Construction Law Unlocked: Keeping Pace in a Time of Accelerating Change

October 21, 2026 at 9:00AM PDT

Downtown Vancouver and Live Webinar

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Description
Agenda
Faculty

Construction Law Unlocked: Keeping Pace in a Time of Accelerating Change

October 21, 2026

Overview

Join us for “Construction 2025: Challenges in the Next Generation of Infrastructure Projects” where experts and industry leaders will dive into the evolving landscape of construction and infrastructure. This day-long event will explore key issues such as the latest news in government participation, procurement best practices, and the critical role of AI in both construction projects and legal disputes. Attendees will gain valuable insights on contract drafting and project structures, dispute avoidance and resolution, workplace safety, and the best strategies for hiring experts early in a project. With opportunities for networking and discussion, this conference promises to offer actionable takeaways for navigating the challenges of modern infrastructure development. This is a must-attend event for construction professionals looking to stay ahead of industry trends and build effective strategies for the future of infrastructure.

Key Areas Addressed:

  • Construction industry update

  • Lessons from progressive design build projects: an industry panel discussion

  • Latest developments in tariffs and supply chain disruptions

  • Mid-project dispute resolution and successful mediation strategies

  • Cooperation agreements in a post TTC v. Walsh world

  • Recent trends in construction arbitration

  • Builders’ liens hot topics

  • Chandos – Case Law update

Who Should Attend:

  • Lawyers

  • Public infrastructure managers

  • Construction and development company owners and C-suite officers

  • Construction managers, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers

  • Project control managers, prime contract managers and claims consultants

  • Designers, engineers and architects

  • Construction insurers and risk managers

Agenda

9:00 - Welcome and Introduction by PBLI

9:05 - Co-Chairs’ Welcome and Introduction

Karen Martin, KC
Dentons, Vancouver

Morgan Burris
Dentons, Vancouver

9:10 - Construction Industry Update

Jesse Percy – Invited
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority

  • Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project

9:40 - Questions and Discussion

9:45 - Lessons from Progressive Design Build Projects: an industry panel discussion

Jana Mansour
Dentons, Vancouver

10:15 - Questions and Discussion

10:20 -Refreshment Adjournment

10:35 - Latest Developments in Tariffs and Supply Chain Disruptions

Paul Lalonde
Dentons, Toronto

11:00 - Questions and Discussion

11:05 - Mid-Project Dispute Resolution and Successful Mediation Strategies

David Claassen
Claassen Mediation, Vancouver

Karen Martin, KC
Dentons, Vancouver

11:50 - Questions and Discussion

12:00 -Networking Lunch

1:00 - Cooperation Agreements in a Post TTC v. Walsh World

Dirk Laudan
Eyford Partners, Vancouver

1:35 - Questions and Discussion

1:40 - Recent Trends in Construction Arbitration

Laura Cundari, FCIArb
Blakes, Vancouver

  • How are parties to construction arbitrations dealing with the default VANIAC rules that contemplate the delivery of the claimant’s witness statements, expert reports and memorial prior to the respondent having to take any steps?

  • Other considerations when drafting arbitration clauses

2:15 - Questions and Discussion

2:20 - Refreshment Adjournment

2:35 - Builders’ Liens Hot Topics

Nicola Crema
BLG, Vancouver

Celine Conly
BLG, Vancouver

  • Best practices for clearing builders liens from title

  • Getting ready for Prompt Payment Legislation

3:10 - Questions and Discussion

3:15 - Chandos – Case Law Update

Zach Seymour
Dentons, Vancouver

  • Treatment of notice provisions in construction contracts

3:45 - Questions and Discussion

3:50 - Co-Chairs’ Closing Remarks

4:00 - Forum Concludes

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Meet the Co-Chairs

  • Partner, Dentons, Vancouver

    Karen Martin is the Vancouver co-leader of the Construction group, the national co-leader of the Construction group, and a prominent partner in the Infrastructure and PPP and Litigation and Dispute Resolution groups.

    Karen is recognized as one of Canada’s leading construction and infrastructure lawyers with more than three decades of experience advising on complex construction, infrastructure, transportation, municipal and mining projects. She focuses on resolving project execution challenges and avoiding disputes before they escalate into formal dispute resolution processes.

    She is a longstanding Fellow and Board Governor of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers, where she previously served as President and as a member of its Executive Committee. Drawing from extensive experience and the latest legal developments, Karen provides strategic advice to clients to minimize legal risk during procurement, design and construction. She also advises on the preparation of construction contracts to support dispute avoidance and helps clients develop proactive solutions to project issues during construction.

