Farris Vaughan Wills & Murphy provides a comprehensive and diverse array of litigation services that ranges from commercial litigation, securities, family law and administrative law to labor and employment. While recognized as “a classic Vancouver firm,” Farris is noted by peers as being “well positioned because of the big group of younger partners that are coming up and complementing the more senior people that are Farris ‘lifers.’” One peer notes, “Farris is rebuilding and doing a great job. They are one of the few regional firms that has that level of breadth in litigation – they’ve got commercial, securities, class actions, Aboriginal, employment, family law…there really isn’t any other litigation shop in Vancouver covering the spectrum like them. They’re obviously not a national firm but in this city, they are almost of a national-size bench – top-flight firm.” Another peer declares, “Farris historically been very strong in Vancouver for decades, and I see them broadening up a lot more and more and taking on a lot of high-net-worth family law cases that involve the transfer of wealth. They have always done a bit of this work but now they seem to be really doubling down on it.”
Peers largely credit the firm’s versatility, culture and bench development to
Ludmila Herbst, an all-purpose litigator who earned her stripes at Farris over the past several years and has since emerged as “a de facto leader now.” Although it is also noted that seasoned statesman
Robert Anderson “remains as busy as ever.” “He shows no signs of slowing down,” quips a peer, “especially when he’s litigating against my client!” Herbst and Anderson are representing the appellants from a May 2023 judgment of the Supreme Court of British Columbia regarding a shareholder-oppression matter. The appeal was argued before the BC Court of Appeal in November 2023. Anderson is also acting with a team that includes
Mike Wagner and Kevin Smith on a matter that sits at the intersection of shareholder oppression and family law, the firm’s “sweet spot.” Wagner leads several other cases of this variety and is touted by peers as “one of the brightest lights at the firm these days in those oppression files. His work is never just ‘same-old, same-old,’ either. They almost always involve a ‘wow!’ factor.” Smith is lauded by peers as “very bright, young but wise and experienced beyond his years.”
Rebecca Morse is also viewed as a leader in her practice, which straddles commercial, construction, family law and insolvency.
Yun-Li Reilly is also seeing her profile rising; a client extols Reilly as “an excellent lawyer with great legal analysis; hardworking, strategic, and always thinking about the case.”
