Jacqueline
Beltgens
Law
* Providing services through a law corporation
I am a lawyer.
My curious and practical nature first drew me to study engineering at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Working in the construction industry, I enjoyed bringing teams together and solving problems. Seeking more opportunities to do both ultimately drew me to the study of law. I graduated from the University of British Columbia Law School in 1990, and was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1991.
My law practice now focuses on conflict resolution including mediation, arbitration and workplace investigation. However, I began my legal career as in-house legal counsel where my practice focused on commercial, real estate and strata law. I first worked for a large real estate development company, and then a national utility. With a move to Victoria, I opened a private legal practice focused on administrative, civil and commercial litigation. During a four-year sabbatical in China, I taught law at Beijing Foreign Studies University Faculty of Law, and developed a course on the Rule of Law at Tsinghua University Faculty of Law. For six years, I was a full-time member of the BC Human Rights Tribunal, and a member of the BC Mental Health Review Board.
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From 2014-2020, I was appointed as a tribunal member with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal. I have also completed mediation training at Harvard Law School's Program on Negotiation. From 2018-2022, I was a member of the Mental Health Review Board, and served as acting chair of the Board for a six-month term. Currently, I am the chair of the B.C. Surface Rights Board.
I have a depth of experience in a variety of legal areas and legal roles which I draw on in my current practice. My legal background provides me with the strong foundation necessary to consider cases across many contexts. My focus is always on practically, efficiently and compassionately helping parties satisfactorily resolve disputes.
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MY SERVICES
mediation
I am a trusted and experienced mediator trained in dispute resolution. I hold designations from the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation, Mediate BC (Civil Roster), and the Alternate Dispute Resolution Institute of British Columbia (Chartered Mediator). I am also trained in trauma-informed practice, restorative justice, calming upset people, and non-violent communication. I utilize these tools to ensure respectful and productive discussions towards settling differences across a variety of contexts. My mediation services encompass human rights, employment, and commercial and civil litigation issues.
Since 2014, I have successfully conducted mediations of over 1,000 cases. I have helped parties settle the vast majority of them, including many cases deemed intractable. I am skilled at resolving complex cases with controversial issues, vulnerable parties and considerable conflict.
I have a reputation as an efficient, patient and tenacious mediator. I engage parties in meaningful discussions, ensuring that everyone feels heard. I help parties identify the heart of their conflict and place that conflict within a legal framework. My goal is to help parties achieve fair, comprehensive and meaningful solutions that satisfy their interests and avoid the stress and expense of litigation proceedings.
adjudication
As a full-time member of the BC Human Rights Tribunal, I presided over numerous hearings and pre-hearing conferences on complex and often high-profile cases, and written hundreds of published and unpublished decisions. The published decisions are accessible through the Tribunal website. I continue to adjudicate cases at the BC Mental Health Review Board. I have had extensive ongoing training in hearing skills and decision writing skills.
My areas of focus for adjudication services are in human rights, mental health, employment, real estate, and construction matters.
Workplace investigation
I bring the skills I have honed in mediation and arbitration to my work as a workplace investigator.
I have completed workplace investigation training at the University of Toronto Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources. I conduct effective, confidential and expedient workplace investigations for the private sector and government. My investigations and assessments of employment-related issues include, for example, misconduct, human rights violations, bullying and harassment, and sexual harassment.
My services include comprehensive, end-to-end investigations from the initial stage of fact-finding to the final stage of delivering deadline-responsive, legally defensible reports. I am also able to undertake one or more of the investigation stages to provide more focused assistance, if a comprehensive response is not required.
MY Credentials
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Law Society of British Columbia - Member
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Mediate BC – Civil Roster
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Alternate Dispute Resolution Institute of British Columbia – Chartered Mediator
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Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation – Mediating Disputes Certification
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University of Toronto Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources with Lancaster House
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Canadian Bar Association – Workplace Investigation Committee Member – Executive
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BC Council of Administration Tribunal – Membership Committee
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BC Institute of Technology – Diploma of Technology
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