British Columbia

BLG is widely recognized as Canada’s foremost litigation law firm, with a national team of more than 400 advocates helping clients with everything from appellate advocacy to trade disputes.

• More than 400 advocates
• 500+ trials, arbitrations, tribunal hearings
• Defended 100s of class actions
• 32 specialty areas
• 2022 Benchmark Highly Recommended Firm in all of our regions
• 2022 Benchmark Insurance Firm of the Year
• 2021 and 2022 Benchmark Health Law/Medical Firm of the Year
• Offices in Canada’s 5 largest cities
• Bilingual in English and French
• Celebrating 200 years in 2023

When the stakes are highest, organizations from across Canada and around the world trust us to help solve their problems. From claims that interrupt day-to-day activities to bet-the-company litigation, we understand the issues that keep our clients up at night, using this knowledge as the foundation for responsive, strategic and practical advice. Complex, precedent-setting, novel cases in specialized areas of the law - particularly when they make it to the Supreme Court - are how we’ve built our reputation. We use this experience to advocate for the best outcomes for organizations of all sizes, from tech start-ups defending their IP to global automakers facing a class action. We use mediation, arbitration and eDiscovery technology, when appropriate, to increase efficiency and decrease cost. We are smart, resourceful, creative, driven, humble and always civil.

We are the external partner that feels like part of the in-house team. And clients never get just one of us -because behind every BLG advocate is the most powerful group of litigators and legal staff in Canada.

Farris is a high performance law firm, with the proven capacity and experience to execute and close complex and diverse transactions. The firm’s clients include some of the most significant public institutions, listed companies and private corporations in British Columbia. Farris balances a strong regional and national presence with an expanding international practice that includes US, European, and Asia-Pacific based clients.

Many of our lawyers are recognized as leaders in their field. Most of our Partners are named as industry leading experts and 85% of the Partners are independently ranked among the best.

The firm practices nationally from its office in Vancouver, and has offices in Kelowna and Victoria. Farris has over 100 professionals who collectively offer a full range of legal services and tax planning and advice.

Awards:

• 28 Farris lawyers ranked in The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory.
• 61 Farris Lawyers Recognized in the Best Lawyers in Canada Directory
• 13 Farris partners ranked in Benchmark Litigation Canada
• 7 Farris Lawyers named in Chambers Canada Guide
• Farris Named Top Western Firm

Guild Yule LLP traces its origins back to 1926. For nearly 100 years we have maintained our reputation as a firm which offers the highest quality professional services. Known for our strength and experience in insurance coverage and defence, and related litigation matters, we work to maintain the values and standards set by earlier generations of counsel. We are comprised of a dynamic group of lawyers who practice law in a spirit of collegiality; proud of our past, committed to maintaining the trust of our clients, and continuing to earn the respect of our peers.

In addition to Benchmark Litigation, our work has earned us peer recognition in Lexpert, Martindale Hubbell and Best Lawyers in Canada publications.

We have considerable experience in a wide range of areas of litigation including the following:

• Administrative law
• Contaminated sites litigation
• Construction and engineering related disputes
• Education law
• Employment law
• Insurance law
• Health Care law
• Highways liability
• Human Rights law
• Maritime law
• Medical malpractice law
• Motor vehicle liability
• Mediation & Arbitration
• Municipal Law
• Occupiers Liability
• Product Liability
• Professional Liability /Errors and Omissions
• Subrogation
• Directors & Officers Liability

Hunter Litigation Chambers has been consistently recognized as one of the premier firms in British Columbia practicing in the field of dispute resolution. The senior counsel have developed their reputations as leading litigation and arbitration counsel during their respective tenures at some of Canada’s leading corporate/commercial law firms.

Randy Kaardal K.C., Bill Smart, K.C., Claire Hunter, K.C., and Brian Duong have consistently been recognized for their exceptional contributions to the legal profession, and have been identified in peer-reviewed publications as leading counsel in various litigation-related categories. Bill Smart, K.C. and Claire Hunter, K.C. are both Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Randy Kaardal, K.C. and Claire Hunter, K.C. are both Fellows of the Litigation Counsel of America. Bill Smart, K.C. is a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers.

Randy Kaardal, K.C. has once again been recognized for his exceptional legal skill and advocacy. He has been honoured a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation Canada and listed among Canada’s Best Employment Lawyers in the 2025 edition of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, where he is consistently recommended. Randy is listed as a member in the Lexology Index report on Employment & Labor, recognizing his expertise in labor and employment law. He represents both employers and employees and has extensive experience in wrongful dismissal, human rights, collective bargaining, and pension matters. Kaardal regularly appears before Canadian courts and administrative tribunals, affirming his standing as a leading practitioner in the field.

