Hunter Litigation Chambers has been consistently recognized as one of the premier firms in British Columbia practicing in the field of dispute resolution. The senior counsel have developed their reputations as leading litigation and arbitration counsel during their respective tenures at some of Canada’s leading corporate/commercial law firms.
Randy Kaardal K.C., Bill Smart, K.C., Claire Hunter, K.C., and Brian Duong have consistently been recognized for their exceptional contributions to the legal profession, and have been identified in peer-reviewed publications as leading counsel in various litigation-related categories. Bill Smart, K.C. and Claire Hunter, K.C. are both Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Randy Kaardal, K.C. and Claire Hunter, K.C. are both Fellows of the Litigation Counsel of America. Bill Smart, K.C. is a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers.
Randy Kaardal, K.C. has once again been recognized for his exceptional legal skill and advocacy. He has been honoured a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation Canada and listed among Canada’s Best Employment Lawyers in the 2025 edition of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, where he is consistently recommended. Randy is listed as a member in the Lexology Index report on Employment & Labor, recognizing his expertise in labor and employment law. He represents both employers and employees and has extensive experience in wrongful dismissal, human rights, collective bargaining, and pension matters. Kaardal regularly appears before Canadian courts and administrative tribunals, affirming his standing as a leading practitioner in the field.
Claire Hunter, K.C. has been recognized among Canada’s Top 50 Trial Lawyers, the Top 100 Women in British Columbia, and the Top 100 Women in Canada, a powerful reflection of her leadership, advocacy, and outstanding contributions to the legal profession. Bill Smart, K.C has also been honoured as a Litigation Star by Benchmark, underscoring his outstanding advocacy. In addition, Brian Duong has been named a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, recognizing his standing among the country’s leading litigators.
The firm’s depth and expertise are enhanced by the involvement of retired judge and Associate Counsel, the Hon. Russell Brown, recently retired from the Supreme Court of Canada. Building on this foundation, the firm benefits from a team of recognized leaders across its practice areas, including Aubin Calvert, Nicole Gilewicz, and Paul Heisler, each named Future Stars by Benchmark Litigation, reflecting their growing influence and legal acumen. Monique Evens, also a Future Star, has earned consistent national recognition with a Nationwide – Canada ranking in Chambers Canada for four consecutive years, demonstrating sustained excellence.
Rebecca Robb’s skill and impact have been acknowledged by both Best Lawyers and Benchmark Litigation, reinforcing her reputation as a trusted legal professional.
The firm’s rising talent is equally impressive, with Julia Ross and Caitlin Ehman named Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, highlighting the strength of the firm’s emerging talent.
Hunter Litigation Chambers has the depth and capability to handle the full range of commercial litigation, arbitration, product liability, aboriginal, administrative, labour and employment, public law litigation, and criminal and quasi-criminal matters. In addition to their trial level practice, counsel from the firm appear regularly in the British Columbia Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Canada, and in the federal courts, including the Federal Court of Appeal and Tax Court of Canada. Our senior lawyers are experienced appellate counsel and often provide specialized appellate services to lawyers whose practices are primarily at the trial level.
The firm’s senior lawyers are highly experienced appellate counsel and frequently provide specialized appellate services to lawyers whose practices are primarily focused at the trial level.
Committed to professional and academic excellence, many of the firm’s lawyers have clerked for justices of Canada’s superior courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada.
Commercial Litigation is a primary practice area for Hunter Litigation Chambers. All of the counsel in the firm practice in this area. In addition to the experience of our senior lawyers, our junior and intermediate counsel are developing strong reputations as competent and creative commercial counsel. The firm is able to assemble a team capable of handling commercial matters of any size and complexity.
Products Liability – Counsel from Hunter Litigation Chambers have a history of handling a variety of complex products liability matters involving failed or allegedly dangerous products. Our cases have involved aircraft components, oil field equipment, machinery, roofing materials and motor vehicles. In addition, we have acted for pharmaceutical companies and handled cases involving allegedly defective medical devices and other allegedly dangerous products including tobacco.
