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Farris LLP: Vancouver's Law Firm

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Alternative dispute resolution is an expanding and developing area in Canada as clients seek ways to minimize the formality and publicity associated with litigation. Farris lawyers are leaders in the alternative dispute resolution field.

Farris has represented parties in commercial arbitrations of all sizes, including some of the largest arbitrations conducted in the province of British Columbia under the Commercial Arbitration Act and International Commercial Arbitration Act. Farris litigators have experience with arbitrations conducted under a variety of rules and procedures, including the Domestic Commercial Arbitration Rules of the British Columbia International Commercial Arbitration Centre. Farris litigators also have substantial experience in court applications arising out of arbitration agreements and arbitration awards, including applications to stay court proceedings in favour of arbitration, appeals from and reviews of arbitration awards, and applications to enforce arbitration awards. Farris lawyers George Macintosh, Q.C. and Mitchell Gropper, Q.C. serve as arbitrators, as does former Farris litigator Jack Giles, Q.C.

Farris lawyers have represented parties in international trade arbitrations, including the softwood lumber dispute between Canada and the United States. They also have extensive experience in advising parties on dispute resolution procedures under the North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization. 

Our lawyers also have extensive experience in drafting arbitration clauses in contracts. 

Farris partner Ludmila Herbst co-authored and updates Commercial Arbitration in Canada: A Guide to Domestic and International Arbitrations (Canada Law Book), a leading arbitration text which has been cited in various Canadian cases. Ms. Herbst is also a regular contributor to The Lawyers Weekly and the Lexpert Corporate Counsel Directory and Yearbook on arbitration-related topics. Farris litigator Rebecca Morse is on the 2009-2010 Executive of the national Alternative Dispute Resolution subsection of the Canadian Bar Association.

In addition, Farris litigators participate regularly in mediations in a wide variety of cases ranging from commercial disputes to personal injury cases. Farris litigators have been successful in obtaining court orders compelling parties to mediate, leading to favourable settlements of complex litigation.

Our recent representative work includes:

  • Obtaining a stay of a proposed class action in favour of arbitration in Seidel v. TELUS Communications Inc., 2009 BCCA 104.
  • Obtaining a court order mandating multi-party mediation in Singapore, and successfully defending that order on appeal in Executive Inn Inc. v 688571 et al,  [2008] B.C.J. No. 429, 2008 BCCA 93.
  • Successfully defending against an application to stay proceedings in favour of arbitration in Cut & Run Holdings Ltd. v. Booze Brothers Holdings Inc. (2005), 2 B.L.R. (4th) 14, 39 B.C.L.R. (4th) 218, [2005] 6 W.W.R. 708, 2005 BCSC 167; Cut & Run Holdings Ltd. v. Booze Brothers Holdings Inc., 2005 BCCA 196.
  • Representing various claimants and respondents in arbitration proceedings.

Our Lawyers

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A. Keith Mitchell, Q.C. Chair kmitchell@farris.com 604 661 9337
George K. Macintosh, Q.C. Partner gmacintosh@farris.com 604 661 9332
Robert S. Anderson, Q.C. Partner randerson@farris.com 604 661 9372
Dylana R. Bloor Partner dbloor@farris.com
Marylee A. Davies Partner mdavies@farris.com 604 661 1707
Scott A. Dawson Partner sdawson@farris.com 604 661 9354
Tim A. Dickson Partner tdickson@farris.com 604 661 9341
Michael Gianacopoulos Partner mgianacopoulos@farris.com 604 661 1705
Alan J. Hamilton, Q.C. Managing Partner ahamilton@farris.com 604 661 9320
Ludmila B. Herbst Partner lherbst@farris.com 604 661 1722
Sean Hern Partner shern@farris.com 250 405 1982
Jeffrey J. Kay, Q.C. Partner jkay@farris.com 604 661 9321
Robert B. Kennedy, Q.C. Partner rkennedy@farris.com 604 661 9389
Robert J. McDonell Partner rmcdonell@farris.com 604 661 9371
Rebecca M. Morse Partner rmorse@farris.com 604 661 1712
Donald L. Richards Partner drichards@farris.com 604 661 9318
Robert P. Sloman Partner rsloman@farris.com 604 661 9375
Mike J. Wagner Partner mwagner@farris.com 604 661 9388
Christopher J. Wiebe Partner cwiebe@farris.com 250 869 3879
Nikki L. Charlton Associate ncharlton@farris.com 604 661 9396
Jennifer A. Cowan Associate jcowan@farris.com 604 661 1727
Alexander D. Mitchell Associate amitchell@farris.com 604 661 9397
Susan B. Mossing Associate smossing@farris.com 604 661 9336