British Columbia

Firm overview

The bright minds working on the world’s most important challenges and interesting opportunities need more than a law firm. They need true partners and allies who understand the complexity of what they’re tackling, who can help build vision and strategy, and bring a team of experts who get it. That’s MT + Co. In 2009, we started a law firm based on some ground-breaking principles: that a law firm can care about sharing values with clients and can boldly say their purpose is to help people do good things; that important law isn’t the sole purview of Big Law and that a focused team of passionate professionals can get you as far (or further) than the large national and international firms; that you are a client with a cause, not an invoice number; and that you should like your lawyer.

Since then, we’ve worked exclusively with two types of clients: forward-thinking businesses and Indigenous organizations on the cutting edge of reconciliation. We represent leaders who dare to dream big. Our integrated team supports their game-changing work by breaking down roadblocks and building roadmaps for the large and important opportunities our clients are chasing. From vision to strategy to execution, we assemble a specialized team that gets the right things done. Because what you are doing matters—to you, to us, and the world.

MT+Co.’s Litigation + Dispute Resolution Group

Our Corporate Commercial Litigation work includes complex contractual disputes, shareholder and transactional disputes, corporate governance matters, and business torts. We also have experience representing clients before a broad range of regulatory and administrative bodies and in alternative dispute resolution processes such as mediation and arbitration.

On the Indigenous Law side of our Litigation practice, our group assists clients in the areas of Aboriginal rights and title, governance, Indian reserve issues, mutual benefit agreement interpretation and implementation, regulatory matters, and the development of strategic approaches to the participation of First Nations in consultation and negotiation with the Crown and industry.

Our Litigation + Dispute Resolution Group has a strong voice in firm management and decision-making, which means that we have the ability to structure our service offering in a way that aligns with our values and the values of our clients. While our firm began with the two fundamental pillars of Business Law and Indigenous Law, the addition of our Litigation + Dispute Resolution Group has allowed us an even greater depth of collaboration, expertise, and seamless client service.

Many law firms view Litigation as its own silo. In contrast, we work collaboratively with our solicitors across all practice groups at almost every stage to ensure issues are identified, and effective resolutions are achieved, early on. Collectively, the members of our team have the deep legal experience needed by our most forward-thinking and sophisticated clients –bringing past learning and insight to bear on their challenges. At the same time, we are diverse, progressive, and imaginative –we do not get “boxed in” by the law and instead find creative solutions that continually advance our clients’ interests.

Firm overview

Bennett Jones is consistently recognized for its expertise in domestic and cross-border litigation. The firm is known for its uncompromising strength in the areas of competition and antitrust, securities, class actions, energy, commercial, intellectual property, fraud, construction, restructuring/insolvency, employment, health, and professional negligence litigation and has prominent practitioners in alternate dispute resolution, including international commercial arbitration. We are committed to working with our clients to develop an effective and cost-efficient strategy to identify and achieve their unique goals in the prosecution and defense of business disputes.

With more than 100 lawyers practicing commercial litigation nationally, Bennett Jones litigators have significant experience in all aspects of dispute resolution, and have leading reputations before courts and tribunals. We represent some of Canada's largest corporations, including energy producers, and technology and telecommunications companies, and are skilled in conducting commercial arbitrations, including those involving issues in the oil and gas, mining and construction industries. Our litigation practice is supported by the considerable strength of our appellate advocacy and judicial review practice which provides clients and referring counsel with specialized and strategic advice on all aspects of cases on appeal or under judicial review.

We are frequently retained by major domestic and international corporations in the defense of class actions. Representing parties at every stage of the lawsuit, from pre-certification motions and applications through to trial, we bring to each phase coordinated strategies and effective communications to streamline the litigation process. We also advise clients on mitigating their class action risk and proactively monitor trends in prospective class action developments.

Recognizing that many disputes are settled prior to trial, our commercial and technical expertise provides another valuable set of skills to the negotiation and settlement of litigation. Our team approach ensures that we provide the most timely, effective and innovative support to our clients. Our lawyers' reputations, contributions to Canadian case law, and distinguished history of service have resulted in top rankings in all major legal directories for many of our litigators, in a multitude of litigation practice areas.

Firm Culture:

Bennett Jones reflects the integrity and professional excellence of the firm’s Founding Partners. After more than 100 years of service, the firm has produced some of Canada’s most accomplished legal and business leaders, fostering values that established it as one of Canada’s most successful business law firms. The firm prides itself on offering clients innovative, strategic and forward-thinking approaches to their most complex legal and regulatory challenges and opportunities. Bennett Jones promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment where mutual respect and independent thought lead client and colleague interactions. Bennett Jones is proud to have been recognized for 23 consecutive years as one of Canada’s Best Employers.

