Laura Cundari How to pronounce this name. Partner | Vancouver

Major Projects Litigation and Arbitration

• Arbitration counsel to a major utility corporation in a C$350-million dispute involving delay and disruption claims in connection with the construction of significant energy infrastructure

• Arbitration counsel in a LCIA arbitration involving the sale of mining assets in Mongolia

• Arbitration counsel in an ad hoc arbitration relating to a dispute over royalties

• Arbitration counsel to a major mining company in respect of construction of mining infrastructure

• Arbitration counsel to an owner in respect of a C$1-billion ICC arbitration claim regarding pipeline construction

• Appellate counsel for Suncor Energy Inc., Imperial Oil Limited, Husky Oil Operations Limited, Cenovus Energy Inc. and Canadian Natural Resources Limited at the Supreme Court of Canada with respect to constitutional matters in Attorney General of British Columbia v. Attorney General of Canada (B.C.) (recognized as Gold Winners for the Commercial Litigation Team of the Year at the 2021 Canadian Law Awards)

• Arbitration counsel for a design-builder of municipal infrastructure in a C$25-million ICC arbitration

• Arbitration counsel to Carillion Canada with respect to claims relating to the construction of a high-voltage transmission line in the context of its CCAA restructuring

• Assisting clients to efficiently resolve urgent issues such as lien claims, project disruptions and bond claims

Complex Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

• Trial counsel on the leading case in British Columbia on economic impacts and force majeure arising out of the 2008 financial crisis

• Trial counsel in respect of a claim brought against a vendor corporation for a C$17-million brokerage fee arising from the sale of a business

• Arbitration counsel for a luxury hotel group in ad hoc international arbitration involving disputes under a hotel management agreement

• Class action counsel for an active pharmaceutical ingredient supplier in proposed opioids class action proceedings

• Class action counsel defending claims brought against major retailers, insurers and financial industry participants, including dismissal at the certification stage

• Arbitration counsel to residential owners of a luxury condominium in a BCICAC/VanIAC arbitration involving disputes regarding cost sharing

• Arbitration counsel to a cannabis company in a dispute related to product supply

• Advising on the viability of investor-state claims arising under a bilateral investment treaty

• Litigation and arbitration counsel in a wide range of shareholder disputes

Arbitral/Mediation Appointments

• Appointed chair of a three-member panel in a Vancouver International Arbitration Centre arbitration involving claims in respect of a consulting agreement

• Appointed sole arbitrator in a Vancouver International Arbitration Centre arbitration involving claims in respect of a share purchase agreement including working capital adjustments and alleged breaches of representations and warranties

• Appointed sole arbitrator in a Vancouver International Arbitration Centre arbitration involving website design and development services

• Appointed sole arbitrator in a Vancouver International Arbitration Centre arbitration involving disputes in respect of a helicopter services agreement

• Appointed mediator in respect of shareholder disputes

• Appointed sole arbitrator in a Vancouver International Arbitration Centre arbitration involving partnership agreements between entertainment industry stakeholders

• Appointed sole arbitrator in an ad hoc arbitration relating to construction of a multi-tenant residential facility

Laura has been recognized as a leading lawyer in the following publications:

• The Best Lawyers in Canada 2025 (Alternative Dispute Resolution, International Arbitration, Construction Law, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, Product Liability Law, Securities Law, Aboriginal Law/Indigenous Practice)

• Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business 2024 (Dispute Resolution: Arbitration)

• The Legal 500 Canada – 2023–2024 (Construction, Dispute Resolution: British Columbia)

• Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business (2021–2025: Litigation: General Commercial – British Columbia; 2023–2025: Nationwide – Canada Dispute Resolution: Arbitration) Clients noted: "Laura was exceptional. Her legal analysis was consistently impressive, and she has a clear talent for zooming in on the details that truly matter." In the 2024 edition, clients said: "She is responsive and takes a solutions-oriented approach that actively considers company risk profile."