    When disputes cannot be resolved, Karen acts as counsel in mediations, arbitrations and litigation of construction claims. She also advises on innovative dispute resolution strategies designed to preserve business relationships and minimize cost and disruption. She has acted as a mediator, referee, dispute board member and arbitrator for construction disputes. She has a deep understanding of the technical, engineering and commercial issues that arise on complex projects, as well as the roles and relationships among project stakeholders under various delivery models. This allows her to help clients solve problems and to provide creative, tailored advice on efficient dispute resolution strategies. She has extensive experience in disputes involving tenders, RFPs, construction contracts, builders’ liens, engineering issues and negligence claims involving architects and engineers.

    Karen also has extensive experience leading legal and expert teams on complex disputes involving large volumes of technical evidence and documentation. She combines proven project management techniques with emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools, to manage disputes efficiently and cost-effectively and achieve optimal outcomes for clients.

    Clients have praised Karen for her pragmatic approach, impressive trial experience and deep sector knowledge, establishing her as a highly regarded figure in the construction industry. She has achieved the highest peer ranking recognitions including a Band 1 Chambers rating and a Legal 500 Hall of Fame rating.

    An accomplished author and speaker, Karen frequently addresses complex engineering and construction project issues, including procurement, builders’ liens, delay claims, construction disputes and settlement of multi-party litigation.

  • Partner, Dentons, Vancouver

    Morgan Burris is a partner in Dentons’ Vancouver office and a member of the Firm’s Construction group and a prominent member of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution and Infrastructure and PPP groups. She helps clients across a broad range of public and private sectors identify and execute practical and efficient solutions for existing and potential disputes in a way that aligns with their strategic goals and minimizes disruption to their operations.

    In her construction practice, Morgan provides strategic advice to clients throughout the procurement and construction process, and has a breadth of experience guiding owners, developers and contractors through a variety of disputes such as delay claims, negligence, faulty design and/or workmanship, change in site conditions, builders’ liens, and warranty claims.

    Morgan also has significant advocacy experience in the construction field, having represented clients in construction disputes in complex multi-party arbitrations and at all levels of the courts of British Columbia and the Yukon. Morgan argued her first successful appeal of a construction matter before the Yukon Court of Appeal in 2018, and has acted as appellate counsel in multiple appeals to both the British Columbia and Yukon Courts of Appeal since then, including representing clients on applications for leave and intervenor status at the Supreme Court of Canada.

    In addition to construction and engineering disputes, Morgan has experience representing clients in various business transactions and relationships, including disputes involving commercial real estate development, mining investment and insolvencies, environmental, intellectual property, Aboriginal title and treaty claims, film and television, competition, and corporate governance matters.

    Prior to pursuing a career in law, Morgan studied mechanical engineering at Queen’s University and worked in manufacturing and mechanical building design. Her engineering background enables her to understand technical issues deeply and quickly, thereby giving her an advantage in developing the best legal strategy for our clients’ problems.

Meet the Faculty

  • Associate, BLG, Vancouver

    Celine has a broad disputes practice focused on commercial and construction litigation.

    She regularly advocates for clients in commercial and construction contract disputes, builders liens, surety and insurance disputes, and commercial arbitrations.

    Celine has appeared at the Supreme and Provincial Courts of British Columbia.

    Celine joined BLG as an associate after summering and articling with the firm. Prior to starting her legal career, Celine worked in the Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Industry.

  • Partner, BLG, Vancouver

    As a member of the Construction Group, Nicola practises civil litigation, primarily in the area of construction litigation.

    Nicola acts in construction disputes, surety claims, commercial litigation and insurance coverage disputes.

    Nicola has advocated on behalf of clients in the Supreme and Provincial Courts of British Columbia and the Court of King's Bench and Court of Appeal of Saskatchewan.

  • Partner, Blakes, Vancouver

    Laura is an experienced advocate and one of Benchmark Litigation's Top 100 Women in Canadian Litigation. She has extensive experience litigating and arbitrating disputes in the energy, mining, technology, hospitality, fashion, construction and infrastructure sectors. She also regularly advises or acts as dispute resolution counsel regarding disputes in the private equity and investment fund sector.

    Laura is a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers and the Construction Lawyers Society of America. She has extensive expertise in the arbitration of complex domestic and international disputes and has been appointed by the Government of British Columbia to serve as a roster member for BC's Bid Protest Mechanism, and for the dispute resolution panels established under the New West Partnership Trade Agreement and the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. Although she primarily acts as arbitration counsel, she occasionally serves as an independent neutral and has been appointed to the rosters of several arbitral institutions.

