Services Insurance Litigation

John B. Arnesen

By // In Retired Partners // 2016.12.01 // Read More

John Arnesen is a founding partner of Lindsay LLP. He is a civil litigator and has been practicing law in the area of general insurance litigation since 1989 on retainers by professional liability, general liability and property insurers. The focus of his practice has long been on professional errors and omissions, primarily in the defence of dentists, pharmacists and healthcare practitioners. John is also retained privately by professionals requiring assistance with their regulatory bodies. Additionally, he acts in a variety of personal injury matters and commercial disputes and is often retained to prosecute subrogated actions.

John has appeared before all levels of courts in British Columbia and before various tribunals.

John has long volunteered as a judge for the Professional Legal Training Course and has presented to the Continuing Legal Education Society of B.C. on the topic of insurance law.

Downhill skiing, kayaking and travel are pursuits John enjoys when he is not practicing law.

Vanessa C. Gauthier

By // In lawyers // 2016.11.23 // Read More

Vanessa Gauthier’s legal career has taken her from the coast of Newfoundland to two coasts in Australia and back again to Canada (albeit to a different coast). She’s developed notable insurance litigation expertise and leadership skills along the way.

Vanessa now uses those skills to manage her busy insurance litigation practice. Most of her work focuses on negotiating and resolving disputes related to motor vehicle accidents, personal injuries, occupier’s liability and products liability.  Having been legal counsel for the Workplace Health Safety & Compensation Commission in Newfoundland and Labrador and represented self-insured employers, she has gained invaluable experience in risk management and claims involving workplace accidents, particularly in the mining, transportation, manufacturing and retail sectors.

Known for her pragmatic approach, Vanessa is one of our firm’s “go-to” experts on reaching reasonable dispute resolutions. She invests a lot of time in mentoring junior lawyers both inside and outside the office, offering wise advice to help move matters – and careers – forward.

*Practicing as Vanessa C. Gauthier Law Corporation

Christopher J. Hope

By // In lawyers // 2016.09.23 // Read More

Chris is an experienced civil litigator who has represented clients with insurance, employment, estate, administrative, and criminal law issues since 1999.  He currently focuses mainly on insurance and civil litigation matters and has appeared in all levels of court in B.C.

Chris acts for plaintiffs and insurers in property damage, personal injury, and other matters.  He also practices in estates, human rights, property assessment, and employment law.

Chris is our in-house authority on assessing costs in motor vehicle accident litigation. He writes a chapter on this topic in the annually updated British Columbia Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Practice Manual and has authored a book, Plus TC&D: The Assessment of Costs and Disbursements in Motor Vehicle Injury Litigation,  the most recent edition of which (the Sixth Edition) was published in 2022 by the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC.

Outside the office, Chris always has several projects on the go.  He is a director of multiple boards, including a long-term care home and a community recreational sporting association.  He was a member of the Property Assessment Appeal Board for 12 years, and also previously acted as an arbitrator for Translink fare infraction appeals and was a member of the Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal.  In 2015, he co-produced an award-winning feature-length film.  He is also a licensed commercial helicopter pilot.

*Practicing as Christopher J. Hope Law Corporation

 

Michael J. Jackson

By // In Retired Partners // 2016.11.23 // Read More

Michael Jackson is a founding partner of Lindsay LLP, and is an experienced insurance litigation lawyer, having appeared at all levels of court, up to and including the Supreme Court of Canada (London Drugs Ltd. v. Kuehne & Nagel International Ltd. et al). His clients include general property, casualty and professional liability insurers.

Michael was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts at the University of British Columbia in 1975 and a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Victoria in 1981. He was admitted to the British Columbia Bar in 1982.

Michael has practiced general insurance litigation since 1982, with a particular emphasis on products liability, occupier’s liability, personal/bodily injury (including catastrophic injury and fatal accident claims), motor carrier cargo claims and industrial accident claims (including fires, gas explosions and blasting). He also handles claims relating to construction, mining, trucking, entertainment and sports liability, motor vehicle, highway maintenance, commercial/social host liquor liability and professional liability. In addition, Michael provides advice and legal opinion on insurance coverage to general property, casualty, professional liability and travel accident insurers.

Michael has spoken at various industry events and to various industry groups, including the Canadian Risk and Insurance Management Society, and the Canadian and British Columbia Adjusters Associations. He has also spoken at Continuing Legal Education conferences, and in-house client seminars.

Michael is married with three children and lives in North Vancouver, where he enjoys a wide range of sports, including squash, soccer, skiing, sailing and cycling, as well as music, reading and travel.

