Kim Karras is the principal of BKS Law and has been practicing for over 35 years. Her work spans a broad range of areas, including wealth preservation and estate planning, trusts, business succession, corporate reorganizations, estate freezes, real estate and business law.

With a personal focus and individualized approach, Kim works with her clients and their accountants and financial planners to develop and establish comprehensive and personalized estate plans that meet clients’ unique circumstances and needs, ensuring that their estate planning objectives are realized. Kim also represents executors and administrators in all stages of estate administration and applications for estate grants.

Kim’s practice also focuses on corporate and business law, advising her clients in respect to the appropriate business structures and incorporations, and assisting them on the successful purchase and sale of businesses. She oversees the firm’s residential and commercial real estate practices.

Complementing Kim’s solicitor practice is her designation as a Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA). As a Family Enterprise Advisor, Kim integrates her own discipline (the practice of law) with those of other professionals such as accountants, bankers, insurance advisors, wealth advisors and financial planners, in order to provide collaborative and complementary advice to business family clients. With a broader perspective and skills related to the business and legal issues that families traditionally face, Kim can assist in business succession and transition planning, corporate and family governance, wills, estate and trust planning.

Kim is also a registered trust and estate practitioner (TEP) with the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and has years of experience in estate planning, estate administration, and the preparation of wills and trusts. Best Lawyers in Canada, 2016 to 2021 editions, recognized Kim for her work in the practice area of Trusts and Estates.

Kim is a frequent instructor for the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Society of BC, and was included in CLE’s list “CLE BC’s Most Prolific Volunteers: 1996 to 2016” for her 30+ contributions (which include presenting or chairing a course, and authoring or updating a publication or course paper). She has authored a number of papers in the area of estate planning.

Kim is an active member in the Canadian Bar Association and was an elected member of the Provincial Council (Westminster County) for the years 2013 to 2016. In 2014, Kim was a recipient of the CBA Community Service Award “in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the life and well-being on her community”.

Although not a Rotarian herself, in 2010 Kim received a “Paul Harris Fellowship” from the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. In 2005, the South Surrey/White Rock Chamber of Commerce awarded Kim the Independent Business Person of the Year.

Kim obtained both her Bachelor of Commerce and her law degrees from The University of British Columbia. She articled with a large national Vancouver law firm and began practicing in 1986.

Kim was born in Vancouver, is married with two adult daughters and has lived in South Surrey since 1992. She is actively involved in community affairs and in her spare time enjoys skiing and travelling, particularly to explore the food scenes in major cities throughout the world.

Speaking Engagements:

• Presenter, Wealth Preservation and Succession for the Family Enterprise 2021, Continuing Legal Education Society, May 6, 2021
• Instructor, Death is Not the End, Estate Administration Workshop, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, January 2003, January 2006, January 2009, February 2012, February 2015 and March 2018
• Instructor, Rest in Peace, Let Thy Clients will be Done/Wills Drafting, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, January 2004, May 2007 and February 2010
• Instructor, Wills Drafting Workshop, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, May 2013 and April 2019
• Presenter, Wills and Estate Planning Basics, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, October 2006 and May 2012
• Presenter, Conveyancing for Legal Support Staff, Advanced Issues, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, October 2006 and 2011
• Presenter, Surrey Bar 2007, Wills Estates and Trusts Developments, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, February 2007
• Presenter, Estates: Out of the Ordinary Problems, Continuing Legal Education Society, June 27, 2008
• Speaker, Solo and Small Firm Conference, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, March 2011
• Presenter, Advanced Conveyancing form Paralegals, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, June 7, 2013
• Presenter, Estate Planning for Blended Families, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, May 22, 2015
• Course Chair and Presenter, Wills & Estate Practice for Paralegals and Legal Support Staff, Continuing Legal Education Society of B.C., June 26, 2015
• Presenter, It’s a New Dawn, It’s a New Day: Life Interest Trusts, Webinar, Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch, February 24, 2016
• Course Materials Contributor, Wills Drafting Workshop in the Context of Estate Planning, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, June 2016

Published Works:

• The Family Business—Governance and Strategic Advising for the Family Enterprise, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, May 2021
• Acting for Blended Families: Conflicts, the Code of Professional Conduct and Client Retainers, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, May 2015
• Professional Conflicts – Advising Personal Representative on Their Duties and Interests as Beneficiaries, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, June 2008
• Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning, A Core Practice Area for The General Solicitor, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, February 2007
• A Primer – Tax Fundamentals for Wills and Estate Planners, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, October 2006
• Acting for Private Lenders – Consideration for Conveyancers Preparing Their Mortgages and Representing Their Interests, B.C. Continuing Legal Education Society, October 2006

Honours and Awards:

• Community Service Award, The Canadian Bar Association British Columbia Branch, 2014
• Paul Harris Fellowship, The Rotary Foundation, 2010
• “Business Person of the Year”, South Surrey/White Rock Chamber of Commerce, 2005
• Ranked by Best Lawyers in Canada,Trusts and Estates, 2016 – 2021