    Laura is a member of the ICCA 2028 Advisory Committee, ICDR's Canada Advisory Committee and ITA's Advisory Board, and a member of ICC Canada's Arbitrator Nominations Commission. She also sits on the board of CanArbWeek.

  • Partner, Dentons, Vancouver

    Jana Mansour is national co-chair of Dentons Canada’s Infrastructure and PPP group. He regularly advises owners, developers and contractors from early-stage consideration through procurement, financing, construction, operation and disposition of large-scale infrastructure, power and energy projects.

    Jana has dealt with a variety of assets, including port, transportation and water infrastructure, hospitals, schools, wind and solar farms, gas-fired power plants and pipelines, biofuel facilities, mines, rolling stock, aircraft, petrochemical facilities, LNG terminals and nuclear power plants, for projects located across Canada, the US, Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea.

    Jana began his legal career in Montréal before moving to New York City, where he practiced project development and financing law for 17 years with two major international law firms. He joined Dentons’ Vancouver office in 2018.

  • Claassen Mediation, Vancouver

    David Claassen is an experienced mediator who loves to help parties resolve their disputes. David started his career at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP and then spent almost a decade at Jenkins Marzban Logan LLP where he was a partner and his practice was centered largely on construction litigation. Throughout his legal practice, David always focused on how to best resolve cases which naturally led him to acting as a mediator to help other parties. David quickly realized that acting as a mediator is the work he was meant to do and decided to work solely in that capacity in 2024.

    David brings energy and enthusiasm to his work as a mediator and prides himself on ensuring that he and the parties have made every possible effort to resolve a case at mediation. While it is fundamentally up to the parties to reach that resolution, David is not afraid to get involved and do everything he can to help the parties get where they need to be. David believes that it is part of his role to be the most optimistic person in the room about the potential for settlement and he works hard to keep the parties focused on that potential throughout the mediation process.

    David also applies his litigation experience to acting as an arbitrator in a wide range of commercial disputes, with a specific focus on construction disputes. David brings a sharp understanding of the legal issues and a focus on streamlined procedure to his work as an arbitrator.

  • Partner, Dentons, Toronto

    Paul Lalonde is a partner and lead of the Regulatory practice group. He focuses on government contracting law, international trade, anti-corruption and international arbitration. Mr. Lalonde is a recognized expert on government procurement and international trade law, with deep experience in anti-dumping and countervail investigations, customs, appeals, import and export controls, international sanctions, anti-corruption compliance and investigations, and international business. He regularly advises clients on Canada’s international investment treaty commitments and has played a key role in some of Canada’s highest profile trade disputes and negotiations including those on softwood lumber, steel and agricultural products.

    His government procurement practice encompasses all aspects of the procurement lifecycle, from pre-tender activities, the bidding process and contract award, through contract administration and termination and the inevitable disputes that occasionally arise. His track record of appearances in bid protest procedures before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal and the courts is second to none in Canada.

    Mr. Lalonde has received numerous accolades for his expertise in international trade and government procurement law including from Chambers Global (Band 1 for both areas of expertise), Lexpert, the Legal 500, Who’s Who, the Guide to the World's Leading Lawyers (Legal Media Group / Euromoney Institutional Investor) and The Best Lawyers in Canada (Woodward/White). The Who’s Who Legal Government Contracts recognized Mr. Lalonde as a Global Thought Leader for North America. He also received in 2020 a global Client Choice Award in Government Contracts for Canada.

    Mr. Lalonde has been involved in the area of anti-corruption law since Canada adopted the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act in the 90’s and was counsel on the first court-approved Remediation Agreement on charges under the CFPOA. He has assisted clients with respect to anti-corruption compliance through the entire spectrum of issues in this area, including developing compliance policies and programs, advising on business conduct issues, anti-corruption due diligence in transactions, internal investigations related to employee and third party conduct, RCMP and other enforcement authority investigations, dawn raids and negotiations. He has been involved in extensive thought leadership in this area including on topics such as whistle blower protections, victim reparations, deferred prosecution agreements, beneficial ownership transparency, money laundering, failure to prevent offences and facilitation payments.

    Mr. Lalonde was appointed panelist on the fourth and fifth dispute resolution panels created under the Agreement on Internal Trade (now the Canadian Free Trade Agreement). He is also a listed arbitrator on the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) Canada Panel of Arbitrators and has been involved in several arbitrations, both as counsel and party-appointed arbitration.

