Education

Bar Admission

  • 2019 Admitted to the British Columbia Bar

Matthew Desmarais is a member of the firm’s Insurance, Labour + Employment, Business Disputes, Intellectual Property + Technology, Cannabis and Corporate/Commercial Practice Groups. Matthew has represented clients before the Human Rights Tribunal, WorkSafeBC’s Review Division, the Civil Resolution Tribunal, the Provincial Court of British Columbia, the Supreme Court of British Columbia, and the British Columbia Court of Appeal. He has also successfully represented clients in arbitration disputes.

On A Personal Note...

Matthew enjoys ice hockey, hiking, and spending time with his family and friends. Matthew also has an unhealthy addiction to cheering on the Vancouver Canucks.

Representative Experience

  • WorksafeBC Review Reference #R0263355 (2021) – successfully overturned a WorkSafeBC penalty of over $540,000
  • Kang v. Advanced Fresh Concepts Franchise Corp., 2021 BCPC 262 – successfully enforced an arbitration clause, staying the action
  • Impact Recruitment Inc. v. John Volken Academy Society, 2020 BCSC 1416 – successfully obtained a judgment for breach of contract and costs on a solicitor-and-own-client basis
  • Pai v. Ho (unreported – 2019) – successfully obtained judgment for debts owing under a verbal loan agreement.
  • Hindi v. Teranishi et al, 2019 BCCRT 692 – successfully defended a breach of contract claim
  • Realty Executives Intl. Svcs. LLC v. Vince Eidsness et al (unreported – 2019) – successfully defended a claim for breach of a franchise agreement
  • Logan v. Numbers Cabaret Ltd. (Hamburger Mary’s), 2016 BCSC 1473

Publications

  • November 13, 2018, “Why Growing the Devil’s Lettuce Could Cause You to Lose Your Green”, AHBL Business Law Blog, Co-author

Professional & Community Affiliations

Matthew's
Focus

Industries