Shareholders' Disputes 2015


Course Date: April 22, 2015

Course Agenda ▼

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