*Practicing as MJ Jackson Law Corporation

Daniel M. Jeffrey

By // In lawyers // 2016.09.23 // Read More

Daniel Jeffrey is an insurance litigator whose practice is focused on matters involving personal injuries that result from motor vehicle collisions and other accidents. He serves clients as plaintiff counsel and defence counsel.

Daniel manages all aspects of client matters, whether they are resolved through alternative dispute resolution or proceed to trial.

Raised in Richmond, B.C., Dan now lives in Vancouver. If he’s not in the office, he can often be found playing ice hockey, enjoying one of the city’s many cycling routes or on a local tennis court.

Natalie Parsonage

By // In lawyers // 2016.09.23 // Read More

Natalie Parsonage is a civil litigator who defends the interests of insurers and their insureds in claims arising out of motor vehicle, personal injury, property damage, and other accidents.

Prior to joining Lindsay LLP, Natalie practiced at a Vancouver firm where she often appeared as co-counsel in complex B.C. Supreme Court trials involving motor vehicle related personal injury claims. Natalie was also an associate at a large Vancouver firm where she served as co-counsel in a lengthy medical malpractice trial.  She has experience in matters involving judicial reviews, commercial litigation, employment and environmental law.

Natalie is committed to using her legal skills to give back to the community. She volunteers as a mentor to students at the Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law and is a Director of the Vancouver Law Courts Inn Society.

Wendy A. C. Serné

By // In lawyers // 2016.09.23 // Read More

Wendy Serné is an experienced insurance defence litigator whose practice focuses on personal injury claims arising out of motor vehicle accidents. She has significant experience with matters involving psychiatric injuries and chronic pain issues.

Wendy enjoys the variety in practicing insurance law. Even if the types of injuries at issue are the same, the facts are always different.  She also appreciates that insurance law offers a constant stream of learning opportunities through changing case developments, legislative updates and client needs.

Wendy aims to be organized, clear and efficient when managing matters. She is quick to understand client needs and respectful of others’ time, whether she is speaking with an insured, writing to a client or appearing in court.

Tiffany Tsang

By // In lawyers // 2016.09.23 // Read More

Tiffany Tsang’s insurance litigation practice focuses on the defence of complex personal injury claims including traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, orthopaedic and psychological injuries. Tiffany has appeared in all levels of Court in B.C.. She has conducted trials by judge alone and trial with judge and jury.

Tiffany enjoys the diversity of practicing personal injury defence. She believes each claim is unique and tells a different story.  Each matter requires collaboration and consultation with her client to identify an appropriate resolution strategy that could range from early settlement to a complex jury trial, depending on her client’s objectives.

Prior to entering the legal profession, Tiffany worked in student services and community development for the University of Alberta. Her team building and management skills have transferred perfectly to her legal career. Apart from managing her busy litigation practice, Tiffany serves as the firm’s primary liaison with a major institutional client. She oversees all aspects of the relationship, from matching files assignments to the lawyers with the appropriate expertise, in-house training on practice management and current legal issues, to streamlining of procedures and practice to improve efficiency in litigating claims.

Tiffany has been a contributor and speaker at various events, including CLE Personal Injury Conference, Canadian Defence Lawyers Seminars, Lindsay LLP Annual Insurance Seminars and Risk Management Council Webinars.

*Practicing as Tiffany Tsang Law Corporation

Roger Watts

By // In lawyers // 2016.09.23 // Read More

Roger Watts has a busy civil litigation practice, where he focuses on resolving disputes involving motor vehicle, marine, motor carrier and aviation insurance claims. He has appeared at all levels of British Columbia courts, in the Federal Court of Canada and in the Yukon Supreme Court.

Roger represents plaintiffs and defendants in matters where complex catastrophic losses are at issue, whether those losses involve property damage, personal injury or death. He acts for trucking, shipping and motor vehicle interests in cargo loss and injury claims, and for marine underwriters in actions involving multi-modal carriage disputes, collisions, fire loss, mortgages, regulatory issues and product liability.

Roger sits on the board of directors of Canadian Defence Lawyers, a national organization serving the insurance defence bar. He is also a member of the Canadian Bar Association BC Branch and is a past president of the Canadian Transport Lawyers’ Association. Previously, Roger also served as chair of the CBABC Maritime Law Subsection, legislative chair of the Marine Insurance Association of BC and a director of the Trial Lawyers Association of BC.

Roger’s interests outside the office keep him just as busy as his law practice. Each year, he lends his time and talent to The Lawyer Show, an annual fundraising production for Vancouver’s Touchstone Theatre and Carousel Theatre for Young People.  He also serves as a director of the Carousel Theatre and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre.