CLE Online

Welcome and Introduction

Gerald W.J. Ghikas, QC — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Ludmila B. Herbst — Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP, Vancouver

Commercial Arbitration: An Overview

• the philosophies of arbitration
• worlds apart: international and non-international arbitration in British Columbia
• party autonomy, severability, kompetenz kompetenz, and other key concepts

Gerald W.J. Ghikas, QC — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver

What Every Solicitor Needs to Know About Drafting Dispute Resolution Agreements

• key elements of an arbitration agreement
• avoiding the pitfalls of tiered dispute resolution provisions
• the multi-party/multi-contract challenge

Stephen Antle — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Ludmila B. Herbst — Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP, Vancouver
Karen Martin — Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, Vancouver    

Networking Break

“Discovery” is a Dirty Word: Document Production, Pre-Hearing Oral Examinations, and Witness Statements in Commercial Arbitration

• relevance and materiality: the arbitration test and process for document production
• use of witness statements and limited oral evidence
• “examinations for discovery” in commercial arbitration practice

Robert J.C. Deane — Borden Ladner Gervais, LLP, Vancouver
David E. Gruber — Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP, Vancouver
Murray L. Smith — Smith Barristers, Vancouver

Lunch (on your own)

Arbitrator Selection, Appointment, and Challenges

• the qualities of “the right arbitrator”
• arbitrator interviews and ex parte communications
• when and how to challenge an arbitrator

Tina M. Cicchetti — Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, Vancouver
Joseph C. McArthur — Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Vancouver
Richard J. Olson — McKechnie & Company, Vancouver

Networking Break

Arbitration Litigation: The Role of the Courts in Commercial Arbitration

• when should courts intervene in the arbitration process?
• staying litigation to compel arbitration
• appeals, recognition, and enforcement of awards

The Honourable Mr. Justice Edward C. Chiasson — Court of Appeal for British Columbia, Vancouver
Murray A. Clemens, QC — Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson, Vancouver
J. Kenneth McEwan, QC — Hunter Litigation Chambers, Vancouver

Concluding Remarks

Gerald W.J. Ghikas, QC — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Ludmila B. Herbst — Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP, Vancouver