Acting for the plaintiff in an action for misfeasance in public office concerning the denial of the required permits for a run-of-river hydropower project, the firm obtained a landmark eight-figure judgment against the Province of British Columbia. The Court agreed with the plaintiff that the denial of permits was made by the wrong people, and for improper reasons. The trial decision can be read here.

The matter took many years to get to trial, and the firm successfully represented the plaintiff through several pre-trial attempts by the province to have the case dismissed. Most recently, a five judge panel of the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by the province concerning whether the plaintiff had properly named the defendants. The Court determined that the plaintiff had done so, and considered that the matter should proceed to trial, commenting that it “is in the interests of justice that the trial proceed without further interlocutory applications seeking to derail the proceedings.” The Court of Appeal decision can be read here.

Beddoes Litigation acted for the plaintiffs in an action for defamation related to a prolonged defamatory campaign waged over the internet. The plaintiffs were awarded damages of more than $340,000, and the court issued permanent and mandatory injunctions requiring the defendants to stop making the defamatory statements, and to remove existing statements from the internet. In explaining the award, the court said that the nature of the defendants' campaign was "so wrong and so prolonged and so extreme that the court must express condemnation of it". The Court's decision is available here.

Beddoes Litigation represented an investor in a failed commercial and industrial real estate project in Metro Vancouver. The matter proceeded to mediation, and resulted in our client obtaining a favourable and considerable settlement.

Acting for a leading U.S. network security company in a breach of contract claim alleging that the defendant failed to fulfill contractual and common law obligations of good faith. Successfully obtained an order for production of documents related to the defendant's state of mind at material times, and successfully defended the defendant's application to dismiss the proceeding as an abuse of process. Read the document production decision here. Read the Court of Appeal's decision upholding the dismissal of the defendant's application here.

Beddoes Litigation represented a realtor whose former brokerage failed to pay him extensive commissions from its trust account. The matter proceeded to litigation, with the brokerage ultimately agreeing to pay the entire amount owing to the realtor.

Successfully appealed an interlocutory injunction restraining an individual from publishing portions of a documentary film containing photos and video footage of the Vancouver Aquarium. The Court of Appeal agreed that the injunction engaged the filmmaker's right to free expression, and that the film was "part of a public dialogue and debate on the issue of whether cetaceans should be kept in captivity". Read the decision here.

Acting for the plaintiff, the former Representative for Children and Youth for British Columbia, in an action against both the province and the Legislative Assembly for failure to pay promised pension and other entitlements. Successfully defended an application by the defendants to dismiss the case on the basis of parliamentary privilege. Read the decision here. (Supporting Joseph J. Arvay, O.C., Q.C.)

Acting for the Attorney General of Alberta in a complex dispute concerning the interpretation of Power Purchase Arrangements governing the sale of coal power into the provincial power pool. The dispute arose after the Alberta government introduced more stringent climate change legislation. (Supporting Joseph J. Arvay, O.C., Q.C.)

Acting for an individual defendant who owns shares in a technology company, Beddoes Litigation successfully applied to dismiss the claim as barred by the two-year limitation period. Arden Beddoes and Sydney Gomez acted for the individual defendant. The decision is available here.

Acting for the plaintiffs in a successful application for a mistrial. At trial, the plaintiffs alleged the defendant committed fraud by failing to disclose commissions received as a result of referring the plaintiffs to a massive Ponzi scheme. The Court initially found that no commission had been paid; however, shortly after trial the plaintiffs discovered evidence which the Court agreed appeared to be a "smoking gun". Read the decision here. (Supporting Ken McEwan, Q.C.)

Acting for the plaintiffs in a week-long summary trial in Federal Court regarding the constitutionality of provisions of the Income Tax Act which permit Canada to share with the United States certain account information associated with US Persons. Read the decision here. (Supporting Joseph J. Arvay, O.C., Q.C.)

Successfully obtained an order enforcing a Letter of Request (also known as letters rogatory) issued by the Superior Court of California in the context of a significant contractual claim. Read the decision here.

Counsel for an intervener at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and Court of Appeal in a case concerning the constitutionality of enforcement provisions in the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The OSPCA cited the case in withdrawing from its animal cruelty enforcement role, leading Ontario to introduce modernized animal welfare legislation adopting many of the intervener's key recommendations.

Lead trial counsel for the plaintiffs in successfully obtaining an order enforcing a contract for the purchase and sale of land. Read the decision here.

Successfully dismissed an action on a guarantee on the basis that British Columbia was not the appropriate forum. The court agreed that the action should be heard in Alberta in the context of related proceedings under the Companies' Creditors Arrangements Act. Read the decision here.

Represented an intervener at the Ontario Court of Appeal in a constitutional challenge to the Law Society's decision not to accredit graduates of Trinity Western University's proposed law school. Read the decision here.

Represented a co-owner of a large gulf-island acreage in a dispute over the terms of a co-ownershiop agreement. Achieved a favourable settlement following a lengthy mediation.