Ask any lawyer and they will tell you that the one cardinal rule of trust accounting is this—it’s not your money! Success as an early career lawyer requires a solid understanding of how the rules and principles of trust accounting apply in practice.

During this session, panelists discussed how early career lawyers can go beyond the trust accounting ABCs to tackle:

• Management and Oversight—setting up internal control mechanisms that work.
• When the going gets tough—navigating complex trust issues like Trust Floats, cumulative cash rules, and reconciliation and reporting requirements.
• Checklists—implementing a best practices approach to avoid the common trust accounting pitfalls.
   

About Cristen L. Gleeson, KC

Cristen Gleeson KC obtained her Law Degree from Queen’s University in 2001. She articled with BC Hydro in Vancouver and was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 2002. Cristen joined Baker Newby in 2006, became a partner in 2010 and joined Baker Newby’s management team in 2019.

In the early stages of her career Cristen had the honour of working with Court of Appeal Judge Gail Dickson and the late Judge Russell MacKay who were then practising lawyers in the areas of plaintiff civil sexual assault, personal injury and criminal defence. Cristen appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada on a triple appeal involving civil sexual assault and abuses to children in foster care. She also worked and volunteered in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, working with women facing issues of drug addiction and assault and served on the Board of the Pivot Legal Society.

Cristen is the Vice President of the University of the Fraser Valley board of governors and the Vice President of the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation. She received her King’s Counsel designation in 2023.

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About Gurminder Sandhu, KC

Gurminder Sandhu, KC, attended UBC law school and was called to the bar in 2000. He currently practises general litigation at Hamilton Duncan. First elected a Bencher for 2022, Gurminder is a member of the Credentials Committee and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee.

In serving the legal community, Gurminder has acted in the following roles over the past 20 years: volunteer with Salvation Army Legal Clinic, LSLAP, PLTC and CBA Practice Panel; mentor with TRU Law and UBC Law; Secretary, South Asian Bar Association; executive, CBA Research Section; elected representative, CBA Provincial Council; and member of CBA BarTalk, Provincial Judicial Committee and Federal Judicial Committee

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About Angela Porco

Angela Porco is a senior auditor with the Law Society’s Trust Assurance Department. Prior to joining the Law Society, she was an accountant in industry and mainly focused on financial accounting, reporting and corporate taxes. She attended the British Columbia Institute of Technology where she completed a Bachelor of Technology in Forensic Investigation and subsequently obtained her Certified General Accountant Designation and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist designations.

This recording is hosted by CBABC, which is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam First Nations. We encourage our members to explore the rich history and knowledge of Indigenous people, and to continue learning about their experience in Canada, past and present.