Claire Hunter, K.C. has been recognized among Canada’s Top 50 Trial Lawyers, the Top 100 Women in British Columbia, and the Top 100 Women in Canada, a powerful reflection of her leadership, advocacy, and outstanding contributions to the legal profession. Bill Smart, K.C has also been honoured as a Litigation Star by Benchmark, underscoring his outstanding advocacy. In addition, Brian Duong has been named a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, recognizing his standing among the country’s leading litigators.

The firm’s depth and expertise are enhanced by the involvement of retired judge and Associate Counsel, the Hon. Russell Brown, recently retired from the Supreme Court of Canada. Building on this foundation, the firm benefits from a team of recognized leaders across its practice areas, including Aubin Calvert, Nicole Gilewicz, and Paul Heisler, each named Future Stars by Benchmark Litigation, reflecting their growing influence and legal acumen. Monique Evens, also a Future Star, has earned consistent national recognition with a Nationwide – Canada ranking in Chambers Canada for four consecutive years, demonstrating sustained excellence.
Rebecca Robb’s skill and impact have been acknowledged by both Best Lawyers and Benchmark Litigation, reinforcing her reputation as a trusted legal professional.
The firm’s rising talent is equally impressive, with Julia Ross and Caitlin Ehman named Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, highlighting the strength of the firm’s emerging talent.

Hunter Litigation Chambers has the depth and capability to handle the full range of commercial litigation, arbitration, product liability, aboriginal, administrative, labour and employment, public law litigation, and criminal and quasi-criminal matters. In addition to their trial level practice, counsel from the firm appear regularly in the British Columbia Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Canada, and in the federal courts, including the Federal Court of Appeal and Tax Court of Canada. Our senior lawyers are experienced appellate counsel and often provide specialized appellate services to lawyers whose practices are primarily at the trial level.

The firm’s senior lawyers are highly experienced appellate counsel and frequently provide specialized appellate services to lawyers whose practices are primarily focused at the trial level.

Committed to professional and academic excellence, many of the firm’s lawyers have clerked for justices of Canada’s superior courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

Commercial Litigation is a primary practice area for Hunter Litigation Chambers. All of the counsel in the firm practice in this area. In addition to the experience of our senior lawyers, our junior and intermediate counsel are developing strong reputations as competent and creative commercial counsel. The firm is able to assemble a team capable of handling commercial matters of any size and complexity.

Products Liability – Counsel from Hunter Litigation Chambers have a history of handling a variety of complex products liability matters involving failed or allegedly dangerous products. Our cases have involved aircraft components, oil field equipment, machinery, roofing materials and motor vehicles. In addition, we have acted for pharmaceutical companies and handled cases involving allegedly defective medical devices and other allegedly dangerous products including tobacco.

Class Actions – Claire Hunter, K.C. has extensive experience in the field and acts regularly for defendants at the trial and appellate level in pharmaceutical, competition, constitutional and consumer protection class actions.

Arbitration – Randy Kaardal, K.C. and Claire Hunter, K.C. have acted as arbitration counsel in several commercial matters and also as litigation counsel in cases arising out of arbitration proceedings, including the leading case on judicial review of arbitral decisions. The Hon. Russell Brown is an in-demand arbitrator for domestic and international arbitration matters.

Administrative and Public Law – The firm has a diverse public law practice, which includes acting for and against provincial and federal administrative tribunals and ministries in judicial review proceedings, administrative appeals, marketing board proceedings, constitutional challenges, and permit hearings. Randy Kaardal K.C., has broad experience in administrative and public law disputes and representing public bodies and professional regulatory tribunals. He has extensive experience before administrative tribunals and courts in judicial review proceedings. Claire Hunter, K.C. acts regularly for the Province of British Columbia in significant constitutional matters, has an active marketing board practice and has acted in a wide variety of legal challenges to administrative decisions. Randy Kaardal, K.C., and Bill Smart K.C., have experience practicing before professional regulatory tribunals, including representation of both professional associations and their members. The Hon. Russell Brown is active in advising and providing opinions on significant public law matters across Canada.

Aboriginal Law – Counsel from Hunter Litigation Chambers have been in the forefront of the development of a body of Aboriginal Law in British Columbia, representing industry and government in responding to claims of Aboriginal rights and title.

