On Remembrance Day, we recognize the sacrifices that Members and Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces have made for Canada. These people voluntarily risk their lives in the name of freedom. Their service is not without risks that include debilitating injuries and death. As we pause to reflect and pay tribute to those who have selflessly answered the call to serve Canada, we are also pleased to report some progress in efforts to ensure that Members and Veterans and their families receive adequate support from Veterans Affairs Canada should service to our country result in injury. Supplemental ..read more

Murphy Battista LLP offices will be closed on Monday, October 2, 2023, to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We acknowledge the importance of understanding the history and ongoing trauma caused by residential schools. We are closing on October 2nd to take time to honour the children who never made it home, the families and communities grieving their loss, and the survivors of residential schools who are all working toward healing. We are grateful to the many people who bravely told their stories to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We also re-commit to supporting th ..read more

May is Vision Health Month and Murphy Battista LLP is delighted to be a local partner supporting Cycle for Sight West Coast, 2023, which is taking place on June 3, 2023. This annual fundraiser is an initiative led by Fighting Blindness Canada (FBC), Canada’s leading nonprofit advocate of sight-saving research. There is still time to get involved. For information on the event and how to register, visit the Cycle for Sight West Coast web page. Cycle for Sight is a one-day riding event to raise funds for much-needed ongoing vision research for Canadians. According to FBC, more than 1.2 ..read more

On March 9, 2023, MLA Sonia Furstenau tabled Bill M215 in the British Columbia Legislature — British Columbia’s first proposed legislation directed at ending the unfair use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in discrimination and harassment cases, including cases involving sexual harassment. As my colleague, Janelle O’Connor, has previously written about the future of NDAs in civil sexual assault settlements, similar legislation has already been introduced in other provinces across Canada, including Prince Edward Island. But what does this legislation really mean for survivors, plaintiff-side ..read more

A Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is a legal contract in which a person agrees to keep certain information confidential. NDAs were originally used to keep business information, such as intellectual property and trade secrets confidential; however, over time, they have also become commonplace in sexual assault settlements. Last month, lawyers across Canada voted in favour of a resolution – by a 94 per cent margin – pushing for non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to no longer be used as a tool to silence those who come forward after experiencing sexual assault. You can read the full resolution ..read more

March Break is on the horizon. If you are thinking about travelling abroad, it may be helpful to consider what insurance you need. When you purchase travel insurance, you expect to be covered. Unfortunately, when it comes to travel insurance, disputes, errors, and misunderstandings over what is and is not covered occur on a regular basis. Furthermore, denials can happen even when the “right” coverage is purchased. Our earlier blog post covers such a case. The situation involved an Ontario man whose insurance claim was denied after he tested positive for COVID-19 while vacationing, even though ..read more

Murphy Battista LLP is pleased to announce that Annamarie Kersop has joined our firm as Associate Counsel. Annamarie started her legal career in South Africa and relocated to British Columbia in the late 1990s. She has extensive experience handling serious personal injury claims, such as brain injuries, orthopedic, spinal cord and psychological injuries. Her early career included acting for insurance companies, and she is well-versed in the goals and tactics of insurance defence counsel. That experience prepared her for what she calls her real passion, acting to protect the rights and interes ..read more

Murphy Battista LLP is pleased to announce that Caitlin Ohama-Darcus has joined the firm as Associate Counsel. Caitlin’s practice is focused exclusively on representing plaintiffs in class proceedings and civil sexual misconduct claims, including sexual assault. Her dedication to access to justice and her expertise are welcome additions to the firm’s class action and civil sexual assault teams. Caitlin is highly respected and has been recognized as a Rising Star in British Columbia Dispute Resolution by Legal 500 (2022 and 2023) and in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada for Corporate and C ..read more

On Remembrance Day, we recognize the sacrifices that Members and Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces have made for our country. These individuals voluntarily risk their lives in the name of freedom. And, sadly, many of them suffer debilitating injuries – and even death – as a consequence of their service. Despite the extreme sacrifices that they’ve made, Members and Veterans and their families often receive inadequate support from Veterans Affairs Canada after becoming injured. Time and time again, the Government of Canada has left Veterans to try to navigate their way through an extremely c ..read more

Murphy Battista LLP is delighted to announce that our colleague Angela Bespflug has been ranked in the Chambers Canada Legal Guide 2023 for her dispute resolution work on behalf of plaintiffs involved in class actions. Ranking in Chambers & Partners is widely acknowledged as a mark of excellence across the legal industry. Angela’s work on high-profile and historic class actions has garnered her national and international attention, and she has been recognized by the Federal Court as a “leading practitioner” in the field of class actions. Her work as class counsel ..read more