Class Actions – Claire Hunter, K.C. has extensive experience in the field and acts regularly for defendants at the trial and appellate level in pharmaceutical, competition, constitutional and consumer protection class actions.
Arbitration – Randy Kaardal, K.C. and Claire Hunter, K.C. have acted as arbitration counsel in several commercial matters and also as litigation counsel in cases arising out of arbitration proceedings, including the leading case on judicial review of arbitral decisions. The Hon. Russell Brown is an in-demand arbitrator for domestic and international arbitration matters.
Administrative and Public Law – The firm has a diverse public law practice, which includes acting for and against provincial and federal administrative tribunals and ministries in judicial review proceedings, administrative appeals, marketing board proceedings, constitutional challenges, and permit hearings. Randy Kaardal K.C., has broad experience in administrative and public law disputes and representing public bodies and professional regulatory tribunals. He has extensive experience before administrative tribunals and courts in judicial review proceedings. Claire Hunter, K.C. acts regularly for the Province of British Columbia in significant constitutional matters, has an active marketing board practice and has acted in a wide variety of legal challenges to administrative decisions. Randy Kaardal, K.C., and Bill Smart K.C., have experience practicing before professional regulatory tribunals, including representation of both professional associations and their members. The Hon. Russell Brown is active in advising and providing opinions on significant public law matters across Canada.
Aboriginal Law – Counsel from Hunter Litigation Chambers have been in the forefront of the development of a body of Aboriginal Law in British Columbia, representing industry and government in responding to claims of Aboriginal rights and title.
Forestry Law – Nicole Gilewicz and Randy Kaardal, K.C. head the forestry law practice at Hunter Litigation Chambers. The Firm regularly represents licensees and other companies and individuals in matters before the Forest Appeals Commission, the British Columbia Supreme Court, and the British Columbia Court of Appeal.
Products Liability – Counsel from Hunter Litigation Chambers have a history of handling a variety of complex products liability matters involving failed or allegedly dangerous products. Our cases have involved aircraft components, oil field equipment, machinery, roofing materials and motor vehicles. In addition, we have acted for pharmaceutical companies and handled cases involving allegedly defective medical devices and other allegedly dangerous products including tobacco.
Labour and Employment Law – The firm’s labour and employment practice is headed by Randy Kaardal K.C. who has over 35 years of experience handling labour and employment matters. The labour and employment practice is supported by Paul Heisler, who has over 20 years of experience handling all matters arising in the labour and employment field. Mr. Kaardal and Mr. Heisler, together with a talented group of associates, have been counsel on many of the leading decisions in British Columbia related to employment law, labour law, and human rights law. The firm’s labour and employment practice is broad-based, dealing with the full spectrum of issues arising out of the employment relationship in both union and non-union environments.
Criminal and Regulatory Law –Hunter Litigation Chambers has developed a broad-based criminal law and regulatory practice that includes prosecutions under the Criminal Code as well as various other federal and provincial statutes and regulations. The firm is also retained from time to time by the Crown to act on its behalf. Bill Smart, K.C. has over 45 years of experience appearing in trial courts on criminal law and regulatory cases and a member of faculty of the Federation of Law Societies National Criminal Law Program for over 30 years.
As a leading business law firm, McMillan LLP serves public, private and not-for-profit clients across key industries in Canada, the United States and internationally. With recognized expertise and acknowledged leadership in major business sectors, we provide solutions-oriented legal advice through our offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal.
To help organizations stay ahead, we provide exceptional industry insights in transportation, technology and technology transactions, infrastructure and construction, and natural resources and energy. Whether it’s a cross-border transaction, a complicated private equity deal, complex real estate financing, or a bet-the-company lawsuit or regulatory dispute, by fostering a supportive workplace culture, McMillan’s 300+ lawyers serve clients with excellence and responsiveness, delivering the real-time solutions they need.