Firm overview

Lawson Lundell’s Litigation Group has a focus on commercial litigation and a number of associated specialty areas all supported by the largest dedicated research team in Vancouver. We exclusively assist business clients and maintain a clear objective of achieving the best outcome for our clients either by agreement or through the courts. Our offices are in Vancouver, Calgary, Yellowknife and Kelowna.

Our group is distinguished with rankings from Chambers Global, Chambers Canada, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and Best Lawyers in Canada. Our team has represented clients at all levels of Court in Canada and before most regulatory tribunals, has appeared before a wide range of administrative panels and in national and international arbitrations. Details concerning key practice areas are set out below.

Commercial Litigation – We have extensive experience with all kinds of commercial disputes, including banking, competition and anti-trust, forestry, mining, oil and gas and other natural resources disputes, franchising, transportation and shipping. We have particular expertise acting for major industrial manufacturers, such as leading engineering, mining, energy and forest products companies, including with respect to liability for products and services.

Corporate and Securities - We act for a wide variety of securities market participants in take-over bid litigation, shareholders rights claims, fiduciary duty and other disputes and securities commission investigations. We regularly represent clients in the following areas: dealer-client litigation, takeover bids, poison pills and related litigation, investigations and enforcement, corporate governance, and oppression and shareholder rights litigation. We have extensive experience in disputes within closely-held corporations.

Class Actions - We primarily represent corporate defendants, assisting our clients in resolving class actions expeditiously, by preliminary motions where possible. We frequently provide advice to our corporate and institutional clients to help minimize exposure to class actions.

Administrative, Constitutional and Public Law - We assist clients in developing legal strategies for complying with complex regulatory requirements and provide advice on the legal and public policy implications of changes in legislation and other government initiatives. We act as counsel in significant administrative and constitutional law cases, involving both Charter of Rights and division of powers issues.

Indigenous and Environmental Law - We represent resource-sector clients in project permitting and the defence of subsequent challenges brought by Indigenous and environmental groups. We have represented clients in precedent-setting Indigenous rights litigation and other Indigenous law matters before all levels of Court, and have handled permitting of major projects before regulatory tribunals and in subsequent litigation. We work with resource sector clients to defend their interests in disputes between Indigenous communities and governments related to the Crown’s duty to consult. We advise and represent clients in civil and criminal claims related to contaminated site and other environmental matters.

Public Utility and Regulatory - We act for utilities, major customers and regulators, with extensive experience in the power and energy sectors, acting for applicants and intervenors before administrative tribunals and on subsequent Court proceedings. We have also provided regulatory advice in the transportation, telecommunications and water utility sectors.

Labour, Employment & Human Rights - We advise employers in all aspects of workplace law in both the provincial and federal sectors, including labour relations, employment law, collective bargaining, wrongful dismissals, human rights, employment standards, pension and benefits litigation, employment equity, workers’ compensation, privacy issues and business immigration. We have extensive experience in acting as counsel before judicial and decision making tribunals such as provincial and federal labour relations boards, arbitration boards, employment standards tribunals, human rights tribunals, workers’ compensation boards as well as all levels of court. We regularly provide collective bargaining advice and act as chief spokespersons for companies.

Pension and Employee Benefits −We have been involved in many of the leading Canadian pension and benefits cases, including successful defence of a number of class actions. Cases have involved post-retirement benefits, surplus entitlement and expense claims, fiduciary duties, including claims relating to investment policy and plan immunization and contribution holiday and benefit entitlement litigation.

Real Estate and Construction - We advise and represent international, national and local corporations, financial institutions, tenants, commercial landlords, creditors, debtors and others in real estate matters. We provide advice and representations on complex disputes including delay claims, enforcing and defending builders’ liens, tendering disputes and leaky condominium and leaky school actions, as well as property tax planning and dispute resolution. The group is also well versed in strata corporation windups.

Insolvency and Restructuring - We routinely act as counsel to the various stakeholders involved in corporate insolvency proceedings, including bankruptcies and proposals under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, winding up and liquidations, receiverships, mortgage recovery, security realization under the Personal Property Security Act, arrangements under the Companies Creditors’ Arrangement Act, and preservation and recovery proceedings relating to professional fraud, including securities fraud.

Defamation and Media - We pursue and defend claims for defamation and are frequently consulted for advice in connection with libel and slander, Privacy Act, copyright and other issues that involve the activities of the print or electronic media and, increasingly, the internet.

Privacy & Data Management - We help clients navigate privacy and data governance considerations resulting from the collection, use, disclosure and maintenance of personal information. We provide advice to both private and public-sector clients regarding access to personal information requests, requests that arise in the course of corporate transactions or employee matters.

Estate Litigation – We assist clients in navigating the highly sensitive and complex issues involved when an estate plan is challenged. This includes challenges to the validity of wills or trusts, claim arising from the administration of wills or trusts, claims against executors, court applications, proceedings to change trustees or guardians, and matters involving charities.

Firm overview