Biography

I am a class action lawyer with extensive experience representing the interests of class members. I have been class counsel in a number of high-profile national class actions, with combined settlement values totaling over $800 million, and I have been recognized by the Federal Court of Canada as “a leading practitioner in this field.” I was also named one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers of 2020 by Canadian Lawyer magazine and am recognized as a leading class action lawyer by Global Law Experts and Who’s Who.

Class actions operate as a vehicle for positive change within society and offer critical access to justice for survivors who do not have the resources to pursue individual litigation. These class actions ultimately hold defendants accountable for their behaviour and deter future misconduct.

I was class counsel in the first gender discrimination class action brought against the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on behalf of female members. This case was complex and unprecedented. I was then lead counsel on a second class action against the RCMP, on behalf of women who suffered sexual assault, harassment or discrimination while working or volunteering with the RCMP in non-member roles. Despite the legal and logistical challenges associated with this action, I (along with my colleague Janelle O’Connor) successfully negotiated a settlement with an estimated value of $100 million.

I have been class counsel in several class actions focused on Indigenous rights, including the Sixties Scoop class action, the Indigenous Boarding Homes class action and the Indigenous Hospitals class action. And I was counsel on motion for Gowling WLG at their fee approval hearing in the Indigenous Day Schools class action litigation, where they were awarded a $55 million fee.

I also act for class members in commercial contexts and have been class counsel in many successful cases involving price-fixing and other commercial wrongs.

I have appeared as counsel in proceedings before the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal, the BC Supreme Court, the BC Court of Appeal, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta, the Court of Queen’s Bench for Saskatchewan, and the Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba.

Recognition / Awards

• Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers, 2020 (Advocacy and Human Rights) – Canadian Lawyer magazine
• Leading Class Action Lawyer, 2020 – Corporate INTL Who’s Who Advisor Handbook, p. 66
• Leading Class Action Lawyer (Canada), 2020 – Global Law Experts
• Class Action Lawyer of the Year (Canada), 2020 – Finance Monthly magazine

Professional Associations

• Member, Canadian Bar Association
• Member, The Advocates’ Society

Year of Call

• British Columbia, 2008

Education

• University of Victoria Faculty of Law, LL.B / JD, 2007
• Simon Fraser University, BFA, 2002