Practice Areas: Person Injury Law

Craig A. B. Ferris

Professional Experience

Mr. Ferris has practiced with Lawson Lundell LLP for over 30 years. He has been involved in many (in excess of 20) international and domestic arbitrations as counsel. These arbitrations have covered a wide range of legal issues including most recently (last 2 years) mining, charitable giving, construction, and shareholders rights. For the past 3 years he has been Chair of the Law Society Tribunal and is currently President of the Law Society.

Dispute Resolution Experience and Training

  • 2017 – Present Law Society of BC, Tribunal Chair
  • 2016 – Present Law Society of BC, Chamber Bencher
  • 2013 – Present Law Society of BC, Panel Member
  • 2018 – Present Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Member (achieved CIArb. Designation)
  • 2013 – BC Council of Arbitrators Tribunals – Completed Tribunal Member training
Professional and Other Activities

  • 2014 – Appointed Queen’s Counsel
  • Best Lawyer in Canada 2010 – 2020
  • Chambers Canada: recommended in Litigation
  • Benchmark Litigation 2020: listed as one of the Top 50 Trial Lawyers in
    Canada
  • Chambers Global: recognized in Dispute Resolution
  • Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Litigation – Corporate Commercial
  • L’expert Zenith Awards 2018
  • Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow

Academic Qualifications

British Columba (1991)
Queen’s Counsel, British Columbia (2014)
University of British Columbia (B.A., 1986)
University of British Columbia
(LL.B., 1989

Hon. Ian Bruce Josephson

Professional Experience

The Honourable I. Bruce Josephson is associate counsel at Hira Rowan LLP. He assists the firm’s lawyers on complex matters and his services are also available to the profession as an arbitrator, mediator and consultant. Bruce is available for all types of mediations.

Bruce was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1969, after which he practiced civil and criminal litigation. He was appointed to the Provincial Court of British Columbia in 1975, on which he sat for 14 years, including serving as the Associate Chief Judge of the Provincial Court from 1984-1988 and the Chief Judge of the Provincial Court from 1988-1989. In October of 1989, he was appointed to the County Court of British Columbia, and after the merger of the Superior Courts in July 1990, he presided as a Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. He retired from the Supreme Court in April 2017.
Dispute Resolution Experience and Training

During his 42-year judicial career, Bruce dealt with a full range of litigation matters, including criminal, civil and family claims. He has extensive mediation training, and he has written for legal publications and spoken at professional and academic gatherings on wide range of legal topics.
Professional and Other Activities

  • Law Society of British Columbia
  • Canadian Bar Association
Academic Qualifications

Bar Admission, British Columbia, 1969
University of Saskatchewan, L.L.B. 1968

Mr. Michael F. Welsh

Professional Experience

I am a lawyer with 40 years of litigation experience, having been lead counsel on over a thousand hearings, trials and appeals in all levels of court in this province and in the Supreme Court of Canada, including some 50 formally reported decisions and well over 100 posted on CanLii. Through my professional experience and as a member of professional, wine industry and community organizations I am well-versed in in problem and dispute resolution and in understanding and working with people in difficult situations toward a positive outcome. An effective communicator, I have the ability to assess problems expeditiously and to relate to people from all walks of life. As one who sees life as an opportunity to learn, I never let my mind get stale, but rather seek to educate myself in a wide range of areas. I have taken that learning and passed it on writing, including articles in the Advocate, Bartalk and Canadian Arbitration and Mediation Journal magazines, as author of the Advocate Wine Column and serving as a faculty member in many continuing legal educational conferences and seminars. I have also authored a number of decisions for the BCCRT and Law Society.
Dispute Resolution Experience and Training

  • Family Law Arbitration LAW SOCIETY OF BC (July, 2013)
  • Family Law Mediation LAW SOCIETY OF BC (August, 2013)
  • Arbitration Part II – Conduct of Arbitration Proceedings, ADR Institute
    of BC (October 2012) – 95% grade
  • Arbitration Part III – Arbitration Workshop, ADR Institute of BC
    (November 2011) – 98% grade
  • Advanced Civil Mediation, CLEBC (February 1997)
  • Family Law Mediation, CLEBC (July 1997)
  • Numerous other workshops, seminars, conferences, symposiums as presenter
    and participant.
Professional and Other Activities

