Education
1984, LL.B., University of British Columbia
1981, B.A., University of British Columbia
Bar Admission
1986, British Columbia
Profile
Sandra Hancock practises in the Litigation group at Richards Buell Sutton LLP. Her preferred area of practice is Personal Injury. Sandra graduated with her B.A. from The University of British Columbia in 1981. She then earned her LL.B. from The University of British Columbia in 1984 and was called to the Bar in 1986. She spent 1984/1985 travelling in Asia for a year.
Though she practises exclusively on the plaintiff side now, Sandra has previously done extensive defense litigation work for many years for various insurers including the ICBC. "I know how to handle a file as a plaintiff because I worked with many insurance adjusters on the defence side," she says. "I learned how files operated on their end. It was an excellent learning process that gave me great exposure."
Sandra has a true love for her work and has gone out of her way to build a more personal practice in a very personal area of law. She makes sure to get to know her clients well and has built up her practice of almost two decades predominantly via word of mouth referrals from previous clients. To this day she still receives frequent referrals from two of the very first clients she helped out.
"Very often I'm the first lawyer my clients have ever had," she says. "Clients have told me that lawyers are very scary people, very intimidating. We're all people and I hope they see that lawyers are here to help. I want them to have a less intimidating positive experience with a person who is fair, open and easy to talk to and who happens to be a lawyer-- way different than they thought it would be."
In addition to her duties as a professional litigator, Sandra is also a legal instructor and lecturer as well as a prolific volunteer with a long history of service to her community particularly in youth activities and charity work. She currently coaches a volleyball team, manages a rep level soccer team, and organizes and participates in Irish dancing competitions and shows.
Areas of Practice
Personal Injury, Civil Litigation
Articles, Speeches and Seminars
• Lecturer, "Proper Use of Claims for Privilege" Personal Injury Conference; Continuing Legal Education, May 2003
• Instructor, Civil Litigation for Legal Assistants, Vancouver Community College, 1992-1993
• Lecturer, "Commencement of action and judgment", "Service", "Action after statement of defence filed by defendant", "Taking default judgment", & "Garnishment before judgment" Collections for Legal Support Staff, C.L.E., 1988 & 1990
Professional/Business Affiliations
Member, Law Society of British Columbia
Member, Canadian Bar Association
Member, Medical Legal Society
Member, Professional Women's Group
Executive Member, Vancouver Bar Association, 1991-1993
Community
Co-Chair, O'Connor Irish Dance School, Feis Committee
Director, Rince na Gael, 2004
Parent member, School Planning Council, 2003 to present
Director, Endeavour Society, 1996
Director, Vancouver Crisis Centre, 1994-1996
Team Manager, North Shore Girls Soccer Club
Along with the charities supported by her organizational skills, Sandra has actively participated in multiple community events, Irish dance competition and Celtic workshops.