Recorded on April 21, 2026
Length 60 minutes
Summary
Contracts are a part of everyday life, and — in some cases — everyday legal problems. Lawyer and legal coach Matt Canzer answers common legal questions about contracts in BC and demystifies legal terms that are commonly used — but not as commonly understood.
Highlights
In this webinar, you will learn:
Foundations
What a contract is, how to know if you have one, and examples of everyday contracts. [3:45]
What you need to know about the legal requirements for a contract, including offer, acceptance and consideration. [5:00]
Whether a contract needs to be in writing. [8:35]
Validity and enforceability
Whether there are restrictions on who can enter into a contract, including age restrictions. [13:35]
Whether an assignment is legally valid if you’re pressured into it when you’re deeply depressed. [17:35]
What happens if you’re sold a lemon online, and whether you can get out of the contract if you were lied to. [20:45]
Breach and remedies
Whether a contractor who doubles the price of their quote after starting work has breached the contract, and what threshold must be met for a breach of contract. [23:55]
Legislation changes things
Whether you can cancel a gym membership after signing the contract and whether consumer protection laws apply. [29:30]
Whether an employment contract that says nothing about time off prevents a worker, like a cook, from taking vacation. [32:05]
Specific contract terms
Whether you sign away all of your rights when you sign a liability waiver for your ski pass. [34:35]
Whether you’re bound by the terms of a contract when you click "I agree" without reading it. [38:25]
The difference between a warranty and a guarantee. [41:10]
Whether signing a “non-disclosure agreement” as part of a severance package means that you’re bound forever, and what happens if you were lied to. [42:20]
Remedies and takeaways
Whether you need to go to court and whether you can get your money back if you loaned money to a friend and they won't pay you back. [46:50]
What a basic contract should include if you want to write one yourself and whether there are there good templates. [50:25]
Live questions
Whether you can get your money back after donating it to a charity. [54:00]
How a legal coach or lawyer can help you negotiate a contract. [54:55]
Whether a contract you sign with a company is enforceable if the person who signed the contract on the company’s behalf wasn’t authorized to do so. [56:20]
Featuring
Matt Canzer
Matt Canzer is a certified legal coach and practicing lawyer with over 15 years of litigation experience. He has spent much of his career in the courtroom, handling a wide range of civil disputes and serving as a criminal prosecutor. He is the founder of Butterfly Legal, where he focuses on helping self-represented litigants navigate small claims court with clarity and confidence. His goal is to make the legal system more understandable, less intimidating, and truly accessible to everyone — even those without any legal training. Matt is a director of the Legal Coaches Association, a supervising lawyer with the Everyone Legal Clinic, and a member of the Trial Lawyers Association of BC, the Boutique Counsel Network, and the Canadian Bar Association.
Attendee feedback
"Great session, as always — thank you Paula & Matt!"
"Matt is a really good presenter! He's knowledgeable and can respond to the issues in a very clear and understandable way. Really enjoy his webinars!"
"Paula — thank you for leading an incredible team & recruiting such informed and gracious lawyers to try to educate us about our legal rights & responsibilities. So important!"
"Always engaging and interesting."
"Excellent — Paula is an amazing moderator and the lawyers are always so well chosen, A BIG thank you — we are so fortunate having the People's Law School in BC."
Additional resources
From People’s Law School
How to write a legal contract (includes a contract template)
Also
Sale of Goods Act, s. 18 on implied conditions