  • 2017 – Appointed Queen’s Counsel, province of British Columbia
  • 2016-2017 – President, Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch
  • 2015-2016 – President, ADR Institute of British Columbia
  • 2018-present – Bencher, Law Society of British Columbia
  • 2015 – Chartered Mediator (C.Med.) ADR Institute of Canada
  • 2013 – Certified family Mediator (C.Fam Arb.) ADR Institute of British Columbia
  • 2020 – Chartered Arbitrator (C.Arb.) ADR Institute of Canada
  • 2011 – Fellow (FCIArb.) International Institute of Arbitrators – London, UK
    Certified family mediator and family law arbitrator: Law Society of BC
Academic Qualifications

B.A. (cum laude in philosophy): Cornell University, 1975
LL.B. University of British Columbia, 1980

Corey “Hui” Zhang

 

Professional Experience

Ms. Zhang Hui is the founder, director and chief lawyer of PinkMemo Law Firm, a bilingual multicultural lawyer arbitrator and mediator with professional and management experience. In her 16-year legal practice, she mainly serves as a trial lawyer, appellate advocate, arbitration counsel and legal consultant. She has appeared as an advocate in numerous complex cases before Chinese courts, before administrative and regulatory tribunals, and before international and domestic commercial arbitration tribunals seated in China. In addition to the aforementioned, Ms. Zhang Hui is an active arbitrator and mediator practicing in, but not limited to, international and domestic matters in the commercial, corporate, company law, foreign investment, international and real estate fields.
Dispute Resolution Experience and Training

Ms. Zhang Hui’s philosophy and strategy of dispute resolution is — being part of the resolution, this is why she

  • Focus on precautionary measures: assists clients to make and improve management system and regulations to control legal risks
  • When a dispute emerges: based on the causation, helps the client solve the issues effectively and efficiently through negotiation or mediation.
  • When a dispute turns to a suit: while still tries to find a solution to bring the dispute to an end, works closely with the client to get well prepared for trials.

As arbitrator, Ms. Zhang Hui has

  • Been appointed as sole arbitrator and chair by the director of Chengdu Arbitration Commission, 2012-2014
  • Been invited to Panel Discussions for complicated arbitration cases by Chengdu Arbitration Commission, 2011-2013
  • Been invited as a keynote speaker at the Sixth China Arbitration Conference in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China, 2013

Training

  • Continuing education programs for practicing lawyers, 1999-present
  • Arbitrator continuing training programs, 2011-present
  • Immigration consultant program, 2016
Professional and Other Activities

Ms. Zhang Hui is a member of

  • Chengdu Bar Association, Sichuan Province, China, 1999-present
  • China All Lawyers Association, China, 1999-present
  • Chengdu Arbitration Commission, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, 2011-present
  • Chengdu Financial Arbitration Court, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, 2012-present

Ms. Zhang Hui becomes

  • Practitioner of foreign law, BC, Canada, in 2015
  • Freelancer Mandarin interpreter, BC, Canada, in 2015

Ms. Zhang Hui published the following articles

  • “The Value of Trials”, in Sichuan Social Sciences Research, 2005
  • “How to Improve the Inner Audit System of Banks”, in Sichuan Audit, 2006
  • “A Comparison of the Arbitration in China and British Columbia of Canada”, in Chengdu Arbitration, 2011
  • “How to Draft High Quality Arbitration Awards”, in Chengdu Arbitration, 2013
  • “The Importance of Avoiding Mechanical Proof-burden Distribution”, in Chengdu Arbitration, 2014

“About the Oncoming China Arbitration Association”, the Seventh China Arbitration Conference, 2015
Academic Qualifications

Southwest University of Finance and Economics, Sichuan Province, China LL.B, 1987-1991
Southwest University of political science & Law, Chongqing Province, China, LL.M, 1999-2001
Certified university teacher, China, subject of teaching: law, 2008

 

Mary M. MacKinnon

Professional ExperienceMary Margaret’s practice focuses on the defence of personal injury and sexual abuse claims. She is counsel to a number of national religious institutions, and provides advice on the formation and implementation of policies for responding to allegations of sexual abuse or sexual harassment.

