Farris LLP

Firm Details:

Managing Partner: Jeffrey J. Kay, KC

Number of Partners: 47

Number of Lawyers: 98 (including partners)

Languages: English, French, Cantonese, Mandarin

FIRM OVERVIEW:

Farris LLP is a leading Canadian law firm with offices in Vancouver, Kelowna and Victoria. The full service firm represents some of the largest public and private institutions and corporations in the province, offering versatile and innovative approaches to legal issues for over 100 years.

■ 20 lawyers ranked in The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory

■ 15 partners in 16 years listed as Lexpert® 'Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers under 40'

■ 7 lawyers listed as "Leaders in their Field" by Chambers Canada

■ 14 partners recognised as 'Litigation Stars' by Benchmark Litigation

MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE:

The firm acts for public and private corporations and government with respect to international trade law, multi-jurisdictional mergers and acquisitions, litigation and financings in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.

Corporate Commercial:

The firm’s lawyers are experienced in every aspect of business law. From advising on general corporate matters through to complex domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, reorganisations, public/private partnerships (P3), public and private securities offerings, venture capital financings, income trusts and banking transactions. Farris’ real estate group has significant experience in large scale development, including tax structuring, acquisition of properties, servicing agreements, re-zoning, subdivision, financing and leasing.

Farris lawyers are recognised for excellence in life sciences, technology, media and communications, energy, mining, telecommunications, municipal law, realisations, trade and investment regulation, as well as intellectual property, licensing, immigration, BC regulatory and public policy law.

Litigation:

Farris’ litigation group has significant and extensive experience in all areas of litigation and the firm’s lawyers appear regularly in all BC Courts, the Federal Court of Canada, and the Supreme Court of Canada.

The firm’s experience includes trial and appellate advocacy, commercial transactions, product liability, class actions, labour relations, family law, administrative and regulatory matters, securities litigation, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, aboriginal matters, internet and social media issues, defamation and other media related law.

Farris lawyers are also sensitive to public policy and political environments in which administrative action is taken. For some 40 years, the firm’s founder Senator Farris was widely regarded as a leading barrister in Western Canada. Today’s Farris barristers continue that tradition with senior counsel consistently recognised by their peers as leaders in their field. Farris lawyers have helped to shape the legal profession in British Columbia and beyond. They regularly publish and teach on matters of advocacy, civil procedure and arbitration practice as well as on matters specifically related to the subject areas in which they practise. Their cases have set precedents followed by future generations in BC and elsewhere.

Labour & Employment:

The firm’s labour and employment group acts for a wide range of clients in both the public and private sectors. The team is organised on a 24/7 basis to provide advice on all aspects of labour relations and human resources, including certification and decertification, strikes, lockouts and contingency planning, picketing, essential services, collective bargaining including first collective agreement negotiation, collective agreement interpretation and application, managing a unionised workplace, corporate downsizing and severance, and advising on statutory compliance of workplace policies, including sexual and workplace harassment and computer/internet utilisation.

Tax & Wealth Management:

Farris’ tax and wealth management group specialises in innovative and value-added tax approaches tailored to clients’ needs, including tax strategies and structuring, corporate finance, financial analysis and modelling, CRA representation, and wealth management advice for individuals and owner entrepreneurs.

The Farris team represents a broad range of domestic, international, public and private clients, and works closely with the Farris corporate and securities teams to provide integrated, tax efficient solutions.