Carol W. Hickman

, Q.C., B.A., LL.B., LL.M. (ADR)
FOUNDER, MEDIATOR, ARBITRATOR, COLLABORATIVE LAW PROFESSIONAL

Carol Hickman

Carol obtained her law degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1987 and has practiced family law in the Greater Vancouver area for 25 years. Carol has experience at all levels of court, including the British Columbia Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. She has extensive experience in complex family law matters, including property division, maintenance, and custody and access disputes. Carol was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2010. Carol obtained her Master of Laws (ADR) from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2014.

With 25 years of experience in traditional family law litigation, Carol has seen firsthand the effects of separation and divorce on individuals, families and children. Her vision is to help shift the perceptions around the separation and divorce process to be one that is cooperative, respectful and solutions-oriented.

For the past 15+ years, Carol has been helping couples resolve their disputes outside of the courtroom, as a family law Mediator and a Collaborative family lawyer. Carol is also a family law Arbitrator. She is one of the pioneering members of the Collaborative Family Law Group serving the Lower Mainland and has been a member of the Vancouver Collaborative Divorce Group since January 2001. Carol was a Bencher of the Law Society of BC from 2004 – 2011 and is now a Life Bencher. Carol is the Chair of the Family Law Task Force of LSBC, which created regulations for lawyers acting as family dispute resolution professionals. She has been an instructor and coach for Continuing Legal Education for many years, including the Family Law Arbitration and Family Violence Screening courses, and the Family Law Conference for several years. In addition, Carol has assisted CLE with developing the Family Law Arbitration course and the Domestic Violence Screening course in BC. Carol has also taught at UBC Law School and Thomson Rivers Law School.

Carol has also been very involved in a number of different charities throughout her career. She is actively involved in raising money to fight breast cancer. Carol participated in local events, such as the Weekend to End Breast Cancer, a 60 kilometre walk. Carol has also participated in the Run for the Cure, as well as the Vancouver Sun Run. Carol and her husband, Barry, also support a missionary in Cebu, Philippines, to assist orphan children and needy families. Part of their support provides food, supplies, education and housing. To find out more or learn how you can contribute, please visit our Blog for more details.

EDUCATION, BAR ADMISSION AND AWARDS

Queen’s Counsel (2010)

Attorney General – Order in Council

Master of Laws (ADR) (2014)

Osgoode Hall Law School

Accredited Family Law Mediator, Arbitrator and Parenting Coordinator (2013)

Law Society of British Columbia

Family Law Arbitrator (2012)

British Columbia Arbitration and Mediation Institute

Certified Family Law Mediator (2001)

Law Society of British Columbia and Continuing Legal Education

Called to the Bar (1988)

Law Society of British Columbia

PROFESSIONAL COMMITTEES

Law Society of British Columbia

  • Life Bencher (since 2012)
  • Bencher (2004 – 2011)
  • Discipline Hearing Panels (since 2004)
  • Chairperson, Family Law Task Force (since 2007)
  • Access to Legal Services Advisory Committee (since 2012)
  • Paralegal Pilot Project Working Group (since 2011)
  • Credentials Committee Chair (2010), Vice-Chairperson (2009), Member (2004 – 2011)
  • Executive Committee (2009 – 2010)
  • Delivery of Legal Services Task Force (2008 – 2010)
  • Chairperson, Unbundling of Legal Services Task Force (2005 – 2008)
  • Vice-Chairperson, Unauthorized Practice Committee (2008)
  • Vice-Chairperson, Access to Justice Committee (2006 – 2007)

Collaborative Association Serving the Lower Mainland of BC

  • Co-Chairperson (2002 – 2003)

New Westminster Family Law Subsection, Canadian Bar Association

  • Co-Chairperson (2001 – 2002), Program Coordinator (1999 – 2001)

New Westminster Family Law Subsection, Canadian Bar Association

  • Committee on BC Justice Review Task Force (2007)
  • Committee on Unified Family Court (2002)

New Westminster Bench and Bar Committee

  • Law Society of British Columbia Representative (since 2006)
  • Ministry of Attorney General
  • Family Law Advisory Group (since 2010)

