Shareholders' Disputes 2015


Course Date: April 22, 2015

Welcome and Introduction

Miranda L. Lam — McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver
Stephen T.C. Warnett — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver

Preventing and Managing Shareholders’ Disputes

  • due diligence and planning
  • shareholders’ agreements
  • common areas of dispute
  • avoiding litigation: negotiation/mediation 

T. Mark Pontin  Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver
Steve Saville  Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver

Networking Break 

ADR and Shareholders’ Disputes

  • arbitral jurisdiction over shareholder disputes
  • arbitration or valuation?
  • maximizing efficiency and confidentiality in shareholder arbitration

Ludmila B. Herbst  Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP, Vancouver
Joseph C. McArthur  Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver

Networking Break

Overview of Statutory Remedies

  • breadth of remedies under the Business Corporations Act
  • examples of what is and what is not oppressive conduct
  • derivative actions and distinguishing them from oppression claims
  • just and equitable liquidation—a gateway to an oppression remedy

Stephen T.C. Warnett — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver

Lunch Break (on your own)

How to Win a Proxy Fight

  • assembling the team
  • getting the votes
  • communications plan
  • litigation

Alan Bayless  Longview Communications, Vancouver    
Cameron G. Belsher  McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver
Robert W. Cooper  Cooper Litigation, Vancouver
David Salmon  Senior Vice President, National Sales, Laurel Hill Advisory Group LLP, Vancouver

Secondary Market Liability: Shareholder Activism en masse?

  • trends in securities class actions in Canada
  • overview of secondary market liability regime
  • swords for shareholders and shields for defendant companies?: highlights of developments in the jurisprudence

Miranda L. Lam — McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver

Networking Break

Conflicts, Privilege, and Ethics and Professionalism Issues in Shareholders’ Disputes

  • avoiding conflicts of interest
  • privilege in practice
  • often like family law—common-sense guidelines for lawyers

Herman H. Van Ommen, QC — McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver

Concluding Remarks

Miranda L. Lam — McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Vancouver
Stephen T.C. Warnett — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver