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Michael advises clients in a range of construction and infrastructure matters, with extensive experience in dispute-related issues.
He counsels a variety of groups, including sureties, developers and contractors.
Michael has successfully represented clients before various tribunals, provincial and superior courts, and in the Supreme Court of Canada.
Additionally, he has a robust media and defamation practice, with experience in all aspects of the sector, including defending libel claims and setting aside publication bans.
Michael fournit des services juridiques par l’intermédiaire d’une société professionnelle.
Experience
Michael defended a Canadian Joint Venture against a $1.1 billion arbitration that arose after the successful construction of a mineral processing facility. Our team of 75 BLG timekeepers (13 partners, 15 associates, 12 students, 9 paralegals, and many eDiscovery, Litigation Support, Library, Document Production and other staff) worked with numerous client personnel and in-house counsel in various locations, and with eight expert witnesses, insurers and reinsurers. The details of the settlement in December 2016 are confidential. BLG achieved a great result in a timely and efficient way.
Seymour Capilano Twin Tunnels Project; counsel for the general contractor and its sureties pursuing and defending complex tunneling engineering and geotechnical claims and claims of builders lien (project value $400+ million).
Brilliant Expansion Project; counsel for the general contractor pursuing complex construction claims (project value $116+ million).
Lulu Island and Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment Plants; counsel for the general contractor in complex delay and productivity claims against the owner and engineers, and in numerous contract, tort, builders’ lien and trust claims against subtrades and suppliers (project value $280+ million).
Sky Train Millennium Line; counsel for an international consortium pursuing significant delay and productivity claims (project value 272+ million).
UBC Thunderbird Student Housing; counsel for contractor and surety pursuing delay and productivity claims and defending water-ingress claims with respect to a ten-building project.
UBC Chan Centre; counsel for contractor pursuing delay and productivity claims.
R. v. Malik and Bagri (Air India); various media applications for print and television media.
R. v. Pickton; successfully opposed an application by the accused to close the courtroom to the public and to the media.
R. v. Trott, R. v. Ertmoed; obtained access to court files regarding videotaped confessions in murder cases.
Anumba v. The Minister of Employment and Immigration; set aside publication ban and court closure regarding refugee claimant fearing persecution by headhunters.
Ironworkers Local 97 v. Gordon Campbell, the Liberal Party of BC, Southam Inc. and Brian Kieran; defence co-counsel in a libel claim resulting in dismissal of claim following trial.
Co-Author, “Construction Law 2022: Canada – Trends and Developments,"Chambers and Partners, June 9, 2022
PUBLICATION
Moderator and Panelist, “Duty of Good Faith – Panel Discussion" – 27 May 2022 – Canadian College of Construction Lawyers, Annual Conference, St. Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick.
PRÉSENTATION
Co-Author, "Canadian Construction Law Reform: A Survey of Recent Developments in Builders Liens, Prompt Payment, Interim Adjudication and Mandatory Construction Bonding," (M.A. Skene and D.H. Laudan) 2020 Journal of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers 93, January 2020.
PUBLICATION
Author, “Commercial Litigation Beyond the Pale: A Comparison of Extraterritorial Anti-Suit and Mareva Jurisdiction Exercised by the Courts of England and British Columbia in Commercial Disputes,” 30UBC Law Review.
PUBLICATION
Author, “Preparing Delay Claims,” Affinity Institute Conference.
PUBLICATION
Author, “Risk Allocation in Canadian Public Private Partnerships”, Review of Construction Law: Recent Developments, Carswell.
PUBLICATION
Co-Author, "Continuing the Fight to Access Court Exhibits Across Canada,” Ad Idem National Media Law website and BLG Media Law Client Update (with D.A. Crerar and J.J. Locke).
PUBLICATION
Co-Author, "More Protection from Liability to Website Owners,” BLG Commercial Litigation Alert (with C.L. Leggett and D.A. Crerar).
PUBLICATION
Co-Author, “How Much Trouble are You in When You Cannot Prove What You Published? Recent Applications of the New Responsible Communication Defence in BC,” BLG Media Law Client Update (with J.J. Locke).
PUBLICATION
Co-Author, “Hyperlinks to Defamatory Material on Other Websites May Expose Website Owners to Liability in Defamation,” The Lawyers Weekly and Internet & E-Commerce Law Inc. Canada (with D.A. Crerar).
PUBLICATION
Co-Author, “Hyperlinks to Defamatory Material: Avoiding Liability,” The Lawyers Weekly (with D.A. Crerar).
PUBLICATION
Co-Author, “New Defamation Defence of Responsible Communication on Matters of Public Interest,” BLG Media & Defamation Commercial Litigation E-Alert (with D.A. Crerar).
PUBLICATION
Co-Author, “Trend Set Toward Larger Awards for Defamation of Corporations,” The Lawyers Weekly (with D.A. Crerar).
PUBLICATION
Quoted, “Defamation and Contempt: Responsible Journalism,” Canadian Press, Vancouver.
PUBLICATION
Panelist, Commercial Litigation / Inns of Court Annual Program, Law Society of British Columbia, 2002-present
Member, Canadian Bar Association
Member, American Bar Association
Member, International Bar Association
Member, Ad Idem Canadian Media Lawyers Association
Community Involvement
Director and Past President, Alumni Association of St. George’s School, 2007-2014
Director, St. George's School Foundation Board, 2014-2016
Director, St. George’s School Society Board, 2012-2014 and 2016-2023
Awards & Recognition
Recognized in the 2025 edition (and since 2010) of The Best Lawyers in Canada® (Construction Law and Defamation & Media Law).
Recognized in the 2025 edition of Chambers Canada – Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business (Construction - Nationwide).
Recognized in the 2025 and 2024 editions of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Construction Law) and in 2023 (Litigation - Defamation & Media)
Recognized in the 2025 (and previous editions) of Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal: Canada (Construction).
Recognized as a 2024 and 2023 Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer
Recognized in the 2024 edition of Benchmark Canada – The Definitive Guide to Canada's Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys (Insurance, Securities, Professional Liability).
Recognized in the 2024 and 2019 edition of the Lexpert Special Edition - Canada's Leading Infrastructure Lawyers.
Recognized in the 2021 edition (and since 2020) of the Doyles Guide - Leading Construction, Engineering & Infrastructure Lawyers – British Columbia.
Recognized in the 2020 edition of Acritas Stars. Nominated as a stand-out lawyer by in-house counsel.
Recognized in the 2019 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Construction Law).
Recognized as a "Litigation Star" in the 2018 edition of Benchmark Canada (Insurance, Professional Liability, and Securities).
Recognized as a "Litigation Star" in the 2017 edition of Benchmark Canada — The Definitive Guide to Canada's Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys (Construction Law, Commercial, Media and Entertainment, Defamation).
Recognized as a "Future Star" in the 2016 edition (and since 2012) of Benchmark Canada — The Definitive Guide to Canada's Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys (Construction Law).
Martindale-Hubbell® BV® Distinguished™ 4.4 out of 5 Peer Review Rated.
Recognized in the 2016 edition of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Litigation - Defamation & Media).
Bar Admission & Education
Saskatchewan, 2019
Colombie-Britannique, 1993
LLM,
Université de Cambridge, 1995
JD,
Université de Toronto, 1992
B.Comm. (Hons.),
Université de la Colombie-Britannique, 1992