Forestry Law – Nicole Gilewicz and Randy Kaardal, K.C. head the forestry law practice at Hunter Litigation Chambers. The Firm regularly represents licensees and other companies and individuals in matters before the Forest Appeals Commission, the British Columbia Supreme Court, and the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

Products Liability – Counsel from Hunter Litigation Chambers have a history of handling a variety of complex products liability matters involving failed or allegedly dangerous products. Our cases have involved aircraft components, oil field equipment, machinery, roofing materials and motor vehicles. In addition, we have acted for pharmaceutical companies and handled cases involving allegedly defective medical devices and other allegedly dangerous products including tobacco.

Labour and Employment Law – The firm’s labour and employment practice is headed by Randy Kaardal K.C. who has over 35 years of experience handling labour and employment matters. The labour and employment practice is supported by Paul Heisler, who has over 20 years of experience handling all matters arising in the labour and employment field. Mr. Kaardal and Mr. Heisler, together with a talented group of associates, have been counsel on many of the leading decisions in British Columbia related to employment law, labour law, and human rights law. The firm’s labour and employment practice is broad-based, dealing with the full spectrum of issues arising out of the employment relationship in both union and non-union environments.

Criminal and Regulatory Law –Hunter Litigation Chambers has developed a broad-based criminal law and regulatory practice that includes prosecutions under the Criminal Code as well as various other federal and provincial statutes and regulations. The firm is also retained from time to time by the Crown to act on its behalf. Bill Smart, K.C. has over 45 years of experience appearing in trial courts on criminal law and regulatory cases and a member of faculty of the Federation of Law Societies National Criminal Law Program for over 30 years.

Lawson Lundell’s Litigation Group has a focus on commercial litigation and a number of associated specialty areas all supported by the largest dedicated research team in Vancouver. We exclusively assist business clients and maintain a clear objective of achieving the best outcome for our clients either by agreement or through the courts. Our offices are in Vancouver, Calgary, Yellowknife and Kelowna.

Our group is distinguished with rankings from Chambers Global, Chambers Canada, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and Best Lawyers in Canada. Our team has represented clients at all levels of Court in Canada and before most regulatory tribunals, has appeared before a wide range of administrative panels and in national and international arbitrations. Details concerning key practice areas are set out below.

Commercial Litigation – We have extensive experience with all kinds of commercial disputes, including banking, competition and anti-trust, forestry, mining, oil and gas and other natural resources disputes, franchising, transportation and shipping. We have particular expertise acting for major industrial manufacturers, such as leading engineering, mining, energy and forest products companies, including with respect to liability for products and services.

Corporate and Securities - We act for a wide variety of securities market participants in take-over bid litigation, shareholders rights claims, fiduciary duty and other disputes and securities commission investigations. We regularly represent clients in the following areas: dealer-client litigation, takeover bids, poison pills and related litigation, investigations and enforcement, corporate governance, and oppression and shareholder rights litigation. We have extensive experience in disputes within closely-held corporations.

Class Actions - We primarily represent corporate defendants, assisting our clients in resolving class actions expeditiously, by preliminary motions where possible. We frequently provide advice to our corporate and institutional clients to help minimize exposure to class actions.

Administrative, Constitutional and Public Law - We assist clients in developing legal strategies for complying with complex regulatory requirements and provide advice on the legal and public policy implications of changes in legislation and other government initiatives. We act as counsel in significant administrative and constitutional law cases, involving both Charter of Rights and division of powers issues.

Indigenous and Environmental Law - We represent resource-sector clients in project permitting and the defence of subsequent challenges brought by Indigenous and environmental groups. We have represented clients in precedent-setting Indigenous rights litigation and other Indigenous law matters before all levels of Court, and have handled permitting of major projects before regulatory tribunals and in subsequent litigation. We work with resource sector clients to defend their interests in disputes between Indigenous communities and governments related to the Crown’s duty to consult. We advise and represent clients in civil and criminal claims related to contaminated site and other environmental matters.

Public Utility and Regulatory - We act for utilities, major customers and regulators, with extensive experience in the power and energy sectors, acting for applicants and intervenors before administrative tribunals and on subsequent Court proceedings. We have also provided regulatory advice in the transportation, telecommunications and water utility sectors.

