden, NJ (JD). She received her Certificate of Business Management from Portland State University, Portland, Oregon and her license in clinical social work (LCSW). She began her work at LAPBC on December 1, 2020. Since 1999, Shari has provided confidential assistance to lawyers, judges, and law students. She was Assistant Director of the Oregon Attorney Assistance Program prior to joining LAPBC. She is experienced in counselling people on such topics as career and life transition, mental health and trauma challenges, crisis intervention, stress management, organizational and time management challenges, alcohol and substance use and compulsive behaviours.

  • Executive Director, Lawyers Assistance Program, Vancouver, BC

    Derek joined LAP as Executive Director in 1996. Derek practised law for 18 years and went on to expand his skills in business and counseling. This diverse range of interests has helped Derek become a respected leader in the legal, health care and recovery communities. He has served on committees with the Canadian Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He was a Commissioner of the Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (CoLAP) and the Chair of the annual CoLAP conference for several years. He is also on several non-profit boards of societies dealing with addictions, education and spirituality. He is often called upon to present seminars and workshops throughout the province, and is tireless in his efforts to make a positive difference in the lives of legal professionals and those who care about them. He received the designation of Queen’s Counsel in 2004.

Registration Form

Program:

Ethics and Well-Being Forum 2025

Date:

December 11, 2025 (8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. PST)

Location:

UBC Robson Square (800 Robson Street - Classroom level), Vancouver, BC

Registration:

Attend in person or live webinar. Registration is complimentary, but seats are limited. In person registration includes a light breakfast in the morning. Webinar links will be emailed prior to the event.

When and Where:

Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. The program starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 10:00 a.m. (PST). UBC Robson Square is located at 800 Robson Street in Vancouver, BC, and our event will take place on the classroom level. Please visit https://robsonsquare.ubc.ca/find-us/ for directions.

Materials:

The faculty will prepare papers and/or other materials explaining many of the points raised during this program. Materials will be distributed electronically.

Cancellations:

Please provide notice if you wish to cancel your registration. We reserve the right to cancel, change or revise the date, faculty, content, availability of webinar or venue and transfer in-person registration to webinar registration for this event.

To register by phone:

Telephone us: 604-730-2500

Your Privacy:

We will keep all information that you provide to us in strict confidence, other than to prepare a delegate list containing your name, title, firm and city for our faculty and the program delegates. We do not share our mailing lists with any non-affiliated organization.

Course Accreditation:

Attendance at this course can be listed for up to 2 hours of professional responsibility & ethics CPD credits with the Law Society of BC. For practitioners in other jurisdictions, please check your governing body’s CPD requirements.