Commercial Arbitration 2023

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
The Honourable Thomas A. Cromwell, CC — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Craig Chiasson — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Jennifer K. Choi — McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver
Tina M. Cicchetti — Vancouver Arbitration Chambers, Vancouver
Mary E. Comeau, FCIArb — Comeau Arbitration Corp., Vancouver
Laura M. Cundari — Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver
Ken Duke — Senior Vice-President and General Counsel, BC Hydro, Vancouver
Yarden Gershony — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Gerald W. Ghikas, KC — Vancouver Arbitration Chambers, Vancouver
David E. Gruber — Bennett Jones LLP, Vancouver
Angus M. Gunn, KC — Eyford Partners LLP, Vancouver
Emily Kirkpatrick — McEwan Cooper Dennis LLP, Vancouver
William E. Knutson, KC — Clyde & Co Canada LLP, Vancouver
John S. Logan, KC — Jenkins Marzban Logan LLP, Vancouver
Simon Margolis, KC — CMB Mediation, Vancouver
Joseph C. McArthur, KC — Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver
Sarah McEachern — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Alexandra Mitretodis — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver
Ariel Solose — Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver

Click here for faculty bios

Welcome and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:10)

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

Arbitration vs. Litigation (9:10 – 9:50)

• should you arbitrate or litigate, if you have a choice—advantages and disadvantages
• getting into the arbitration track—arbitration clauses, submissions to arbitrate
• early steps to maximize the advantages of arbitration
• defending or disrupting the arbitration route—stays of court proceedings

Moderator: Ariel Solose — Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver
Laura M. Cundari — Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver
Ken Duke — Senior Vice-President and General Counsel, BC Hydro, Vancouver

BREAK (9:50 – 9:55)

Selecting an Arbitral Tribunal (9:55 – 10:35)

• key considerations that go into selecting an arbitral tribunal
• increasing diversity among potential arbitrators
• whether communication with candidate arbitrators is permitted
• selection process if parties do not agree on an arbitral tribunal
• arbitrators' appointment and remuneration agreements
• conflict issues

Moderator: Ludmila B. Herbst, KC — Farris LLP, Vancouver
John S. Logan, KC — Jenkins Marzban Logan LLP, Vancouver
Sarah McEachern — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (10:35 – 10:40)

Procedural Tips: The View from the Arbitral Tribunal (10:40 – 11:30)

• procedural conferences
• statements of case approach vs. traditional pleadings
• written vs. oral process
• other procedural considerations

Moderator: Joseph C. McArthur, KC — Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver
Tina M. Cicchetti — Vancouver Arbitration Chambers, Vancouver
Mary E. Comeau, FCIArb — Comeau Arbitration Corp., Vancouver
Gerald W. Ghikas, KC — Vancouver Arbitration Chambers, Vancouver

BREAK (11:30 – 11:35)

Specific Evidentiary Issues in Arbitration (11:35 – 12:10)

• getting a sense of the evidence before the hearing
  • whether or to what extent oral discovery available
  • document production
  • written witness statements
  • getting evidence from non-parties
• experts—departures from court practice
• adducing and testing evidence at an oral hearing
• whether court rules of admissibility need to or should be followed

Moderator: Ludmila B. Herbst, KC — Farris LLP, Vancouver
Yarden Gershony — Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP, Kelowna
Alexandra Mitretodis — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver

LUNCH (12:10 – 12:45)

Med-Arb in the Commercial Context (12:45 – 1:15)

• advantages and disadvantages
• application of med-arb specifically to commercial disputes
• procedural considerations and potential constraints

Moderator: Emily Kirkpatrick — McEwan Cooper Dennis LLP, Vancouver
William E. Knutson, KC — Clyde & Co Canada LLP, Vancouver
Simon Margolis, KC — CMB Mediation, Vancouver

BREAK (1:15 – 1:20)

Appeals from Arbitral Awards (1:20 – 2:10)

• basic framework: availability in domestic arbitrations; different than review/set aside applications
• seeking leave to appeal (in the Court of Appeal) on a question of law vs. appealing to an arbitral appeal tribunal
• standard of review on appeals from arbitral awards
• contracting out of appeals

Moderator: Emily Kirkpatrick — McEwan Cooper Dennis LLP, Vancouver
The Honourable Thomas A. Cromwell, CC — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Jennifer K. Choi — McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver
Angus M. Gunn, KC — Eyford Partners LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (2:10 – 2:15)

Hot Topic #1: Costs Awards (2:15 – 2:40)

• more than court tariff costs available 
• process for obtaining costs—waiving solicitor-client privilege? pre-award submissions? summary determination?

Moderator: Ariel Solose — Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver
David E. Gruber — Bennett Jones LLP, Vancouver
Ludmila B. Herbst, KC — Farris LLP, Vancouver

BREAK (2:40 – 2:45)

Hot Topics #2: Interim Measures and Enforcement of Awards (2:45 – 3:10)

• interim measures—seeking them before an emergency arbitrator, the ultimate arbitral tribunal, or a court
• enforcing arbitral awards

Craig Chiasson — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Ludmila B. Herbst, KC — Farris LLP, Vancouver

Conclusion (3:10 – 3:15)

Ludmila B. Herbst, KC — Farris LLP, Vancouver