A Tradition of Excellence
Farris is a leading Canadian law firm with offices in Vancouver, Kelowna, Victoria, and Surrey, BC. Our full-service firm represents some of the largest public and private institutions and corporations in the province, offering versatile and innovative approaches for over 100 years. Farris has been consistently rated one of Vancouver’s leading corporate and litigation law firms. Most recently, Farris was named for the third consecutive year by The Globe and Mail as one of Canada’s Best Law Firms in the practice areas of Capital Markets, Corporate & Commercial, Mergers & Acquisitions, Dispute Resolution (Litigation, Arbitration & Investigations) and Family Law.
OUR PRACTICE AREAS
Corporate Commercial Law
The firm’s lawyers are experienced in every aspect of business law. From advising on general corporate matters through to complex domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, public/private partnerships (P3), public and private securities offerings, venture capital financings, income trusts and banking transactions.
Farris’ Real Estate Group has significant experience in large scale development, including tax structuring, acquisition of properties, servicing agreements, rezoning, subdivision, financing and leasing.
Farris lawyers are recognized for excellence in life sciences, technology, media and communications, energy, mining, telecommunications, municipal law, realizations, trade and investment regulation, as well as intellectual property, licensing, immigration, BC regulatory and public policy law.
Litigation
Farris’ Litigation Group has significant and extensive experience in all areas of litigation and the firm’s lawyers appear regularly in all BC Courts, the Federal Court of Canada, and the Supreme Court of Canada.
The firm’s experience includes trial and appellate advocacy, commercial transactions, product liability, class actions, labour relations, administrative and regulatory matters, securities litigation, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, aboriginal matters, internet and social media issues, defamation and other media related law.
Farris lawyers are also sensitive to public policy and political environments in which administrative action is taken. For some 40 years, the firm’s founder Senator Farris was widely regarded as a leading barrister in Western Canada. Today’s Farris barristers continue that tradition with senior counsel consistently recognized by their peers as leaders in their field.
Family Law
Farris’ Family Law Group offers a wide range of services. We represent clients in all matters relating to custody, access, child guardianship, property division, child and spousal support and divorce, with a particular focus on complex financial issues related to a relationship breakdown. We are skilled in the drafting of co-habitation agreements, marriage agreements, separation agreements, and asset protection agreements. Our lawyers are experienced at every level of court in British Columbia and have participated in mediation and negotiation to resolve various types of disputes.
Labour & Employment Law
The firm’s Labour and Employment Group acts for a wide range of clients in both the public and private sectors. The team is organized on a 24/7 basis to provide advice on all aspects of labour relations and human resources, including certification and decertification, strikes, lockouts and contingency planning, picketing, essential services, collective bargaining including first collective agreement negotiation, collective agreement interpretation and application, managing a unionized workplace, corporate downsizing and severance, and advising on statutory compliance of workplace policies, including sexual and workplace harassment and computer/internet utilization.
Taxation Planning & Advice
Farris’ Tax Group specializes in innovative and value-added tax approaches tailored to clients’ needs, including tax strategies and structuring, corporate finance, financial analysis and modeling, CRA representation, and wealth management advice for individuals and owner entrepreneurs. The Farris Tax Team represents a broad range of domestic, international, public and private clients, and works closely with the Farris corporate and securities teams to provide integrated, tax efficient solutions.