Labour, Employment & Human Rights - We advise employers in all aspects of workplace law in both the provincial and federal sectors, including labour relations, employment law, collective bargaining, wrongful dismissals, human rights, employment standards, pension and benefits litigation, employment equity, workers’ compensation, privacy issues and business immigration. We have extensive experience in acting as counsel before judicial and decision making tribunals such as provincial and federal labour relations boards, arbitration boards, employment standards tribunals, human rights tribunals, workers’ compensation boards as well as all levels of court. We regularly provide collective bargaining advice and act as chief spokespersons for companies.

Pension and Employee Benefits −We have been involved in many of the leading Canadian pension and benefits cases, including successful defence of a number of class actions. Cases have involved post-retirement benefits, surplus entitlement and expense claims, fiduciary duties, including claims relating to investment policy and plan immunization and contribution holiday and benefit entitlement litigation.

Real Estate and Construction - We advise and represent international, national and local corporations, financial institutions, tenants, commercial landlords, creditors, debtors and others in real estate matters. We provide advice and representations on complex disputes including delay claims, enforcing and defending builders’ liens, tendering disputes and leaky condominium and leaky school actions, as well as property tax planning and dispute resolution. The group is also well versed in strata corporation windups.

Insolvency and Restructuring - We routinely act as counsel to the various stakeholders involved in corporate insolvency proceedings, including bankruptcies and proposals under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, winding up and liquidations, receiverships, mortgage recovery, security realization under the Personal Property Security Act, arrangements under the Companies Creditors’ Arrangement Act, and preservation and recovery proceedings relating to professional fraud, including securities fraud.

Defamation and Media - We pursue and defend claims for defamation and are frequently consulted for advice in connection with libel and slander, Privacy Act, copyright and other issues that involve the activities of the print or electronic media and, increasingly, the internet.

Privacy & Data Management - We help clients navigate privacy and data governance considerations resulting from the collection, use, disclosure and maintenance of personal information. We provide advice to both private and public-sector clients regarding access to personal information requests, requests that arise in the course of corporate transactions or employee matters.

Estate Litigation – We assist clients in navigating the highly sensitive and complex issues involved when an estate plan is challenged. This includes challenges to the validity of wills or trusts, claim arising from the administration of wills or trusts, claims against executors, court applications, proceedings to change trustees or guardians, and matters involving charities.

McEwan Partners is a litigation boutique with a focus on complex corporate, commercial, and securities matters. Formed in the fall of 2017, the firm is headed by Ken McEwan K.C., Bob Cooper K.C., and Emily Kirkpatrick, three nationally and internationally recognized litigators. The firm’s lawyers share a dedication to exceptional advocacy, professionalism, rigourous legal analysis, and business-minded practicality. Just six months after its inception McEwan Partners was the recipient of Benchmark Canada’s Litigation Boutique of the Year award for 2018, an honour repeated in 2019 and 2021. Benchmark Litigation has also recognized McEwan Partners as 2020 and 2022 BC Firm of the Year and 2021 BC Litigation Firm of the Year, and our partners are recognized as Litigation Stars or Future Litigation Stars.

Although our litigation expertise is broad, the firm’s primary focus is on business disputes. Most of our lawyers have experience in full-service corporate commercial firms, working closely with business lawyers on complex securities and corporate litigation and arbitration. We strive to understand our clients’ businesses and to deliver practical results tailored to their interests.

Our firm’s lawyers include former judicial clerks and members of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, and International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Our lawyers have delivered successful results for clients in trials and appeals across Canada, including significant victories at the Supreme Court of Canada. Our recent highlights including rankings among the top 50 trial lawyers in Canada, 2019 and 2022 Lawyer of the Year, and 2019 and 2020 Litigator of the Year.

In addition to all our lawyers acting as counsel, our senior lawyers also arbitrate and mediate disputes. Two are members of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and Ken McEwan, K.C. is an author of Commercial Arbitration in Canada and contributing author to A Practitioner’s Guide to Commercial Arbitration.

McEwan Partners’ Representative Experience:

Administrative and Public Law: Ken McEwan, K.C., Bob Cooper, K.C., and Emily Kirkpatrick have acted for and against a range of administrative bodies in regulatory tribunal hearings, judicial review proceedings, administrative appeals, and constitutional challenges, particularly in the professional regulatory sphere.

Class Actions: Our lawyers have expansive, precedent-setting experience in class actions across a wide range of disputes. Lexpert and Best Lawyers recognize Ken McEwan,
K.C. as a leader in the area of class actions, and Best Lawyers named Ken its class actions lawyer of the year in Vancouver for 2018. Ken, Bob Cooper, K.C. and Emily Kirkpatrick each do both plaintiff and defendant work.