Canadian Bar Association Family Law Bench and Bar Committee

Law Society of British Columbia Representative (since 2011)

MEMBERSHIPS

  • Law Society of British Columbia (since 1988)
  • Canadian Bar Association (since 1988)
  • Mediate BC (2013)
  • New Westminster Family Law Subsection, Canadian Bar Association (since 1990)
  • Collaborative Association Serving the Lower Mainland of BC (since 2001)
  • Vancouver Collaborative Law Group (since 2001)
  • International Academy of Collaborative Professional (since 2005)

PRESENTATIONS AND TEACHING ENGAGEMENTS

University of British Columbia Law School (2015)

  • Family Law (Guest Instructor)

Thompson Rivers Law School (2015)

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution (Guest Instructor)

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (2015)

  • Screening for Family Violence

National Family Law Conference

  • Ethical Issues in Med-Arb (July 2014)

West Coast ADR Law Group

  • Mediator’s Toolbox (December 2013)
  • Family Violence Screening Workshop (June and September 2013)

Continuing Legal Education – Family Law Conference

  • Chambers Practice – Tips and Traps (2011)
  • Ethical Issues in Family Law (2009)
  • Judicial Review of Agreements (2007)
  • Mobility Re-Visited (2005)
  • Melting Pot v. Multiculturalism (2001)

Continuing Legal Education

  • Med-Arb Workshop (December 2014)
  • Family Law Arbitration (Co-Chair and Coach) (February and October 2013, September 2014)
  • Family Violence Screening (2013 and 2014)
  • Designated Paralegal Course (2012 and 2014)
  • Limited Scope Retainers (2010)
  • Advances Issues in Family Law for Legal Support Staff (2008)
  • Family Law Basics for Legal Support Staff – Course Chair (2007)
  • Family Law Sourcebook – Co-author (2005)
  • Tips to Preparing a Financial Statement (2003)

Law Society of British Columbia

  • Numerous presentations at Bencher meetings, Committees and Task Forces (since 2006)
  • Unbundling Legal Services Task Force Presentation, 108 Mile House (2006)
  • Professional Legal Training Course – Ethics and Family Law – Guest Instructor (since 2005)

Provincial Court Judges Conference

  • Family Violence For Judicial Justices (2014)
  • Child Support Guidelines (1999 and 2002)

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Osgoode Hall Law School (LL.M. Program)(2014)

  • Advanced Dispute Resolution (September 2013)
  • Teaching, Training and Coaching in Dispute Resolution (June 2013)
  • Culture, Diversity & Power in Dispute Resolution (April 2013)
  • Theory and Practice of Dispute Resolution (November 2012)
  • Introduction to Dispute Resolution (September 2012)

British Columbia Arbitration and Mediation Institute

  • Arbitration Workshop (May 2012)
  • Conduct of Arbitration Proceedings (October 2011)

Law Society of British Columbia and the BC Council of Administrative Tribunals

  • Administrative Justice Hearing Panel Refresher Course (2015)
  • Administrative Justice Hearing Panel Refresher Course (Fall 2013)
  • Administrative Justice for Hearing Panelists (October 2011)
  • Decision Writing Skills Workshop (November 2011 and 2005)
  • Hearing Skills Workshop (2004)

Continuing Legal Education

  • Family Law Conference (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011)
  • Family Law Act (January 2013)
  • Domestic Violence Screening (Instructor course) (January 2013)
  • Advanced Negotiation Strategies (2002)
  • Advanced Mediation Training (2001)
  • Negotiation Strategies (2001)
  • Family Law Mediation (1999)

Mediate BC and Bill Eddy, LCSW.

  • Mediating High Conflict Disputes (March 2013)

International Institute for Child Rights and Development

  • Meaningful Child Participation in BC Family Court Processes (2007)

Canadian Bar Association

  • National Family Law Conference (2002, 2004, 2014)
  • International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (2014)
  • International Collaborative Law Conference (2003)
  • Collaborative Family Law Training (2001)
  • Collaborative Association Serving the Lower Mainland of BC
  • Collaborative Family Law Training with Stu Webb (2003)
  • Justice Institute of British Columbia
  • Family Violence: Impact on Separation and Divorce (2012)