    Mr. Lalonde has held numerous leadership positions in the Bar, including as chair of various committees of the International Bar Association, the Canadian Bar Association, Ontario Bar Association, and the American Bar Association International Law Section. Mr. Lalonde is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, has been named a Trustee of the International Bar Association Foundation and is former Chair and President of Transparency International - Canada. Mr. Lalonde has been nominated to a number of industry advisory committees and corporate boards, including TVOntario, TFO, la télévision éducative et culturelle de l’Ontario français, and was former Secretary and Legal Counsel of I.E. Canada, the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters. Mr. Lalonde is currently Canadian Ambassador for the International Sanctions and Export Control Society.

  • Partner, Dentons, Vancouver

    Zach Seymour is a partner in the Construction, Infrastructure and PPP and Litigation and Dispute Resolution groups based out of both the Vancouver and Calgary offices.

    Zach has a construction disputes practice focused on representing and advising clients involved in the development of infrastructure, industrial and commercial projects, including wastewater treatment facilities, LRT lines, power plants, energy infrastructure and commercial buildings. He is recognized for his ability to navigate factually and legally complex disputes, offering pragmatic, results-driven solutions tailored to his clients' needs.

    Zach handles a broad range of construction-related disputes, including PPP disputes, construction contracts, negligent design and construction, site conditions, delays, unpaid invoices, builders liens and surety bonds. An experienced counsel, Zach has successfully acted on high-stakes matters involving significant financial and operational risks, appearing before courts and arbitration tribunals across Canada, including British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. 

    In 2023, Zach was recognized in On-Site Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 in Canadian Construction, an accolade acknowledging individuals who exemplify excellence in the Canadian construction industry. 

    Beyond his legal practice, Zach actively contributes to the Firm and the community. He is involved in student recruitment and is the Chair of the Board of Directors of MitoCanada Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians struggling with mitochondrial disease.

  • Counsel, Eyford Partners, Vancouver

    Dirk acts in commercial litigation, construction law, surety claims, procurement, insurance coverage issues, risk management, and real estate litigation. His practice also includes media law, defamation, lobbyist registration, and electoral law.

Registration Form

Program:

Construction Law Unlocked: Keeping Pace in a Time of Accelerating Change

Date:

October 21, 2026

Location:

UBC Robson Square (800 Robson Street - Classroom level), Vancouver, BC

Registration:

The registration fee is $990.00 plus GST of $49.50 totalling $1039.50 for webinar and in-person attendance. Registration fee covers your attendance at the program and electronic materials. In-person attendance includes a catered lunch and refreshments throughout the day.

Early Bird Discount:

Register by September 21, 2026 and receive a $100 discount on the registration fee ($890.00 plus GST). Discounts cannot be combined.

Group Discount:

Register four persons from the same organization at the same time and you are entitled to a complimentary fifth registration. Discounts cannot be combined.

If you would like to register a group, please fill out this form and email it to registrations@pbli.com:

DOWNLOAD FORM

Payment:

You may pay by VISA, Mastercard or cheque. Cheques should be made payable to the Pacific Business & Law Institute and mailed to Unit 2-2246 Spruce Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 2P3. Please do not send cheques via courier with signature required.

When and Where:

Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. The program starts at 9:00 a.m. (PDT). UBC Robson Square is located at 800 Robson Street in Vancouver, BC, and our event will take place on the classroom level. Please visit https://robsonsquare.ubc.ca/find-us/ for directions.

Materials:

The faculty will prepare papers and/or other materials explaining many of the points raised during this program. Materials will be distributed electronically. Please contact us at registrations@pbli.com if you are unable to attend the program and wish to purchase a set of materials.

Cancellations/Transfers:

Refunds will be given for cancellations (less a $60.00 administration fee) if notice is received in writing five full business days prior to the program (October 14, 2026). After that time we are unable to refund registration fees. Substitutions will be permitted. We reserve the right to cancel, change or revise the date, faculty, content, availability of webinar or venue and transfer in-person registration to webinar registration for this event.

To register by phone:

Telephone us: 604-730-2500

Your Privacy:

We will keep all information that you provide to us in strict confidence, other than to prepare a delegate list containing your name, title, firm and city for our faculty and the program delegates. We do not share our mailing lists with any non-affiliated organization.

Course Accreditation:

Attendance at this course can be listed for up to 5.5 hours of continuing professional development credits with the Law Society of BC. For practitioners in other jurisdictions, please check your governing body’s CPD requirements.

If you would like to register a group, please fill out this form (DOWNLOAD FORM) and email it to registrations@pbli.com (*This form is for registrations of 5 or more and cannot be combined with any other promotions/discount codes.)

For individual registration, please continue with form below.