Commercial: Commercial litigation is the core of our practice. In Este v. Esteghamat-Ardakani, Ken McEwan K.C. and Emily Kirkpatrick successfully upheld a ruling obtained at trial that the plaintiff ’s claim amounted to an abuse of process due to the taking of inconsistent positions. Both at trial and on appeal in Maxam Opportunities Fund Limited Partnership v. 729171 Alberta Inc., Bob Cooper, K.C. led a successful defence on behalf of a company against whom it was alleged that there existed an obligation to borrow funds from the plaintiff.

Competition/Antitrust: Ken McEwan, K.C. successfully led the defence of Fortress Paper Ltd. and Fortress Specialty Cellulose Inc. against a claim alleging knowing assistance in breach of trust, breach of confidence, and inducing breach of contract in Sateri (Shanghai) Management Ltd. v. Vinall.

Corporate and Shareholder: Our lawyers have represented shareholders and public and private corporations in a range of matters relating to corporate governance, oppression claims, derivative actions, and challenges to corporate control. In Rogers v. Rogers Communications Inc., Ken McEwan, K.C. and Emily Kirkpatrick successfully represented the authorized representative of the majority shareholder in a dispute as to the validity and effectiveness of a consent resolution to remove and replace five of the company’s board members. Benchmark recognized the case as a 2022 Impact Case. In Arkansas Teachers Retirement System v. Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., Ken and Emily successfully defeated a shareholder application to bring a derivative action against current and former directors and officers of Lions Gate.

Insolvency and Restructuring: Our lawyers have acted for debtors, creditors, and other stakeholders in both restructuring and collections matters.

Product Liability: Our lawyers have acted in significant product liability cases on behalf of Daimler Chrysler, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M), and Imperial Tobacco, among others. Ken McEwan, K.C. is consistently recognized in this area, having been described by Who’s Who Legal: Product Liability for 2018 as “incredibly skilled” and “a practitioner who consistently impresses clients with his encyclopedic knowledge.”

Real Estate: Our lawyers have acted for developers and owners in a range of property-related disputes. In The Owners, Strata Plan LMS 3905 v. Crystal Square Parking Corporation, Ken McEwan, K.C. and Emily Kirkpatrick successfully represented the respondent at the Supreme Court of Canada in a case addressing the test for pre-incorporation contracts and the rights and obligations arising for the covenants in those agreements, as they apply to strata corporations.

Ken, Bob Cooper, K.C., and Emily have similarly acted in cases concerning the interpretation of the Real Estate Development Marketing Act (Bison Properties Ltd. (Re)), the priority and charge schemes under the Land Title Act (Bison Properties Ltd. (Re) and Yi Teng Investment Inc. v. Keltic (Brighouse) Development Ltd.), the relief from forfeiture provisions in the Law and Equity Act, in the context of commercial leases (Hudson’s Bay Company ULC v. Pensionfund Investment Ltd.), and the wind-up provisions under the Strata Property Act (Owners, Strata Plan VR2122 v. Bradbury).

Securities: Our lawyers are recognized for their expertise in litigating securities-related disputes. Recently, Ken McEwan, K.C., and Emily Kirkpatrick successfully defended one of two shareholder groups against allegations by the incumbent board that they were unlawfully acting jointly or in concert with others in a take-over bid, among other allegations (DIRTT Environmental Solutions Ltd. (Re)) and represented the successful appellant in a case establishing the requirements for the BC Securities Commission to obtain and maintain freezing orders under the Securities Act (Party A v. BC (Securities Commission)). In Aurizon Mines Ltd. v. Northgate Minerals Corporation, Ken successfully upheld a standstill agreement and enjoined a take-over bid both at summary trial and on appeal. Extraordinarily, the time from the commencement of the action, through trial and appeal, and to the appeal judgment was 28 days.

The Firm:

Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson LLP is consistently recognized as one of Canada’s leading litigation and dispute resolution firms.

Established to provide trial, appellate, and alternative dispute resolution advocacy at the highest level to clients facing complex disputes, NST has carefully expanded its team which includes leading counsel at all levels, including six King’s Counsel and the next generation of top-ranked partners: James C. MacInnis, K.C., Mark S. Oulton, K.C., Karen L.M. Carteri, K.C., and Julia K. Lockhart. In 2024, we added Heather Doi and Kayla Strong to the partnership, and in 2025 Emily Hansen and James Parker also joined the partnership. The firm also boasts a group of associates including former clerks and gold medalists.

NST’s partners are ranked as leading practitioners in Lexpert, Best Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, and Benchmark. NST was again selected as one of Canada’s Top 10 Civil Litigation Boutiques by Canadian Lawyer in 2024-2025 and has been included in the Globe and Mail’s list of Canada’s Best Law firms annually since its inception. In addition to its work for clients, the firm’s lawyers serve as adjunct professors at the Allard School of Law (UBC) teaching classes on restitution, legal ethics and advanced contract law; write chapters on civil procedure and evidence in the Annual Review of Law and Practice; frequently speak at continuing legal education events; and co-author the annual British Columbia Supreme Court Rules Annotated and The Civil Appeal Handbook.

The firm acts regularly in some of British Columbia and Canada’s most significant cases across the full range of commercial matters, including contract disputes, shareholders’ and partnership disputes, securities and oppression claims, real estate development and property disputes, hostile take-over bids and derivative actions, administrative proceedings, actions for professional negligence, defamation actions and employment disputes, class actions and representative proceedings, forestry, resources and mining claims. NST’s clients include successful private and public companies, many of whom are referred to us by leading Canadian and international law firms.

Representative Work: A few of the firm’s practice areas and representative cases include:

Recent Commercial/Civil Disputes: In Concord Pacific Acquisitions Inc. v. Oei, the firm successfully defended a claim in excess of $350 million brought by Concord Pacific against the three named defendants, including renowned Singaporean businessman, Hong Leong Oei. In Wastech Ltd. v. GVS&DD, 2021 SCC 7, NST partners Irwin Nathanson K.C. and Julia Lockhart acted for Metro Vancouver in a case with important implications for all contracts that provide one party with discretionary powers, building on the Supreme Court of Canada’s decisions in Bhasin. NST has in depth experience acting in major civil forfeiture proceedings involving allegations of white collar crime. NST also regularly acts in private complex commercial arbitration matters.

In addition, Murray Clemens K.C. actively arbitrates and mediates a wide variety of commercial disputes.

Forestry and Resources: NST recently welcomed leading litigator Mark S. Oulton to the partnership. Mark has extensive experience at trial, on appeal, and before administrative tribunals in a range of commercial litigation and administrative law matters, with a particular focus on forestry and commercial disputes. Mark is recognized as a leading practitioner of forestry law in British Columbia and nationally, by Lexpert and Chambers Canada, as well as being recognized by Best Lawyers in the area of natural resources law, including as Lawyer of the Year in this area for 2025. NST acts in an ongoing matter involving the Mineral Tenure Act, Skeena Resources Ltd. v. Mill, 2022 BCSC 1360, 2022 BCSC 2032 and 2024 BCCA 249, which contributes to the limited jurisprudence on the issue of title to mine tailings under the province’s Mineral Tenure Act, and addresses the proper scope of participation by both public interest interveners and administrative decision-makers.

Insolvency and Restructuring: NST also has an active bankruptcy and insolvency practice headed by Peter Reardon. Peter has been twice recognized by Best Lawyers Canada as Lawyer of the Year for Insolvency and Restructuring in Vancouver, including for 2020 and regularly acts for trustees, receivers, financial institutions and other creditors as well as for debtors and other stakeholders in restructuring, insolvency and bankruptcy matters.

Human Rights Law: In 2020 and 2021, Karen Carteri acted pro bono for a group of families seeking visitation rights for loved ones in long term care during the pandemic. In 2019, the firm acted for an intervenor, the Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health, before the BCCA in A.B. v. C.D.

Property Disputes: NST regularly acts for major property developers in development and project and land interest disputes, and in other property related claims and disputes. In a recent arbitration, the firm successfully acted for a partner in a dispute relating to partnership interests in and valuation of a property development involving lands worth over $100 million, and is acting in several other ongoing major property development disputes involving British Columbia’s largest developers in projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Recognition: Benchmark Canada regularly lists many of the firm’s lawyers as “Litigation Stars”, including: Irwin Nathanson K.C., Stephen Schachter K.C., Murray Clemens K.C., James MacInnis K.C., Mark S. Oulton, Karen Carteri, and Julia Lockhart. This year, partners Heather Doi and Kayla Strong are recognized as Future Stars. Irwin Nathanson and Stephen Schachter continue to be recognized as two of Canada’s Top 50 Trial Lawyers.

