Our Story

Sarah's been with us since day one - literally helped paint the walls in our first office. Started her career in Singapore handling shipping disputes before moving to Vancouver. She's the go-to person for anything involving vessel arrests, cargo claims, or maritime liens.

What sets Sarah apart is she actually understands how shipping works, not just the legal side. Spent time working in-house at a shipping company early in her career, which means she gets the business pressures our clients face. Also makes killer dumplings for office parties.

Bar Admissions: British Columbia (2001), Singapore (1998)

Education: LLB National University of Singapore, LLM University of British Columbia

Marcus joined us in 2010 and hasn't lost his edge since. Before that, he was doing criminal defense work, which honestly prepared him well for the courtroom theatrics you sometimes get in commercial disputes. He's got this ability to cut through BS and get to what actually matters in a case.

Handles everything from breach of contract claims to partnership disputes. Known for being aggressive when needed but also knowing when settlement makes more sense than burning through legal fees. Outside the office, he's usually mountain biking or complaining about the Canucks.

Bar Admission: British Columbia (2006)

Education: JD University of Victoria, BA Simon Fraser University

Priya came on board in 2014 when we were expanding our international trade practice. She'd been working with the CBSA before that, which means she knows customs regulations from the inside. Seriously, if there's an obscure tariff classification or import restriction, she's probably dealt with it.

What clients love about Priya is she doesn't just tell you the rules - she helps you figure out how to structure deals so you're not fighting with customs every shipment. Also somehow manages to make trade compliance sound interesting, which is a genuine talent.

Bar Admission: British Columbia (2010)

Education: JD Osgoode Hall Law School, BCom University of Toronto

David handles the corporate side of things - mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, that whole world. Joined us in 2017 after working at a Bay Street firm where he got tired of the politics. Brings big firm experience without the big firm attitude, which is exactly what we wanted.

He's particularly good at maritime industry M&A, understanding how to value shipping companies and structure deals that account for industry-specific risks. Also plays a mean game of poker, which probably helps in negotiations.

Bar Admissions: British Columbia (2013), Ontario (2012)

Education: JD University of Toronto, MBA Queen's University

Elena's our regulatory guru, joined in 2019 with a background in environmental law. As shipping gets greener and regulations get tighter, she's been invaluable helping clients navigate new requirements without losing their minds. Also has connections at Transport Canada that come in handy.

She's the person who'll walk you through IMO regulations, ballast water requirements, emissions standards - all the fun stuff that keeps ship operators up at night. Makes it bearable with a good sense of humor and practical compliance strategies.

Bar Admission: British Columbia (2015)

Education: JD University of British Columbia, BSc McGill University

James is our contracts guy - joined us in 2021 right out of law school but don't let that fool you. He's got this knack for spotting issues in agreements that more experienced lawyers miss. Probably comes from being obsessively detail-oriented (his words, not ours).

Handles everything from charter party agreements to service contracts to distribution deals. What makes him valuable is he thinks about enforcement - not just what the contract says, but what happens if things go sideways. Plus he's actually fun to work with, which matters when you're reviewing 80-page agreements.

Bar Admission: British Columbia (2021)

Education: JD University of British Columbia, BA University of Victoria