Before working at Bullock Law, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?

Prior to working at Bullock Law, I worked at a tropical plant store for a little over a year. I have a love for flowers and gardening, so I figured why not? I gained valuable knowledge of various plants and added quite a few to my personal collection. I am thankful they took a chance on me, and for the relationships I formed from my time spent there.

Favorite travel spot or Vacation?

This is a tough one as I enjoy travelling and I have made some great memories in some special places. The one that sticks out for me was a trip my family took to Mexico to celebrate a family members birthday a few years ago.  We were a large group and enjoyed activities such as snorkelling, which for me was a first. I am afraid of water and cannot swim, so I was very reluctant to try it, but our tour guide convinced me, and took me out personally- it was an amazing experience! I am glad he persuaded me to go out of my comfort zone.

We also participated in a sea turtle release, which was very special as I have been a huge turtle lover since I was a kid. It was surreal to dig up a live baby turtle, and watch those tiny reptiles make there way to the ocean to start their journeys. Talk about overcoming obstacles!

I am forever grateful I was able to share these experiences with my family and friends.  

What is your favorite movie or book?

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. if you haven’t seen it, give it a Google. The story is so unique.

Cats or Dogs?

I grew up with both cats and dogs around our acreage, but dogs have my heart.

From the time my husband and I purchased our first home 23 years ago we’ve had dogs. Currently we have an English Bulldog name Winston. He’s almost 11 years young and a fixture in our lives. Our kids have grown up with him and he gives us unconditional love. Our dogs have taught me patience, kindness and they have just been great companion animals.

What is the most important thing you have learned in the last five years?

I have learned that time is so valuable, so take chances and try new things!  I am also learning firsthand that kids grow up fast, so enjoy all the little moments. They really are the big ones.

 As Old Dominion said “Life is short, make it sweet” 😊

There are a variety of “myths” out there surrounding the legal world, this is the second entry in our myth busting series.

“Lawyers are unnecessary”

We all like to try to do things on our own, which is great, but when it comes to legal matters, talking to an expert is important. There is a lot of information on the internet these days and not all of it is correct. Sometimes we are trying to save money by trying to do things ourselves but as I just talked about in the last myth busting blog entry, hiring a lawyer isn’t always expensive, and having peace of mind knowing you received accurate information from an experienced professional far outweighs the headache of any consequences to acting on false information.

We at Bullock Law are here to guide you through the complex issues and to provide you with the advice you need.

There are a variety of “myths” out there surrounding the legal world. Over the next few weeks we would like to take a few minutes to bust some of these myths.

“Hiring a lawyer is always expensive”

You might have heard that hiring a lawyer is always expensive, but what is expensive? You wouldn’t ask your mechanic to fix your car for free, so why wouldn’t you pay for legal services?

But that doesn’t mean it’s always expensive.

Initial consult fees are often charged & provide a starting point for clients. After the initial consult, clients can decide how they wish to proceed with various legal matters.

If you have a low income, you may be eligible for Legal Aid which is a subsidized service that provides legal services in the areas of family law, family violence matters, child welfare, immigration, and youth and adult criminal defense.

Some matters require an hourly rate, while others such as wills, and real estate deals are flat rate fees. If you are unsure, ask your local law office what the fees will be. We are always happy to help and give you a quote so you know ahead of time what you can expect to pay.

2022 marked the return of the annual Dinosaur Pump It Up Run.  An event organized by the Rotary Club of Brooks and held in Dinosaur Provincial Park, this event has been taking place at the park annually since 2005.

The day welcomed over 250 registrants who participated in 3,5 and 10Km routes along scenic trails at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

As a sponsor, Bullock Law would like to congratulate all who took part in this event!

Many thanks to all who volunteered their time to make the day a success!

As the song suggests, tis’ the season to be jolly. We at Bullock Law will be enjoying the season with our family’s and will be closed from December 24th to January 3rd, re-opening on January 4th at 8:30am.

We wish you and your family a warm, safe festive season and we look forward to continuing to assist our communities in the coming year.

We at Bullock Law would like to offer a huge congratulations to the eight new Provincial Court Judges appointed July 8th 2021.

Being Gordon Hatch, Sandra Mah, Karen Molle, Jason Neustaeter, T. Michael Scrase, Gregory Shannon, Olugbenga Shoyele and Grace Auger who has been appointed to our region of Lethbridge.

We wish all of you all the best.

In these crazy Covid times it is too easy to become a couch potato, so it takes quite a bit of motivation to get out and participate in a 5K race especially when you are running on your own and just logging your time. So we at Bullock Law would like to congratulate all who took part in the race April 19th - 26th 2021.

We would especially like to congratulate Bradley Bullock who won the prize for Fastest Stroller Pusher.

A big thank you to all the volunteers who went to so much work to make the event a success.

There are a lot of factors to consider when selling your property.  One of the main decisions is whether to employ a realtor or to sell your property privately.

Employing a realtor comes with many benefits namely:  

• Realtors are marketing professionals and therefore are able to provide your property with more exposure on the market.

• Realtors can assist you in preparing a purchase to offer and explain the details you may not understand or even be aware of when selling your property.

• Realtors can provide you with contact details for other professionals that can help with the process of selling your property, though you are not obligated to use their suggestions and are free to shop around to find the best professional to meet your needs.

 Whither you choose to use a realtor or to sell your home privately Bullock Law is here to assist you in all your legal needs during this process.

Have you taken the time to think about what your wishes are in the event of your passing?

Did you know that unless you make a plan for what is to happen to your estate upon your passing then everything you own will go to the first relative listed in the order of succession as per Federal Government regulations.

This can often result in everything you own going to a member of your family with whom you have not spoken to in years.

The best way to insure that your estate is handled as per your wishes is to have a will drawn up , we at Bullock Law are here to help with all your estate planning needs.

There are a number of advantages to incorporating your farming business, here are just a few:

First, there are tax benefits to incorporation over being a sole practitioner or partnership;

Second, incorporation helps to protect your personal finances from business liabilities; and

Third, you may be able to attract equity financing or business loans from investors.

Contact our team here at Bullock Law to discuss how we can assist you and your business through the process of incorporation.

Wishing you all Happy Holidays and all the best for the New Year from the staff at Bullock Law.

Our offices will be closed for the holidays from December 24th, 2020 @ 12pm to January 4th, 2021.

With the holidays fast approaching, we wish to remind everyone not to drink and drive and offer the following alternative suggestions: 

1. Assign a designated driver in advance of your events;

2. Contact a local cab;

3. Arrange a ride in advance from a friend or family;

4. If there is a holiday designated operation in your area such as red nose please pre-arrange your ride.

Although we do strongly advise against it, if you find that you have indulged in too many holiday spirits this season and require legal services, please remember Bullock Law is here to help.

Although the holidays are joyous for most people, it is quite common for some people to either experience holiday rage or, be a recipient of holiday rage. We offer the following suggestions: 

1. Consider shopping earlier than usual;

2. Have a plan and a back-up plan for gifts on your list in case something is not available;

3. Consider making gifts instead of buying gifts such as, baking;

4. Have a present exchange where each person draws a name from a hat and buys one other gift for another, instead of gifts for multiple people;

5. Last and most important, celebrate the holidays in whatever way makes you the most happy!

If you do find yourself in trouble over a bit of holiday rage, please remember Bullock Law is here to help.

To all of our fallen heroes, today, tomorrow and always, we thank you!

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. We will remember them.” – Ode of Remembrance by Laurence Binyon

This year we wanted to offer the following fun alternatives to traditional trick or treating:

1. Snuggle up with you family, eat some spooky snacks and have a scary movie night;

2. Dress up in your best Halloween costumes and go parade outside a local senior facility;

3. Hold a dunking for apples competition;

4. Stage a spooky scavenger hunt around your house;

5. Create a bingo game of costumes or spooky things to see, and go for a drive to see if you can get a BINGO;

6. Host a virtual Halloween party to celebrate with your friends and family and include a costume contest or pumpkin carving contest.

We expect everyone to be responsible this Halloween weekend however for those who choose to trick instead of treat, please remember Bullock Law is here to help.