Chambers and Partners Canada ranks NST in its top category of B.C. commercial litigation firms, with several partners highly ranked in general commercial litigation. Mark Oulton is top ranked counsel Canada-wide in Agribusiness: Forestry.

Lexpert has ranked the firm in its top tier of litigation specialty firms in Vancouver since the inception of that publication. It ranks partners Irwin Nathanson K.C., Stephen Schachter K.C., Murray Clemens K.C., Mark Oulton and James MacInnis K.C. as leading commercial litigators in Vancouver and associate counsel Peter Reardon as a leader in insolvency litigation. Mark Oulton is also ranked in Forestry Law.

Best Lawyers consistently ranks members of the firm as leading lawyers in a variety of categories, including Bet-the-Company Litigation, Class Action Litigation, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Director and Officer Liability, Natural Resources Law, Labour and Employment, and Securities Law.

Kornfeld LLP | Kornfeld, Shapray & Partners, is a Vancouver - based boutique commercial and litigation firm that specializes in corporate and commercial work – transactional, litigation, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution and strategic advice.

The firm is known for dynamism, ingenuity and common sense, which, when matched by the wealth of the collective experience of our lawyers, results in timely, pragmatic solutions.

The firm’s clients range from entrepreneurs to major Canadian and US-based corporations. Our work frequently involves large, complex or high-profile disputes, and we routinely manage intricate, multi-party litigation and document-intensive cases.

Our lawyers have represented clients before all levels of court in British Columbia and Canada, as well as in Alberta, the Yukon, and Ontario.

Our disputes practice considers all available options in our goal to achieve a favourable resolution. As such, we are highly skilled in the art of negotiation and strategic positioning. Our expertise also extends to mediations and arbitrations.

The firm has come into existence from the merger of Shapray Cramer Fitterman Lamer LLP, formed in 1993 when Howard Shapray, KC, for many years the head of the litigation department of one of Vancouver’s leading firms, established an innovative and focused litigation boutique. Kornfeld LLP was formed in the same year by Neil Kornfeld, KC, with a focus on real estate development, acting for commercial and residential developers on the acquisition and redevelopment of noteworthy and unique sites in British Columbia. The two firms worked closely together, each developing sterling reputations for doing high quality, high stakes commercial work. For over three decades, lawyers at the two firms have provided expert advice and effective advocacy to B.C. entrepreneurs, developers, governments, financial institutions, and professional associations, as well as national and international entities.

Over time it became clear that the synergies and cultures of each firm accorded such that the strength in unity from a merger made perfect sense. The merger has increased the litigation department’s bench strength and capacity to handle large complex matters.

Shapray Cramer Fitterman Lamer LLP and Kornfeld LLP formally merged to become Kornfeld LLP | Kornfeld, Shapray & Partners effective Jan 1, 2022.

Key Areas of Expertise:

• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Business Acquisitions & Divestitures
• Corporate Civil and Commercial Litigation
• Corporate Governance
• Corporate Investigations
• Labour & Employment
• Lending & Finance
• Real Estate Transactions & Development
• Securities Litigation 

Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP is a Canadian law firm with offices in both Vancouver and Toronto. Since our beginnings, we have grown to a team of nearly 70 lawyers and over 100 employees. We have expanded into the Toronto market, merging our well-known and respected Vancouver practice with the practices of senior commercial litigation and senior construction and infrastructure lawyers in Toronto. This combination of geography and experience formed a powerful national platform from which to better serve our clients across the country.

We offer an extensive range of legal services in the areas of construction and infrastructure, commercial litigation, commercial real estate, corporate commercial, tax, insurance defense, professional liability, product liability, workplace law, and business immigration.

Our core area of practice is construction and infrastructure law, with over half of the lawyers in the firm focused on this area. Our construction lawyers are recognized practitioners, litigators, solicitors, and engineers who have a wealth of experience to draw on.

We have a strong history of assisting clients with a variety of projects nationwide. We work on all matters in our space including large-scale infrastructure, institutional, industrial, and commercial projects such as highways, railways, tunnels, pipelines, mines, industrial facilities, schools and other education facilities, hospitals, manufacturing plants, commercial buildings, and condominiums.

A Client Focused Approach
At Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP we have developed our firm with a fundamental understanding that our clients deserve exceptional legal service that is delivered in a manner that is honest, creative, clear, relatable, flexible, and cost effective.

We provide solutions customized to our clients’ needs in various sectors including education, healthcare, government, and industry. We help our clients seize emerging opportunities and find solutions to complex legal problems.