Mary Margaret also acts for schools and school boards – both defending claims and providing workshops and advice on areas of risk management.

Mary Margaret has also been defence counsel for numerous municipalities for over thirty years. She also acts as defence counsel in complex multi-party aviation litigation. She appears regularly as counsel in the British Columbia Supreme Court and British Columbia Court of Appeal.
Dispute Resolution Experience and Training

  • Mediator in approximately 20 disputes.
  • Counsel for the Plaintiffs in a complex multi-party lawsuit involving the collapse of a large financial institution.
  • Counsel for a number of religious institutions in a large number of sexual abuse claims including extensive experience in residential school claims.
  • Counsel for various municipalities in person injury and property damage claims. Defence of a number of aviation insurers in British Columbia involving product liability and personal injury claims.
  • Provides advice on employment matters to a number of corporate clients.
  • Appears frequently in the Court of Appeal for this firm and on referral from other firms.
Professional and Other Activities

  • Member, Law Society of British Columbia, Yukon, and also appears in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
  • Member, Canadian Bar Association – Past President, Insurance Law Section Past Executive Committee Vancouver Bar Association
  • Advisory Committee to the Judicial Council – B.C. Bar Association Lecturer – CLE, PLTC, Canadian Institute
Academic Qualifications1984 — 1985 Gonville & Caius College University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England LL.M.
1981 — 1984 University of Victoria Faculty of Law LL.B.
1980 — 1981 Universite de Perpignan, Perpignan, France Diplome des Etudes Francaises
1978 — 1980 University of British Columbia Faculty of Arts B.A.

Joan Cotie

Professional Experience

Joan is committed to working with clients to create dynamic, healthy relationships for families and organizations. Joan’s work is multi-disciplinary. She is trained as a social worker, mediator and arbitrator with more than 35 years of experience. Joan is able to apply her skills and knowledge from these professions to build agreements that are unique and meet the needs of all clients. She believes that the parties self-determination and the creativity of people working together is the basis of conflict resolution. Her approach is respectful, facilitative and flexible to the parties needs while working collaboratively toward mutually beneficial solutions.

Joan’s experience with the not-for-profit sector, union and labour sector, and with children, youth and families gives her a multi-faceted perspective and knowledge.

Formally educated in Child Care Work (diploma), Social Work, (Bachelor and Masters degrees) Law, Women’s Studies (Bachelor’s level) and Conflict Resolution (certificate) (mediation, negotiation, parent coordination and arbitration).
Dispute Resolution Experience and Training

  • Mediator 20 years; Arbitrator 12 years; Parent Coordinator 8 years
  • Conflict Resolution Certificate ICAM (308 hours)
  • JIBC Mediated Agreements/Court Orders; Substance Use Issues; Multi-Cultural Issues
  • CLEBC Parent Coord; Interviewing Children
  • Mediate BC Mediating Insurance/Personal Injury; Ethics/Standards for DR professionals
  • ADRIC Managing Mental Health in the Workplace
  • ADRBC Cyber Security Risk; Workplace Bullying; Arbitration Civil, Family, Strata
Professional Qualifications

  • Chartered Arbitrator (ADR Institute of Canada)
  • Chartered Mediator (ADR Institute of Canada)
  • Registered Social Worker (BC College of Social Workers)
Professional and Other Activities

  • Family Mediation Canada Elder Mediation Committee member
  • Appointed Member of the B.C. Property Assessment Review Panel (6 yrs.)
  • Appointed Member of the Employment & Assistance Appeal Tribunal (6 yrs.- 2008 – 2014 – maximum appointment & reappointed 2018)
  • Ministry of Attorney General – Mediate B.C. Member – Civil & Family Mediation Rosters
  • BC Hear the Child Society Member
  • BC Parent Coordination Roster Society Member
  • Ministry of Education Student Appeals Board Mediator and Adjudicator Rosters
  • Association of Family & Conciliation Courts Member
  • South Island Dispute Resolution Centre Member & Contractor
  • ADRBC Roster, Member, Board & Committee Member, Chartered Mediator, Chartered Arbitrator & ICBC Arbitration Roster Member
  • Chair – ADR Canada Designations Marketing Sub-Committee
  • B.C. Association of Social Workers
  • B.C. Non Profit Housing Association – Certified Instructor
  • Family Mediation Canada
Academic Qualifications

