Course Chairs
The Honourable Mr. Justice Ward K. Branch — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
Luciana P. Brasil — Branch MacMaster LLP, Vancouver
About the Course Chairs
Ward Branch is judge of the BC Supreme Court. He was formerly the manager/partner of the firm, Branch McMaster LLP, where his practice focused on class actions and insurance. He was counsel in the first class action cases to come before the BC Supreme Court and BC Court of Appeal. Justice Branch was retained in over 150 class actions in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and BC, and acted both for and against the Governments of BC, Alberta, and Canada in class actions.
Mr. Justice Branch was named Canada's Class Action Litigator of the Year for 2013 and 2015 by Benchmark Canada, and BC's Bet-the-Company Litigator of the Year in 2012 by Best Lawyers. He was named King's Counsel in 2015.
Mr. Justice Branch is the author of the textbook Class Actions in Canada, which has been cited with approval by the Supreme Court of Canada. He has written extensively and presented frequently on all things class actions. Mr. Justice Branch was called to the bars of BC, Ontario, and Alberta, and was an adjunct professor at UBC.
Mr. Justice Branch is a graduate of the University of Toronto Law School, where he was awarded the Dean's Key.
Luciana Brasil is a partner at Branch MacMaster LLP, Vancouver and the leader of its class action practice. For the past 16 years, she has practiced almost exclusively in the area of class actions where she has maintained a dual practice representing both plaintiffs and defendants (not in the same case!) in actions commenced across Canada.
Luciana was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and commenced her legal studies there. She enjoyed attending law school so much she did it twice, and has a Bachelor of Civil Law Degree (from Mackenzie University in Sao Paulo, Brazil) and a Bachelor of Laws Degree (from University of Victoria). Luciana now gets her periodic fix of schooling by teaching class actions to upper year law students at Allard Hall, UBC. Luciana was admitted to the BC bar in 1999 and to the Alberta bar in 2013.
Luciana has been repeatedly recognized by Lexpert as a leading practitioner in class actions and in 2020 was included in Benchmark's list of Top 50 Women in Litigation (Canada).
When not litigating with or against leading class action practitioners, Luciana might be litigating at home with her 10 going on 15 year old daughter, with whom she also shares a passion for equestrian pursuits and travelling to remote destinations.
Faculty
The Honourable Madam Justice Carla L. Forth — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
The Honourable Mr. Justice Warren B. Milman — Supreme Court of BC, Vancouver
The Honourable Madam Justice Palbinder K. Shergill — Supreme Court of BC, New Westminster
Trevor Bant — Litigation Counsel, Ministry of Attorney General, Victoria
Brad Dixon — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Malcolm B. Funt — Bojm, Funt & Gibbons LLP, Vancouver
Chelsea Hermanson — Camp Fiorante Matthews Mogerman LLP, Vancouver
Claire E. Hunter, QC — Hunter Litigation Chambers, Vancouver
David G.A. Jones — Camp Fiorante Matthews Mogerman LLP, Vancouver
Donald B. Lebans — Branch MacMaster LLP, Vancouver
Spencer Malthouse — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver
Wesley J. McMillan — Allen/McMillan Litigation Counsel, Vancouver
Andrew P. Morrison — Shields Harney LLP, Vancouver
Julia V. Murray — Bojm, Funt & Gibbons LLP, Vancouver
Michael Parrish — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver
Christopher Rhone — Branch MacMaster LLP, Vancouver
Jill S. Yates — McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver
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British Columbia Civil Trial Handbook
Why go to court alone? Take your mentor with you!
This publication is essential for: litigators looking for a handy trial procedure resource in court or at the office
Current to: July 1, 2021
From your first client meeting, every step you take in a file could become part of your trial preparation. The British Columbia Civil Trial Handbook (6th ed.) is your guide to preparing a case that will be litigated in the BC Supreme Court. You have access to succinct explanations and techniques of leading advocates on pleading your case, managing pre-trial procedures, preparing your evidence and challenging others', and conducting the trial before a judge or a jury. Checklists of considerations for each stage of trial preparation and sample trial documents are designed to help you with trial management.
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