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Jeffrey S. Thomas

Partner

Vancouver
JSThomas@blg.com
604.640.4203

Expertise

Catherine Rodgers

Practice Assistant

Vancouver
crodgers@blg.com
604.687.1415
604.632.3400

Jeffrey has extensive experience providing legal advice in the context of large, complex, multi-party negotiations, as well as within international trade, competition law and investment law. His practice focuses in these areas, with particular emphasis in the following:

  • state-to-state negotiations and dispute settlement
  • trade policy
  • domestic trade laws and economic and trade sanctions
  • all manner of issues arising under the Competition Act

Jeffrey’s practice also extends to other areas of international trade law and Investment, such as:

  • international employee transfers
  • in-bound and out-bound foreign investment
  • Japan-related business transactions
  • government relations

Additionally, Jeffrey also has a robust corporate law practice.

Experience

  • Extensive experience in advising clients engaged in or affected by large complex multi-party international and domestic negotiations, particularly trade negotiations, including NAFTA, the WTO, the Canada-EU CETA, the AIT, the CFTA, the TILMA and the NWPTA.
  • Significant involvement in complex state-to-state trade disputes, including those under NAFTA, the WTO, the AIT, the TILMA and the NWPTA.
  • Experience in all areas of Canadian domestic law applicable to the trade of goods, services and technology, including trade remedies, customs laws, economic and trade sanctions, and foreign anti-corruption laws.
  • Experience providing trade policy advice to governmental clients respecting their international and domestic obligations.
  • Extensive experience in providing advice in all areas of Canada’s Competition Act, including, in particular, pre-merger notification and merger clearance.
  • Extensive experience in the areas of foreign investment into Canada, including advice relating to the Investment Canada Act and all manner of international law concerning foreign investment.
  • Extensive experience in all immigration-related aspects of international employee and executive movements.
  • Active in all manner of government relations-related activities at the provincial and federal levels.

Beyond our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Member, Law Society of British Columbia
  • Member, Vancouver Bar Association
  • Member, Canadian Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, Roster of Dispute Settlement Panellists under the Agreement on Internal Trade, 2004 - 2018
  • Roster of Dispute Settlement Panellists under the BC-Alberta Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement, 2006 - present
  • Roster of Dispute Settlement Panellists under the New West Partnership Trade Agreement, 2010 - present
  • Roster of Dispute Settlement Panellists under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, 2018 - present
  • Roster of Dispute Settlement Panellist under NAFTA Chapter Nineteen, 2017 - 2020
  • Roster of Dispute Settlement Panellist under CUSMA Chapter Ten, 2020 - present

Community Involvement

  • Chair, British Columbia Wine Authority (independent regulatory body), 2007 - 2019
  • Coach, North Shore Girls Soccer Club, 2008 - 2016

Awards & Recognitions

  • Recognized in 2024 (and since 2023) as a Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer
  • Recognized in the 2023 (and since 2006) edition of Best Lawyers in Canada (Competition/Antitrust Law).
  • Recognized in the 2024 (and since 2013) editions of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (International Trade Regulation).
  • Recognized in the 2023 edition (and since 2022) of Who's Who Legal: Canada (Trade & Customs).
  • Recognized in the 2020 edition of Who's Who Legal Guide to the World's Leading Trade and Customs Lawyers
  • Recognized in the 2017 edition of the Lexpert® US/Canada Cross-Border Litigation Guide.
  • Recommended in the 2017 edition of the Legal 500 Canada (International Trade).
  • Recognized in Legal Media Group’s Guide to the World’s Leading International Trade Lawyers.
  • Recognized in the 2019 BC Wine Institute (now Wine Growers BC) Wine Industry Recognition Award for outstanding contribution to the BC wine Industry

Bar Admission & Education

  • Newfoundland and Labrador, 2024
  • British Columbia, 1990
  • LLM, University of Toronto, 1989
  • LLB, Osgoode Hall Law School, 1988