Our lawyers have an impeccable sense of the challenges that can arise within their areas of expertise and are committed to working together collaboratively across disciplines to find the best solutions for our clients.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
Canada is leading the world in terms of diversity, inclusion and pluralism. It is a strength that unifies our country and its people, and strengthens business relationships creating opportunities for success.

At Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP, we are committed to fostering a culture of diversity, inclusion and pluralism in the workplace that embraces the unique backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and talents of individuals at all levels of the firm to ensure that we represent the communities we serve in Canada.

As the firm continues to grow, we are committed to consistently improving our diversity and inclusion policies to ensure they continue to reflect the culture and values of our employees and clients.

Community Involvement and Pro Bono Work
Beyond our commitment to our staff and our clients, our firm is also committed to the communities in which we have been able to grow and thrive. In that regard, we as a firm, and our individual members, are involved in a variety of community-oriented organizations.

We also encourage our lawyers to get involved with pro bono work by offering each lawyer credits every year for time spent providing legal services on pro bono files that reflect their individual interests and commitments.

Our lawyers have participated over the years as instructors of various courses taught at the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, the University of Melbourne, and Stanford University. We are keenly interested in education as it relates to our practices and the development of future experts in law.

As a leading business law firm, McMillan LLP serves public, private and not-for-profit clients across key industries in Canada, the United States and internationally. With recognized expertise and acknowledged leadership in major business sectors, we provide solutions-oriented legal advice through our offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal.

To help organizations stay ahead, we provide exceptional industry insights in transportation, technology and technology transactions, infrastructure and construction, and natural resources and energy. Whether it’s a cross-border transaction, a complicated private equity deal, complex real estate financing, or a bet-the-company lawsuit or regulatory dispute, by fostering a supportive workplace culture, McMillan’s 300+ lawyers serve clients with excellence and responsiveness, delivering the real-time solutions they need.

Our firm values - respect, teamwork, commitment, client service and professional excellence - are at the heart of McMillan’s commitment to serve our clients, our local communities and the legal profession. Among other industry and professional accolades, we are proud to be named Canada’s Top 100 Employers 2024, one of only two law firms recognized in this prestigious competition.

About our Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group

With an impressive track record in domestic and cross-border litigation, McMillan’s lawyers are recognized for their creativity and effectiveness in bringing disputes to satisfactory conclusions, both inside and outside the courts. And with specialists in key areas such as competition, intellectual property, real estate, securities and others, our litigators always strive to deliver a complete solution—no matter the nature of your corporate or commercial disputes.

As experienced litigators, we always assess risk and opportunities before advising clients on the likelihood of success and helping them weigh their options. We also understand that litigation is not always the preferred option, and help clients pursue a full range of resolution avenues including early negotiated settlements and alternative dispute resolution methods. If we proceed to court, however, we are recognized for our ability to tenaciously advance our clients’ commercial interests.

About Miller Thomson

Miller Thomson LLP ("Miller Thomson") is a national business law firm with approximately 500 lawyers across five provinces in Canada — the broadest reach of any Canadian law firm.

Partnering with clients across Canada and internationally, we bring deep local insight to a comprehensive range of business law, litigation and dispute services, as well as other specialized practices. We focus on understanding your business, your industry, and the factors that drive long-term growth and success.

Learn more at millerthomson.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

À propos de Miller Thomson

Miller Thomson S.E.N.C.R.L. (« Miller Thomson ») est un cabinet juridique national comptant près de 500 avocates et avocats répartis dans cinq provinces au Canada, offrant l’une des plus vastes présences géographiques du pays.

Au service d’une clientèle canadienne et internationale, nous mettons à profit une expertise locale de pointe dans un vaste éventail de domaines, notamment en droit des affaires, en litige et en résolution de différends, ainsi que dans de nombreux autres champs de pratique. Au-delà des services juridiques, nous nous distinguons par notre compréhension approfondie de vos réalités d’affaires et des facteurs qui soutiennent votre croissance et votre réussite à long terme.

Pour en savoir plus, visitez millerthomson.com ou suivez-nous sur LinkedIn.

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Dennis Dawson James Aitken LLP (djacounsel.com) is an established litigation boutique serving clients within British Columbia, across Canada and internationally.

Our lawyers are experienced litigators who are well-known and well-regarded. We appear as counsel at all levels of court and are regularly recognized by industry publications as leading counsel with broad experience and expertise. We take pride in bringing our experience, judgment, research skills and strong work ethic to each and every brief we take.