We’ve expanded family duty counsel (FDC) services in Nanaimo, Surrey, Vancouver, and Victoria. As of November 1, 2024, to support the Early Resolution Process (ERP) being implemented in additional court registries in the province, expanded FDC services will be added to Abbotsford, Chilliwack, New Westminster, and Port Coquitlam.
The aim of the ERP is to achieve better outcomes for clients and reduce wasted court time. As part of the ERP support, FDC clients will be provided with a written summary of their advice, and FDC services will receive additional support for booking meetings and interpreters for clients, and collecting client documents and maintaining client files to ensure continuity of service. The additional support will also allow FDC lawyers to provide preparation and representation for clients at Family Management Conferences, if arranged in advance. Paralegals will also be added to assist with drafting court forms for FDC clients.
In 2025, ERP will be implemented in North Vancouver, Pemberton, Richmond, Sechelt, and Vancouver. Since expanded FDC services are already in place in Vancouver, that location will act as a hub to assist clients from the other court registries as well. We hope these service improvements will support the standardization of processes and systems, allowing for operational consistency and further expansion in the future.
