Course Chairs
Vanessa C. Gauthier — Lindsay LLP, Vancouver
Richard B. Lindsay, QC — Lindsay LLP, Vancouver
About the Course Chairs
Vanessa Gauthier of Lindsay LLP, Vancouver, is an insurance litigator, with an emphasis on motor vehicle accidents, personal injury, and occupier's liability; litigation.
Vanessa was called to the Bar of Newfoundland and Labrador in1995, where she represented clients in personal injury actions arising from motor vehicle accidents, occupier's liability, and general liability claims, as well as in a broad range of other civil matters, including family law, disability insurance, wills and estates, and residential real estate. From 2003 to 2005, she was legal counsel for the province's Workplace Health Safety and Commission. In 2005, Vanessa moved from her home in Newfoundland and Labrador to Australia where she was called to the Australian Bar in 2006 and specialized in insurance litigation, including general liability, occupier's liability, professional indemnity, product liability, and dust diseases. She also represented employers in the defence of workplace accidents and the management of workers' compensation claims, particularly in the mining, transportation, manufacturing, and retail sectors. In 2009 Vanessa returned to Canada and was called to the BC Bar in 2010.
Throughout her legal career, Vanessa has always been active in the legal community through various professional memberships, teaching at local community colleges, speaking at industry events, and mentoring junior lawyers. Her outside interests include hiking, kickboxing, and spending time with family and friends.
Richard Lindsay, QC is a founding partner of Lindsay LLP, Vancouver. His practice focuses on general insurance litigation, with particular emphasis on products liability, engineering, energy, and fire related matters. Richard's areas of specific interest include complex multi-party litigation, subrogation, fraudulent claims, coverage, and catastrophic injury cases with significant liability issues. In select cases he will act as a mediator or arbitrator. As a well known insurance lawyer in Canada, Richard has extensive trial and appellate court experience, including the Supreme Court of Canada.
Appointed Queen's Counsel in 2003, Richard was admitted to the BC Bar in 1978. He obtained a Bachelor of Engineering in 1971 from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Laws in 1977 from UBC. His pre-law experience was as a Civil Engineer, and he has also completed courses in UBC's Masters Program in Fire Protection Engineering. He recently completed the mediation program at Harvard Law School.
Richard is listed in The International Who's Who of Insurance and Reinsurance Lawyers and cited in Lexpert as a leading practitioner in the fields of commercial insurance, products liability, and professional liability litigation. He is listed in Best Lawyers in Canada under Insurance Law. Richard is past president of the Canadian Defence Lawyers which presented him with the celebrated Lee Samis Award of Excellence in 2006. He has been appointed to the Hearing Panel pool for the Law Society of BC, and recently was elected as a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers. Richard has chaired CLEBC's Insurance Law Conference since its inception over 20 years ago.
Faculty
The Honourable Mr. Justice Patrice M. Abrioux — BC Court of Appeal, Vancouver
Steve Abramson — Harper Grey LLP, Vancouver
Shelley A. Braun — Claims and Underwriting Manager, Lawyers Insurance Fund, Law Society of BC, Vancouver
Hollis A. Bromley — Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP, Vancouver
Michael Caron, CIP, CRM — Regional Sales Manager, RSA Insurance, Vancouver
Loren Gardiner — Vice President - Specialty Solutions West, Intact Insurance Company, Vancouver
Angus M. Gunn, QC — Eyford Partners LLP, Vancouver
Gordon G. Hilliker, QC — Barrister and Solicitor, Belcarra
Shana Johnston — Senior Claims Manager, Catastrophe & Vendor Relations, BCAA, Burnaby
Benjamin Meadow — Whitelaw Twining Law Corporation, Vancouver
John M. Moshonas — Whitelaw Twining Law Corporation, Vancouver
Nikta Shirazian — Lindsay LLP, Vancouver
Gregory J. Tucker, QC — Owen Bird Law Corporation, Vancouver
Click here for full faculty bios »