• The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (2023–2024: Consistently Recommended – Commercial Arbitration; 2024: Consistently Recommended – Litigation – Corporate Commercial; 2023: Repeatedly Recommended – Litigation – Corporate Commercial; 2021–2022: Repeatedly Recommended – Commercial Arbitration)

• Benchmark Canada's Top 100 Women in Litigation – 2022–2024 (formerly, Top 25 and Top 50 Women in Canadian Litigation)

• Benchmark Canada: The Definitive Guide to Canada's Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys – 2021–2024 (Litigation Star – Arbitration, Commercial Litigation) 

• VanIAC Excellence in Arbitration Award Winner 2023
  

• Lexpert Special Edition: Litigation 2023

• Lexpert Special Edition: Technology and Health Sciences 2023

• Benchmark Canada's 40 & Under List – 2018–2023

• Who's Who Legal: Canada 2023 (Arbitration); WWL 2022 comments: "Laura Cundari ranks highly among peers as a go-to arbitrator for disputes arising from a range of sectors, including food and beverage, agribusiness, energy and construction."

• Lexpert magazine, November 2022 (Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40)

• Business in Vancouver 2021 (Forty under 40 – Recognizes B.C.'s young business talent for demonstrated excellence in business, judgment, leadership and community contribution)

Laura is part of the legal team that has been recognized as "Arbitration Firm of the Year" by Benchmark Litigation for seven years (2018–2024).

Laura is a member of ICDR's Canada Advisory Committee and she sits on the board of CanArbWeek.

Laura volunteers her time with several charitable organizations and has a history of community leadership, serving as past president and chair of the board of directors of Ballet BC, as well as Touchstone Theatre Society.

Laura has been appointed to a number of arbitral institution rosters. She is also listed on the Arbitrator and Mediators List of ReferToHer™, a series of lists of experienced female lawyers to whom other lawyers can confidently refer work.

• Author : Chapter 32: Objections to Re-Examination
  The Law of Objections in Canada: A Handbook, LexisNexis Canada, 2nd Edition, 2024.
• Author : Chapter 30: Objections to Examination in Chief
  The Law of Objections in Canada: A Handbook, LexisNexis Canada, 2nd Edition, 2024.
• Co-author : Ontario Court Confirms Forum Selection Clause Does Not Override Place of Arbitration
  Blakes Bulletin on Arbitration, June 28, 2024.
• Co-author : Appeal Courts Stay the Course on Arbitration Clauses in Consumer Contracts
  Blakes Bulletin on Litigation & Dispute Resolution, August 14, 2023.
• Co-author : Guidance from the Courts on Drafting Enforceable Consumer Arbitration Agreements
  The Advocate, Vol. 80, Part 5, September 2022.
• Author : Ontario – Stay Granted where Competing Arguable Interpretations of Scope of Arbitration Agreement
  Arbitration Matters, August 11, 2022.
• Author : Ontario – Costs in both arbitration and court guided by same principles
  Arbitration Matters, June 22, 2022.
• Author : Ontario – Clause specifying non-exclusive attornment to courts doesn’t override arbitration clause
  Arbitration Matters, April 26, 2022.
• Author : A Forecast on Climate-Change-Related Disputes in Canada
  Blakes Bulletin on Climate Change, March 2, 2022.
• Author : BC - Arbitrator's Analysis Must not let Factual Matrix Overwhelm Text of Contract
  Arbitration Matters, February 28, 2022.

