Torts Update 2024

Course Chairs
Clayton Gallant — Gudmundseth Mickelson LLP, Vancouver
Howard A. Mickelson, KC — Gudmundseth Mickelson LLP, Vancouver

About the Course Chairs
Clayton Gallant is an associate at Gudmundseth Mickelson LLP. He has a broad civil litigation practice and regularly deals with tort law matters. He has made submissions before all levels of court in BC and has appeared in the Supreme Court of Canada. Prior to being called to the bar, he served as a judicial law clerk for five justices of the Supreme Court of BC. 

Howard Mickelson, KC has extensive experience as a trial lawyer specializing in complex litigation. Howard has been practising in the area of complex civil litigation since 1986 and has authored and co-authored in the area of Tort Law and is a regular contributor to programs by CLEBC.

In addition to his day job, Howard nocturnally becomes a rock-n-roller and is a tenured performer at the annual battle of the bar bands held at the Commodore every June.

Faculty
Malcolm B. Funt — Bojm, Funt & Gibbons LLP, Vancouver
Robyn A. Jarvis — Harris & Company LLP, Vancouver
Natasha John — Gudmundseth Mickelson LLP, Vancouver
Caitlin Ohama-Darcus — Lawson Lundell LLP, Vancouver
Kyle Thompson — Poulus Ensom Smith LLP, Vancouver
Carey Veinotte — Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Vancouver
David Wu — Arvay Finlay LLP, Vancouver

Course Materials Contributor
Faith Liedl Pierce — Bojm, Funt & Gibbons LLP, Vancouver

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

Raymond Lee — Program Lawyer, CLEBC, Vancouver
Clayton Gallant — Gudmundseth Mickelson LLP, Vancouver
Howard A. Mickelson, KC — Gudmundseth Mickelson LLP, Vancouver

Tort of Misrepresentation (9:05 – 9:50)

• a review and update on this tort

Kyle Thompson — Poulus Ensom Smith LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (9:50 – 9:55)

Tort of Misfeasance in Public Office (9:55 – 10:40)

• Greengen Holdings Ltd. v British Columbia (Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations), 2023 BCSC 1758 (CanLII) https://canlii.ca/t/k0jpn
• David Wu is counsel on the case

David Wu — Arvay Finlay LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (10:40 – 10:45)

New and Emerging Torts in the Field of Sexual Misconduct (10:45 – 11:30)

• a review and update on this emerging tort area 

Caitlin Ohama-Darcus — Lawson Lundell LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (11:30 – 11:35)

The Intersection Between Tort Law and the Charter (11:35 – 12:20)

• Johnson v. British Columbia (Attorney General), 2022 BCCA 82 (CanLII) https://canlii.ca/t/jmpzt
• Natasha John is counsel on the case

Natasha John — Gudmundseth Mickelson LLP, Vancouver

LUNCH (12:20 – 1:00)

Tort of Harassment (1:00 – 1:45)

• Alberta Health Services v. Johnston, 2023 ABKB 209 (CanLII) https://canlii.ca/t/jwlr3 (recognized in Alberta but has not yet been recognized in BC)

Robyn A. Jarvis — Harris & Company LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (1:45 – 1:50)

Tort of Breach of Confidence (1:50 – 2:35)

• Equustek Solutions Inc. v. Jack, 2020 BCSC 793 (CanLII) https://canlii.ca/t/j7zh0 and 2024 BCCA 104 (CanLII), https://canlii.ca/t/k3gxw
• Malcolm Funt is counsel on the case

Malcolm B. Funt — Bojm, Funt & Gibbons LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (2:35 – 2:45)

Tort of Passing Off (2:45 – 3:30)

• Equustek Solutions Inc. v. Jack, 2020 BCSC 793 (CanLII) https://canlii.ca/t/j7zh0 and 2024 BCCA 104 (CanLII) https://canlii.ca/t/k3gxw
• Casey Veinotte is counsel on the case

Carey Veinotte — Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (3:30 – 3:35)

Tort of Conspiracy (3:35 – 4:20)

• a review and update on this tort 

Clayton Gallant — Gudmundseth Mickelson LLP, Vancouver

Closing Remarks (4:20 – 4:30)

Clayton Gallant — Gudmundseth Mickelson LLP, Vancouver
Howard A. Mickelson, KC — Gudmundseth Mickelson LLP, Vancouver