Practice Areas

An effective commercial litigator understands not only the intricacies of contract law, but also the commercial realities of your business. We don’t believe in Pyrrhic victories. We know that “legal” is your least favourite line item on a financial statement. We strive to understand your business so that we can provide practical, solution-focused advice that helps you achieve your goals, both inside and outside of the litigation. We also have the experience and tenacity to take your case to trial if that is the path you choose. If you’re forced to bet the company, you can feel safe betting it with us on your side.

In a closely-held company, successful resolution of a shareholders’ or directors' dispute requires a deft hand.  In most cases, when a file lands on a lawyer’s desk all of the relevant facts are in the past. There is nothing the lawyer can do to change them or the evidence that will be presented in court. This is often not so with shareholders’ and directors’ disputes. Typically, when a shareholders’ or directors’ dispute lands on our desk, there are a number courses of action a client can take with pros and cons to each option. We not only know the law, we provide timely strategic advice to make sure our clients take the right steps to ensure the best chance of a favourable outcome.

Real estate litigation is our bread and butter. We have a wealth of knowledge and experience with real estate-related litigation matters. Our lawyers have represented owners, buyers, sellers, developers, strata corporations, industry groups and real estate agents in a myriad of matters. We pride ourselves on being the go to lawyers for real estate disputes.

Our lawyers have gained invaluable experience and insight into the real estate industry having worked for real estate agents’ liability insurer, written for and instructed real estate agents’ continuing education courses, and been consulted regularly by industry organizations concerning the many changes in the real estate industry.

We are not strata generalists. We do not do routine strata work. We excel in cases that require a comprehensive understanding of the Strata Property Act and its interplay with other legislation. Unlike most strata practitioners, we have specific experience with issues concerning strata-titled hotels, shared use and ownership of strata property, leases of common property and strata lots, cost-sharing arrangements, enforcement of charges registered on title, enforcement of municipal bylaws, and complex governance issues.

Canadians live in an increasingly regulated environment. For many, the first interaction with a court-like process is through some form of professional or regulatory administrative body.

We represent individuals in their interactions with these administrative bodies, as well as associated appeals and applications for judicial review. Our lawyers have experience representing professionals and others before, and on appeal from, numerous administrative tribunals, including the Real Estate Council of British Columbia, the Financial Services Tribunal, the Residential Tenancy Branch, the Civil Resolution Tribunal, the Property Assessment Appeal Board, the Employment Standards Tribunal and the Human Rights Tribunal.

When it comes to professional regulation, there is no substitute for detailed industry knowledge. In the real estate context, our lawyers have an unparalleled level of insight into the real estate industry which they bring to bear when representing real estate agents facing potential regulatory sanction.

We have a strong working knowledge of the Local Government Act and the Community Charter, and we advise elected officials, municipal staff and members of the public on the obligations imposed on municipalities by those statutes. Our experience in the fields of real estate and construction litigation gives us a unique and valuable perspective on zoning and permitting issues in the municipal realm.  We aren’t afraid to fight city hall, and you shouldn’t be either.

Most trials are won on the facts. Appeals are won on the law. A successful appellate lawyer must employ a different skill set than a successful trial lawyer. Knowing the ins and outs of managing a specific type of case is of no use on appeal. On an appeal, the case is about the law.

A successful appellate lawyer must have a curiosity about the law, a keen intellect, an ability to see and understand different perspectives and policy concerns, excellent writing skills, an ability to distil complex issues of law into understandable and persuasive arguments and an ability to hold his or her own before a panel of three active judges.

Our lawyers have appeared numerous times before the British Columbia Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada, acting as counsel in leading appellate decisions in such diverse areas of law as real estate law, strata property law, religious freedom, criminal sentencing, extradition, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, defamation and civil procedure.

Defamation is one of the most specialized areas of the common law, and is rife with pitfalls for an unsuspecting lawyer. Our lawyers have appeared as counsel in precedent-setting defamation cases and written scholarly articles on the ins and outs of the various defences to a claim in defamation.

More importantly, our lawyers have counselled countless clients to out-of-court resolutions to defamation claims, preserving reputations and saving clients thousands upon thousands of dollars in legal fees. We understand that the goal of a defamation claimant is not necessarily a payday, but vindication of a tarnished reputation in the eyes of the community. Wherever possible, we engage creative solutions to salvage reputations and repair relationships.

From home renovations to large marinas, we act for owners, developers, contractors and professionals in construction disputes. Some of our lawyers have experience working at construction-focused law firms. They have combined that knowledge and experience with the broader knowledge of the law to assist their clients.

Our construction litigation practice dovetails with our real estate litigation knowledge and experience to provide comprehensive advice to clients concerning all matters related to the construction project and the land on which it sits.

We help employers and workers maintain fair and productive working relationships by providing timely and thoughtful advice to keep things going well, and effective representation and advocacy when they don’t. We help draft employment contracts and policies, and advise employers in handling terminations and other difficult situations.  For employees, we can review employment agreements before you sign, or help you navigate tough situations.  If a wrongful dismissal or other dispute arises, our lawyers help employers and employees resolve matters quickly and cost-effectively.

Our lawyers strive to help promote access to justice by volunteering with Access Pro Bono and offering pro bono services on select cases involving matters of public importance. Our lawyers have represented individuals and organizations on a pro bono basis at all levels of court in British Columbia, as well as the Supreme Court of Canada.