• Panellist : Panelist: Explore the Interplay and Limits of Efficiency and Creativity in Arbitration
  VanIAC Fire-side Chat and Annual Awards Ceremony, Vancouver, October 9, 2024.
• Panellist : Handling your First Arbitration
  GAR Live: North America, New York, New York, September 24, 2024.
• Speaker : Construction Claims in the Renewable Energy Industry
  Construction Lawyers Society of America 2024 International Conference, Rancho Mirage, California, September 19, 2024.
• Moderator : Construction Dispute Resolution: Recent Trends and Decisions in the Construction Industry
  Blakes Business Class Seminar, September 12, 2024.
• Panellist : Mining Disputes: Practical Tools and Approaches for Modern Challenges
  17th WCCAS Commercial Arbitration Conference, Calgary, Alberta, May 7, 2024.
• Panellist : Costs
  17th WCCAS Commercial Arbitration Conference, Calgary, Alberta, May 7, 2024.
• Panellist : Efficient Resolution of Disputes under $250,000: VanIAC’s Expedited Procedures
  Vancouver International Arbitration Centre, Hybrid Event, Vancouver, British Columbia, April 3, 2024.
• Moderator : Navigating Technology Disputes: Unraveling the Legal Implications of Emerging Technologies
  CBA Skilled Lawyer Series Webinar, Thursday, March 7, 2024.
• Panellist : Just When You Thought it Was Over: Procedural Reviews and Appeals of Arbitral Awards
  Canadian College of Construction Lawyers Virtual Webinar, January 27, 2024.
• Moderator : In-House Counsel’s Perspective on Arbitration
  CanArbWeek 2023, October 18, 2023, Toronto, Ontario.
• Speaker : New Energy Projects, New Legal Frontiers: How Clean Energy and Climate Change are Transforming Construction Disputes
  ICCA/VanIAC Conference on Energy Infrastructure Disputes and Arbitration: Today and Tomorrow, Vancouver, British Columbia, June 2, 2023.
• Speaker : Climate Change Disputes in Canada: Are You Ready?
  Blakes Business Class Seminar, May 3, 2023.
• Speaker : Update on Legal Developments
  WCCAS Annual Arbitration Conference, Calgary, Alberta, May 2, 2023.
• Panellist : What’s the Difference?: Cross-Jurisdictional Considerations for Common Issues in Construction Law
  ABA Forum on Construction Law Annual Meeting, Vancouver, British Columbia, April 14, 2023.
• Panellist : Arbitration vs. Litigation
  Commercial Arbitration 2023 Webinar, CLEBC, February 23, 2023.
• Panellist : Serving up Courses: Rapid-Fire Debates on Key Dispute Resolution Issues
  CanArbWeek 2022, Montreal, Quebec, October 20, 2022.
• Panellist : Arbitration case-law from sea to sea: quoi de neuf?
  CanArbWeek 2022, Montreal, Quebec, October 20, 2022.
• Panellist : Arbitration Tactics
  ARBinBRIEF, Season 2, Episode 1, October 12, 2022.
• Panel Chair : Dispute Resolution in the age of COVID-19 and Beyond
  WCCAS Annual Arbitration Conference, Calgary, Alberta, May 3, 2022.
• Speaker : The New Normal in Construction Contracts and Dispute Resolution
  Pacific Business & Law Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, April 21, 2022.
• Panellist : Arbitration: Everything an In-House Lawyer Needs to Know
  CCCA Seminar, Vancouver, British Columbia, April 7, 2022.
• Panellist : Selecting the Appropriate Neutral for Your Disputes
  CPR Dispute Resolution Webinar Series on Arbitration Advocacy in the Virtual & Hybrid World, April 5, 2022.
• Panellist : Turning Toward the Sun and Wind: Exploring Issues in Renewable Energy Arbitration
  6th Annual USC-JAMS Arbitration Symposium - Adapting to a World Forever Changed, Los Angeles, California, March 17, 2022.
• Panellist : Virtual Hearings & Expedited Procedures
  Vancouver International Arbitration Centre Webinar, February 2, 2022.
• Guest Instructor : Jurisdiction
  Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society Gold Standard Arbitration Course, January 19, 2022.
• Speaker : Protecting Your Investment: Damages in International Disputes
  Blakes Business Class Seminar, December 15, 2021.
• Speaker : Annual Law and Ethics Webinar for In-House Counsel
  Blakes Business Class Seminar, November 24, 2021.

• Quoted : Quick and dirty dispute resolution: Construction adjudication launching across Canada
  Article by Aidan Macnab, Lexpert Special Editions, May 23, 2023.
• Quoted : Arbitration seen as a useful tool in settling renewable energy project disputes: Blakes lawyer
  Article by Zena Olijnyk, Canadian Lawyer, June 9, 2022.

Admitted to the British Columbia Bar – 2008
Admitted to the Alberta Bar – 2023
JD, University of Victoria – 2007
BA (Class 1 Distinction), University of British Columbia – 2004