Course Chairs
Vanessa C. Gauthier — Lindsay LLP, Vancouver
Scott W.K. Urquhart — Lindsay LLP, Vancouver
About the Course Chairs
Vanessa C. Gauthier of Lindsay LLP, Vancouver, is an insurance litigator, with an emphasis on motor vehicle accidents, personal injury, and occupier’s liability; she also has an interest in life and disability insurance litigation. Vanessa was called to the bar of Newfoundland and Labrador in1995, where she represented clients in personal injury actions arising from motor vehicle accidents, occupier’s liability, and general liability claims, as well as in a broad range of other civil matters, including family law, disability insurance, wills and estates, and residential real estate. From 2003 to 2005, she was legal counsel for the province’s Workplace Health Safety and Commission.
In 2009 Vanessa moved from her home in Newfoundland and Labrador to Vancouver and was called to the BC bar in 2010. Before that, she practiced law in Australia for four years where she specialized in insurance litigation, including general liability, occupier’s liability, professional indemnity, product liability, and dust diseases. She also represented employers in the defence of workplace accidents and the management of workers’ compensation claims, particularly in the mining, transportation, manufacturing, and retail sectors. Vanessa was called to the Australia bar in 2006. Throughout her legal career, Vanessa has always been active in the legal community through various professional memberships, teaching at local community colleges, speaking at industry events, and mentoring junior lawyers.
Scott W. Urquhart is a lawyer at Lindsay LLP. He acts primarily for insurance companies and their insureds in the prosecution and defence of property and personal injury claims. Scott advises insurance companies with respect to first-party coverage issues, and represents clients involved in commercial disputes including construction matters. Called to the BC bar in 2006, Scott has experience before all levels of British Columbia’s courts, the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal, and the BC Human Rights Tribunal.
Scott is a member of the BCCBA Insurance Law Executive Committee. He has presented to the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC and Canadian Defence Lawyers on the topics of insurance law and civil litigation practice.
Faculty
Hollis A. Bromley — Alexander Holburn Beaudin + Lang LLP, Vancouver
Elvis Chan — Senior Claims Specialist, Allianz Global Risks US Insurance Company, Vancouver
Vanessa C. Gauthier — Lindsay LLP, Vancouver
Leonard Hsu, CIP, CRM — VP, Claims, Aon Reed Stenhouse, Vancouver
Sandra L. Kovacs — Lindsay LLP, Vancouver
Neil R. MacLean — Guild Yule LLP, Vancouver
Nicholas M. Safarik — Richards Buell Sutton LLP, Vancouver
Denis H. Smith — VP, Executive General Adjuster, Cunningham Lindsey, Vancouver