andrew@cslitigation.ca
778.242.6797

Andrew has more than 15 years of experience resolving shareholder, partnership, contract and real estate disputes for corporations and individuals in court, arbitration and mediations.

He has extensive experience with matters before the BC Securities Commission, the BCFSA and IIROC. He has represented various accountants in investigations and disciplinary hearings before the CPABC. He also represented lawyers in Law Society investigations.

He is recognized in Benchmark and Chambers Global.

Before launching this firm, Andrew practised for five years with Blake, Cassels & Graydon and then with Bob Cooper KC at Cooper Litigation. He ran Crabtree Law for 9 years before combining forces with Peter Senkpiel, KC. 

After attending UVic Law, he clerked for five justices of the British Columbia Supreme Court.  Prior to law school, he spent time working at the British Columbia legislature.

Giving back to the legal and Indigenous communities is important to Andrew.

He is a director and chair of the governance committee of the BC Indigenous Housing Society, which provides various types of housing across BC to Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals and families.

He was appointed by the Province of BC as a member of the board of directors of Legal Aid BC. He is a former board member of the Vancouver Bar Association

Andrew is currently an adjunct professor at UBC’s Allard School of Law where he is teaching a course on shareholder litigation that he co-founded with Joel Payne. He regularly contributes to CLEBC where is a founding author of “Shareholder Remedies” in the “Annual of Review of the Law”. He has also presented at various CLE programs on advocacy and shareholder issues

Examples of Andrew’s work include the following:

  1. Sona Resources Corp. in a trial and appeal involving the interpretation of a mining option agreement (2017 BCSC 1326; 2019 BCCA 89; 2019 BCCA 368;

  2. A logging company in a 9-week trial and appeal involving a multi-million dollar claim against TimberWest Forest Corp. in fraud and conspiracy (2020 BCSC 978; 2021 BCCA 326);

  3. Sunridge Gold Corp. in its international dispute involving a multi-million dollar garnishing order (2015 FC 34; 2016 FC 393; 2017 FCA 188);

  4. group of shareholders in a dissent action and an oppression claim in the BCSC against a TSX-listed pharmaceutical company (2013 BCSC 1949);

  5. Directors in a complex oppression claim initiated by a shareholder and creditor (2022 BCSC 852; 2023 BCCA 134);

  6. Canaccord Genuity in the successful prosecution of a multi-million dollar fee dispute (2018 BCSC 674; 2019 BCCA 278;

  7. Nevsun Resources Inc. in a multi-million dollar claim involving allegations of breaches of international law (2020 BCSC 511);

  8. Lender in a debt claim involving over a million dollars of cryptocurrency (2024 BCSC 1551);

  9. acting for accountants the subject of investigations by the CPABC, including for fraud, and successfully navigating settlement agreements;

  10. Company in a dispute involving a group of debentureholders claiming to have exercised conversion rights (2012 BCSC 653);

  11. Various companies and individuals in compelled interviews and hearings before the BC Securities Commission;

  12. First Nation in Alberta in a complex claim against the Federal Government regarding oil and gas issues and breaches of fiduciary duties

  13. First Nations minors seeking court approval of a long-term oil and gas lease and appointment of trustee;

  14. shareholders and partners in their disputes involving various multi-million dollar real estate projects;

  15. Individuals and an association regarding various disputes under the Societies Act involving allegations of oppression and electoral irregularities (2021 BCSC 497);

  16. Plans of arrangement involving Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Inc., Sona Resources Corp., Grenville Strategic Royalty Corp., Aurcana Corporation and Vizsla Silver Corp.

  17. acting for mortgagee in complex action against mortgagor (2021 BCSC 1285; 2022 BCCA 239);

  18. Yellow Pages Ltd. in multiple business loss claims;

  19. Individuals and companies in oppression claims involving technology start-ups, cannabis companies and a pharmaceutical company;

  20. a company in its recovery of funds appropriated through electronic fraud;

  21. shareholders and partners in their disputes involving various multi-million dollar real estate projects;

  22. landlords and tenants in a commercial lease disputes;

  23. Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic Games in multiple business loss claims;

  24. an individual in a 10-day arbitration against a TSX-listed pharmaceutical company for the recovery of a finder’s fee

  25. Whistler Blackcomb in a business loss dispute;

  26. investors in a joint venture dispute regarding the management and construction of a development project;

  27. a former pharmacy owner in its dispute with Shoppers Drug Mart;

  28. a debtor in a breach of contract claim relating to a multi-million dollar loan facility; and

  29. guarantors in disputes against banks and other creditors.