Amy M. Nathanson,

Amy is a litigator practicing civil and commercial litigation. She acts for clients in complex business and commercial disputes in a broad range of industries.  Her practice areas include pension and benefits disputes, commercial disputes, class actions, product liability, insurance litigation, construction disputes. 

Amy has appeared as counsel in all levels of court in British Columbia. She also resolves matters using alternative dispute resolution, including mediation. 

Amy is a contributor to Lawson Lundell’s Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Blog, a resource that examines current trends and interesting issues in the legal and business community.

• Canadian Bar Association, Member
• Vancouver Bar Association, Member

• Access Pro Bono Civil Chambers Program, volunteer

• Benchmark Litigation: recognised as one of Canada’s 'Top 100 Women in Litigation,' 2022-2023
• Best Lawyers in Canada 2020-2024: recognised for Corporate and Commercial Litigation
• Thomson Reuters "Stand-out Lawyer" 2022
• Acritas Stars 2021
• Benchmark Canada: The Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys, 2022-2023: recognised as a Litigation Star
• Martindale-Hubbell International Law Directory: BV Peer Review rated

Representative proceedings include:

• Substantially successful in an appeal from the certification of a class proceeding which resulted in 2 of the 3 claims against our client being dismissed. The class action relates to a long term disability plan available to union members whose benefits were reduced due to a deficit in the fund utilized by Trustees to provide the benefits.  (Watt et al v. Heath Sciences Association, 2016 BCCA 325)
• Obtained judgment for the Trustees of an LTD Plan against a member who was required, but failed to repay a portion of the compensation he had received from the Plan after settling his MVA claim. On appeal, the Court of Appeal affirmed the Trustees’ right to reimbursement, but reduced the amount owing to the Trustees. (Brugger v. The Trustees of the IWA-Forest Industry Long Term Disability Plan, 2015 BCSC 2363; Brugger v. The Trustees of the IWA-Forest Industry Long Term Disability Plan  2016 BCCA 445)
• Obtained judgment against a director of a company for knowing assistance in breach of trust in relation to the company’s failure to remit pension and LTD contributions for its employees. (Trustees of the IWA-Forest Industry Pension Plan v. Leroy, 2017 BCSC 158)
• Successfully defended The Trustees of the Carpentry Workers Pension Plan of British Columbia against allegations breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment in relation to transfer deficiency payments (Spencer v. The Trustees of the Carpentry Workers Pension Plan of British Columbia –Oral Reasons for Judgment, May 2015
• Successfully defended a $53-million defamation action involving an international mining project (Monument Mining Ltd. Balendran, Chong & Bodi, 2012, BCSC 1769)
• Successfully represented a company in a claim against one of its partners for misappropriation of funds and obtained a judgment for (Driving Daisies Deliveries Ltd. and Darin Comis v. George Grandy, 2013)
• Successfully defended Sleep Country Canada Inc. in a lengthy trial involving allegations of inducing breach of contract, conspiracy and interfering with economic (Canadian Bedding Company Ltd. v. Western Sleep Products Ltd. and Sleep Country Canada Inc., 2009 BCSC 1499)
• Represented a client in an action to enforce the terms of a contract for the sale of a luxury Obtained judgment for damages. (Halle v. Ritchie, 2008 BCSC, 1452)
• Successfully represented a pro bono client in having a fraudulent mortgage transaction set aside (Murray Affordable Homes, 2007)

Other clients and representative experience include: 

• A global paints and coatings company in relation to a claim for reimbursement of remediation costs under the Environmental Management Act
• Various Pension Plans in relation to reduction in post-retirement benefits and pursuing claims against employers for failure to remit pension contributions
• Trustees of various long term disability plans in pursuing recovery of benefit overpayments and third party reimbursements and defending claims relating to denial of disability
• A financial institution in a claim to set aside various transactions and mortgages on the basis that the plaintiff had lacked sufficient capacity
• A forest products company in relation to a nuisance claim as a result of flooding on property adjacent to where logging activities has taken place
• Institutional lenders in advancing a fraudulent preference claim
• An employer seeking an injunction to prevent ex-employees from distributing confidential information and soliciting clients
• A businessman in China in relation to a claim commenced in British Columbia for payment of a debt.
• A bailiff company in relation to various claims relating to seizures and rent distress
• Both plaintiffs and defendants in construction disputes
• Clients seeking to challenge findings of competency and the appointment of a committee