  • University of Victoria, Certificate in Adult & Continuing Education Program
  • Justice Institute of BC, Section 211 Report Writing Course
  • BC Arbitration & Mediation Institute, Arbitration Training Certificates, Strata; Arbitration & Family
  • University of Victoria, Multi-Disciplinary Masters-Masters in Social Work (MSW) degree
  • Nanaimo Small Claims Court, Small Claims Court Mediation Practicum
  • Institute of Conflict Analysis, Conflict Resolution Certificate and Management
  • University of Victoria, Bachelor of Social Work Degree (With Distinction)
  • American Correctional, Legal Issues for Probation & Parole Officers
  • Carleton University, Combined Majors – Law and Women’s Studies
  • Mohawk College A.A.T., Child Care Worker Diploma (Honours)

Glen W. Bell

Professional Experience

Glen Bell practised law for 42 years in the fields of civil litigation, administrative law and environmental law

He is an experienced arbitrator, mediator and med – arb practitioner in a wide variety of commercial and non-commercial disputes.

Glen Bell believes that Mediation and Arbitration can be an economical, speedy and just approach to commercial dispute resolution.

Glen Bell is also an experienced ADR teacher. He is the director and chief lecturer in the Arbitrator Training Program of the BCAMI. He trains arbitrators in contract law, arbitration procedure and award writing.
Professional and Other Activities

  • Past President of British Columbia Arbitration and Mediation Institute
  • Board Member and Vice-President of ADR Institute of Canada
  • Panel Member of British Columbia International Commercial Arbitration Centre
  • Member of Canadian Bar Association
  • Chartered Arbitrator, 2005
  • Called to the Bar in 5 Canadian provinces and territories (British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon)
Academic Qualifications

Queen’s University, B.A., 1967
Queen’s University, LL.B., 1970

Mr. Angus M. Gunn

Professional Experience

Angus Gunn is a partner at the Vancouver office of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. His practice emphasizes commercial dispute resolution. He has supplemented extensive arbitral training and education with a range of dispute resolution experience:

  • Appointments as sole arbitrator in various domestic commercial disputes
  • Retainer as co-counsel in domestic commercial arbitration disputes
  • Retainer as counsel and co-counsel in litigation arising out of domestic and international arbitration disputes
  • Frequent appearances as counsel in Canadian courts including the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the Court of Appeal for British Columbia, the Court of Appeal for Alberta, the Federal Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada
  • Litigation experience extends to such substantive areas as administrative law, appellate practice and procedure, commercial law, constitutional law, construction law, employment law, expropriation, freedom of information, insurance law, local government and municipal matters, media law, negligence, personal injury, and damages law, real property, securities litigation, and workers’ compensation
  • Appointment as mediator in commercial matters
Dispute Resolution Experience and Training

  • Arbitrator since 2002
  • Appointments as sole arbitrator in domestic commercial disputes
  • Retainer as counsel and co-counsel in domestic and international commercial arbitrations, and related litigation
  • Arbitration training through such organizations as the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London (CIArb), the British Columbia Arbitration and Mediation Institute (BCAMI), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
  • Speaker at arbitration conferences and symposia organized by such organizations as the Young Canadian Arbitration Practitioners (YCAP) and the ICC Canadian Arbitration Committee
  • Appointment as mediator in domestic commercial dispute
Professional and Other Activities

  • Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London: associate since 1999 and Fellow (FCIArb) since 2006
  • ADR Institute of Canada, Inc. (ADRIC): member since 1999, Director from 2006 to 2009, and current member of its Rules Committee
  • Young Canadian Arbitration Practitioners (YCAP): member from 2004, and Director since 2007
  • London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA): member from 2002
  • ICC Canadian Arbitration Committee: member from 2011
  • Rapporteur on “New York Convention Workshop” at IBA Annual Conference on 03-08 October 2010, Vancouver
  • Author of various arbitration-related articles in International Law Office web-based newsletter
Academic Qualifications

University of British Columbia, BA, 1990
University of Toronto, LLB, 1993
University of Cambridge, LLM, 1998