Our firm values - respect, teamwork, commitment, client service and professional excellence - are at the heart of McMillan’s commitment to serve our clients, our local communities and the legal profession. Among other industry and professional accolades, we are proud to be named Canada’s Top 100 Employers 2024, one of only two law firms recognized in this prestigious competition.
About our Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group
With an impressive track record in domestic and cross-border litigation, McMillan’s lawyers are recognized for their creativity and effectiveness in bringing disputes to satisfactory conclusions, both inside and outside the courts. And with specialists in key areas such as competition, intellectual property, real estate, securities and others, our litigators always strive to deliver a complete solution—no matter the nature of your corporate or commercial disputes.
As experienced litigators, we always assess risk and opportunities before advising clients on the likelihood of success and helping them weigh their options. We also understand that litigation is not always the preferred option, and help clients pursue a full range of resolution avenues including early negotiated settlements and alternative dispute resolution methods. If we proceed to court, however, we are recognized for our ability to tenaciously advance our clients’ commercial interests.
BLG is widely recognized as Canada’s foremost litigation law firm, with a national team of more than 400 advocates helping clients with everything from appellate advocacy to trade disputes.
When the stakes are highest, organizations from across Canada and around the world trust us to help solve their problems. From claims that interrupt day-to-day activities to bet-the-company litigation, we understand the issues that keep our clients up at night, using this knowledge as the foundation for responsive, strategic and practical advice. Complex, precedent-setting, novel cases in specialized areas of the law - particularly when they make it to the Supreme Court - are how we’ve built our reputation. We use this experience to advocate for the best outcomes for organizations of all sizes, from tech start-ups defending their IP to global automakers facing a class action. We use mediation, arbitration and eDiscovery technology, when appropriate, to increase efficiency and decrease cost. We are smart, resourceful, creative, driven, humble and always civil.
We are the external partner that feels like part of the in-house team. And clients never get just one of us -because behind every BLG advocate is the most powerful group of litigators and legal staff in Canada.
Kornfeld LLP | Kornfeld, Shapray & Partners, is a Vancouver - based boutique commercial and litigation firm that specializes in corporate and commercial work – transactional, litigation, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution and strategic advice.
The firm is known for dynamism, ingenuity and common sense, which, when matched by the wealth of the collective experience of our lawyers, results in timely, pragmatic solutions.
The firm’s clients range from entrepreneurs to major Canadian and US-based corporations. Our work frequently involves large, complex or high-profile disputes, and we routinely manage intricate, multi-party litigation and document-intensive cases.
Our lawyers have represented clients before all levels of court in British Columbia and Canada, as well as in Alberta, the Yukon, and Ontario.
Our disputes practice considers all available options in our goal to achieve a favourable resolution. As such, we are highly skilled in the art of negotiation and strategic positioning. Our expertise also extends to mediations and arbitrations.
The firm has come into existence from the merger of Shapray Cramer Fitterman Lamer LLP, formed in 1993 when Howard Shapray, KC, for many years the head of the litigation department of one of Vancouver’s leading firms, established an innovative and focused litigation boutique. Kornfeld LLP was formed in the same year by Neil Kornfeld, KC, with a focus on real estate development, acting for commercial and residential developers on the acquisition and redevelopment of noteworthy and unique sites in British Columbia. The two firms worked closely together, each developing sterling reputations for doing high quality, high stakes commercial work. For over three decades, lawyers at the two firms have provided expert advice and effective advocacy to B.C. entrepreneurs, developers, governments, financial institutions, and professional associations, as well as national and international entities.
Over time it became clear that the synergies and cultures of each firm accorded such that the strength in unity from a merger made perfect sense. The merger has increased the litigation department’s bench strength and capacity to handle large complex matters.
Shapray Cramer Fitterman Lamer LLP and Kornfeld LLP formally merged to become Kornfeld LLP | Kornfeld, Shapray & Partners effective Jan 1, 2022.
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