Commercial Arbitration 2026

Course Chair
Ludmila B. Herbst, KC — Farris LLP, Vancouver

About the Course Chair
Ludmila Herbst, KC is a partner at Farris, practising in the fields of commercial litigation, commercial arbitration, and regulatory law. She has represented clients before all levels of court in BC, the Federal Court, the Supreme Court of Canada, and both arbitral and administrative tribunals including the BC Utilities Commission. She was also counsel for one of the participants in the Cullen Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering. 

Ludmila frequently writes and presents on topics related to her practice, is the assistant editor of the Advocate, and is a co-author of Commercial Arbitration in Canada: A Guide to Domestic and International Arbitrations, which has been cited by trial and appellate courts across Canada.

Faculty
Justice Geoffrey B. Gomery — BC Court of Appeal, Vancouver
Henri Alvarez, KC — Alvarez Arbitration, Port Moody
Paige Burnham — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver 
Karen L.M. Carteri, KC, FCIArb — Nathanson Schachter & Thompson LLP, Vancouver 
Jennifer K. Choi — Bennet Jones LLP, Vancouver 
Shane D. Coblin, FCIArb — Kornfeld LLP, Vancouver 
Michael Feder, KC — McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver 
Forrest Finn — Farris LLP, Victoria
Yarden Gershony — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Gerald W. Ghikas, KC — Gerald W. Ghikas Law Corporation, Vancouver 
David E. Gruber, FCIArb — McEwan Partners, Vancouver 
Scott Lucyk, FCIArb — Lawson Lundell LLP, Vancouver
Joseph C. McArthur KC, FCIArb — Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver 
Sarah McEachern — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Vasilis Pappas, FCIArb — Bennet Jones LLP, Calgary and Vancouver
Katherine A. Reilly — Stewart McDannold Stuart, Victoria
Romeo Rojas, FCIArb — Secretary General, Vancouver International Arbitration Centre, Vancouver 
John H. Shevchuk — Chartered Arbitrator (ADRIC), Lex Pacifica Law Corporation, Vancouver 

Course Introduction and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:05)

Raymond Lee — Program Lawyer, CLEBC, Vancouver
Ludmila B. Herbst, KC — Farris LLP, Vancouver

PART 1: ARBITRATION FOUNDATIONS

What Do Arbitrators Wish Counsel Knew About the Differences Between Arbitration and Litigation Processes? (9:05 – 10:00)

• it's not just litigation in a private forum
• think about and embrace differences (case management, statements of case vs. pleadings, extent of document production, potential for written direct evidence, focused hearings)

Moderator: Ludmila B. Herbst, KC — Farris LLP, Vancouver
Henri Alvarez, KC — Alvarez Arbitration, Port Moody
Gerald W. Ghikas, KC — Gerald W. Ghikas Law Corporation, Vancouver 

How to Draft Good Arbitration Agreements (10:00 – 10:40)

• when to consider including an arbitration clause
• potential length and scope of arbitration clauses (whether to incorporate procedural rules, how narrowly or broadly to define what is subject to arbitration, points to cover) 

Paige Burnham — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver 
Sarah McEachern — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (10:40 – 10:55)

Role of "Arbitral Institutions" (10:55 – 11:35)

• introduction to BC's very own—VanIAC—and its statutory role as "designated authority" under the Arbitration Act (selection of arbitrators, review of arbitral fees)
• using an arbitral institution by choice to oversee the arbitration—administered vs. ad hoc arbitration (why and which one)

Joseph C. McArthur KC, FCIArb — Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver 
Romeo Rojas, FCIArb — Secretary General, Vancouver International Arbitration Centre, Vancouver 

Financial Considerations (11:35 – 12:05)

• remuneration of arbitrators
• potentially financially intensive upfront steps (statements of case, written evidence)
• whether savings can be achieved as compared to litigation
• costs

Karen L.M. Carteri, KC, FCIArb — Nathanson Schachter & Thompson LLP, Vancouver 
Shane D. Coblin, FCIArb — Kornfeld LLP, Vancouver 

Expedited Procedures and Emergency Arbitrations (12:05 – 12:45)

• when and how to use an expedited procedures arbitration
• recourse to emergency arbitrators rather than the courts for emergency relief before a regular arbitral tribunal is constituted

Yarden Gershony — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Katherine A. Reilly — Stewart McDannold Stuart, Victoria

LUNCH (12:45 – 1:15)

PART 2: ADVANCED ISSUES

Use of Experts in Arbitration (1:15 – 2:00)

• possible differences from litigation (what if the arbitrator is already an expert, whether expert file gets produced)
• retention of expert and presentation of evidence

Vasilis Pappas, FCIArb — Bennet Jones LLP, Calgary and Vancouver
John H. Shevchuk — Chartered Arbitrator (ADRIC), Lex Pacifica Law Corporation, Vancouver 

Hot Topics in Arbitration (2:00 – 2:50)

• what to do when the other party to an arbitration agreement does not want to engage in arbitration
• whether summary resolution is available in the arbitration context

Jennifer K. Choi — Bennet Jones LLP, Vancouver 
David E. Gruber, FCIArb — McEwan Partners, Vancouver 
Scott Lucyk, FCIArb — Lawson Lundell LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (2:50 – 3:05)

Are There Any Cases that Can't Be Arbitrated? (3:05 – 3:25)

• interpreting what falls within the arbitration clause
• regardless of what the arbitration clause says
  • does an arbitrator have the ability to grant statutory remedies where statutes say a "court" may do so?
  • does a statute expressly prohibit arbitration?

Forrest Finn — Farris LLP, Vancouver
Ludmila B. Herbst, KC — Farris LLP, Vancouver

Appeals of Arbitral Awards (3:25 – 4:25)

• difference between appeals and set-aside applications
• appeals not available in international commercial arbitration 
• domestic commercial arbitration appeals now before Court of Appeal under 2020 Arbitration Act—process and related considerations
• standards of review
• contracting out (or opting in) of appeal rights
• internal arbitral appeal mechanisms 

Justice Geoffrey B. Gomery — BC Court of Appeal, Vancouver
Michael Feder, KC — McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver 

Closing Remarks (4:25 – 4:30)

Ludmila B. Herbst, KC — Farris LLP, Vancouver