Mr. Holmes is a commercial and civil litigation and arbitration lawyer in private practice with over 41 years’ experience at the B.C. Bar in complex legal disputes, including business disputes, claims involving the government and its agencies (including constitutional and administrative law reviews), shareholder actions, securities litigation, real estate, insolvency and reorganization, commercial tenancies, partnerships, professional liability, and construction disputes.

He has appeared at all levels of courts in British Columbia, as well as Canada, including several appearances in the Supreme Court of Canada, the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, the Federal Court, Federal Court of Appeal, Tax Court, as well as numerous tribunals, including the Securities Commission, the Vancouver Stock Exchange, the TSX Venture Exchange, the IDA, IIROC, municipal councils and various professional organizations. He has conducted Arbitration and Mediation proceedings and appeared as counsel for parties in the same.  He has also served both as a panel member and as Chair of tribunals to which he has been appointed.

Mr. Holmes is formerly an Adjunct Professor of Law at UBC (Creditors Remedies) and has lectured and published widely on Commercial Law, Shareholder’s Disputes, Professional Liability, Commercial Tenancy Disputes, Dispute Resolution Practice and Procedure, Constitutional Law and Civil Liberties.

• 2016-2018 Chair, Real Estate Council of BC
• 2015 Completed Examinations and became a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
• 2008 – 2019 Appointed member of the Patient Care Quality Review Board for the Fraser Burrard, Vancouver Coastal and BC Provincial Health Authority regions, Chair 2016 – 2019
• Former Member of the BCICAC Securities Disputes Panel
• Vancouver International Arbitration Centre (VanIAC) Panelist
• 1996 – Associate Membership Examination of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
• 1996 – Completed Advanced Commercial Mediation course, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia.
• 1991 – Attended Commercial Arbitration – Advanced Practice course, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia.
• 1989 – Completed International Commercial Arbitration course offered by the University Of San Diego School of Law in London, England taught by Professor Clive Schmitthof.
• 1984 – Completed Public International Law course offered by the University of San Diego School of Law in Paris, France taught by Professor Michael Reisman of the Yale Law School.

• Panelist, Vancouver International Arbitration Centre (VanIAC)
• Queen’s Counsel, 2010
• Formerly President of the Trial Lawyers Association of BC (2008-2010)
• Formerly President of the BC Civil Liberties Association (2008-2012)
• Formerly Chair of the Vancouver Civil Litigation Section, Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch
• Formerly Elected Member of Provincial Council, Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch
• Associate, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
• Member, Trial Lawyers Association of BC, Canadian Bar Association, Vancouver Bar Association, and Advocates’ Society
• Former Member of American Trial Lawyers Association/American Association for Justice and National Association of Trial Lawyer Executives

LL.B., University of British Columbia, 1981
B.A., University of British Columbia, 1978
LL.M., Yale Law School 1984
Associate, Trinity College of Music, 1976