If this is your first consult with Bullock Law, we understand that you may be feeling overwhelmed during your initial consultation process.

Below is some helpful information to guide you through this process.

1. What should you bring with you to your consult?

   a. Valid Government issued photo ID such as your driver’s licence or passport;

   b. Any court documents you already have relating to the claim, if any;

   c. Any other documents you feel are relevant to your claim, if any;

   d. Any client information sheets or questionnaires provide to you by our office; and

   e. The consultation fee quoted to you by our office during the scheduling of your consultation.

2. What can you expect during your consultation with our lawyer?

   During your consult the lawyer will fully review with you the details regarding your claim/issue. Our lawyer will then provide you with any legal options available to you regarding your claim/issue together with any quotes directly related to each of the specific options discussed.

 We hope the above helps you feel more comfortable in our initial meeting however, should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact our office.

With the courts now re-opening to some in person appearances our office is often asked the following questions.

1. Is it necessary, I come to court if my lawyer is attending?

   Our office will always confirm to you before the court date whether you need to attend court with our lawyer.

2. What should I wear to court?

   We recommend that you dress like you are going to a job interview, wearing either business casual clothing or, nice casual clothes, without any visible rips or stains.

3. When should I arrive at court?

   We recommend that you arrive a half hour earlier than your appointed court time. This will allow you time to go through security, check in with the court clerk or your lawyer before court begins, or file documents, if necessary.

4. Can I bring my children to court?

   Please make child care arrangements and do not bring children to court.

5. What if the Judge speaks to me directly during court, how do I address them?

   In Provincial Court you will address the Judge as “Your Honour”. In Court of Queen’s Bench you will address the Judge as “Madam Justice”, “My Lady” “Ma’am” for a female judge or “ Mr. Justice”, “My Lord” or, “Sir” for a male judge.

If you have any other questions specific to your matter, please do not hesitate to contact Bullock Law.

Bullock Law wishes to extend a big THANK YOU to all of our local realtors, brokers, lenders, insurance agents, and clients for all of your hard work and dedication throughout this years busy real estate season!

Whether you have just bought a home or have owned your home for many years, many experts recommend the following fall maintenance be done each year to your property.

1. Clean and repair your gutters;

2. Drain your outdoor faucets and winterize any sprinkler systems;

3. Seal any cracks around your doors, windows, and inspect your roof for any required repairs;

4. Check your chimney for any blockages and be sure the damper is working;

5. Have your furnace serviced;

6. Change the batteries in any detectors around your home;

7. Prune your plants;

8. Prepare any summer maintenance items for storage;

9. Be sure your winter maintenance items are working such as your snow blower; and

10. Last and most important, take some time to enjoy the change of the season in and around your home!

If money was no object, where in the world would you choose to live and why?

Even given the choice, I would actually prefer to stay in the area and close to my family. But if money was no object, I would enjoy a spacious acreage with a lot of land between myself and any potential neighbours. I thoroughly enjoy my privacy and very very loud music.  

If you could eat only breakfast, lunch or supper for every meal each day, what would you choose and what would your meal consist of?

I’m not sure if it classifies as lunch or supper but I would happily eat Chicken Caesar Salad for every meal of the day for the rest of my life. 

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

Even with the potential cons, I would still choose the ability to read minds. It’s a subtle superpower that can easily be kept quiet, and I’m always curious as to what people are actually thinking.  

When you’re not working, what is your favourite thing to do in your spare time?

I am a homebody to the core. If I’m not lounging around the house with my dog, we’re keeping it simple with spending time at the ball diamonds or visiting family.  

What is your favourite holiday to celebrate and are there any odd traditions you follow during the holiday?

Thanksgiving. Besides being surrounded by food, my family participates in an annual game of Trivial Pursuit – men vs ladies. I have a very big and very competitive family so it is not quite as wholesome as it may sound. Feelings are not spared.  

If you’re looking for some fun places to explore in the area during the last few weeks of summer, we found the following places to be worth a visit:

1. Dinosaur Provincial Park

2. The Brooks Aqueduct

3. Kinbrook Island Provincial Park

4. The Bassano Dam

Enjoy the rest of your summer!