One of Vancouver’s premier litigation boutiques, Nathanson Schachter & Thompson maintains its coveted dominance in the city’s dispute resolution community, a position it has held for decades thanks to the individual and collective vision of name partners Irwin Nathanson and Stephen Schachter. Both partners, despite their senior status, continue apace with a robust litigation schedule and remain in demand by clients. “The big energy at Nathanson still seems to be Irwin and Stephen,” observes a peer, “but of course those guys can’t continue forever so fortunately they are handling the generational change very well. They have a very strong team coming up right after them, and in some cases now taking the lead.” Another peer concurs: “Nathanson has done a good job in succession planning – they made a point of beefing up some of their younger and mid-ranks.” This has not gone unnoticed by clients, either. One raves, “They are top-notch lawyers who work cohesively as a team, and they are very capable and have great judgment. The mentorship from senior lawyers is readily apparent. I would give them any work in their specialty. They are hands-down the best legal team in Vancouver.” Another client cheers the firm’s lawyers as “bright and energetic lawyers, with creativity and professionalism.” This same client testifies, “The firm acted for us on a dispute over a contract. We terminated the contract, believing this was within our rights within the contract, and the other, much larger, party disputed that right. Nathanson is very intelligent and experienced, particularly on this type of litigation.”
Irwin Nathanson, still “every bit as active as he ever was, with all kinds of stuff,” is championed by a client for his “excellent judgment and meticulous preparation.” The same can be said for Schachter, who is working with
Julia Lockhart acting for Beedie in a dispute with the Vancouver School Board over the rent payable for a third 10-year renewal term under a lease for the lands on which a mall is located. The original dispute was determined in private arbitration, but Beedie obtained leave to appeal that award and a stay of its obligations under the lease. The substantive appeal was heard in October 2024, and the decision is under reserve. Lockhart is cheered as “a brilliant lawyer,” by a client who goes on to specify, “She was able to sift through copious documents to get to the issues, even when I hadn't identified them yet (and I had been familiar with the file!). She is calm and unflappable. Her lawyering skills set her apart. Schachter also acts with
Karen Carteri for G&T Martini Holdings in a major property-development dispute regarding an agreement by Martini to purchase over $150 million of serviced lands.
James MacInnis, called “smart, responsive and strategic” by a client, acts for Taplow Ventures, the defendants in a business-divestiture dispute.
Mark Oulton, who joined the firm in 2023 from Hunter Litigation Chambers, is identified by a peer as “the preeminent private-practice forestry lawyer in the province – and I mean it’s not even close, there is no second. He’s fantastic.”
