# Clark Wilson LLP

> Clark Wilson LLP is a leading Vancouver, BC law firm founded in 1911, operating from a single downtown Vancouver office with approximately 100 lawyers and 150 staff. The firm serves businesses and individuals across more than 30 practice areas, with particular depth in commercial real estate, technology transactions, capital markets, construction & infrastructure, employment & labour, tax, estates & trusts, and litigation. Clark Wilson is widely recognized for its entrepreneurial culture, deep industry integration, and strong track record on complex transactions — including acting on more large real estate deals over the past decade than any other law firm in Vancouver.

## About the Firm

- [About Clark Wilson](https://www.cwilson.com/about/): Overview of the firm's history, values, core sectors served (technology, real estate, energy & natural resources, finance & venture capital, infrastructure, First Nations economic development), and internal technology programs (Document Automation, Legislative Compliance Services, Smart Intake Forms, Client Portal, Knowledge Management).
- [Students](https://www.cwilson.com/students/): Information for law students on articling and summer positions, firm culture, and diversity statistics (50% of Equity Partners are women; over 40% of lawyers are women; approximately 30% of lawyers identify as BIPOC; 40 lawyers named to the 2026 Best Lawyers in Canada list; 9 associates named Ones to Watch).
- [Careers](https://www.cwilson.com/careers/): Open positions and opportunities for both lawyers and support staff.
- [Blog](https://www.cwilson.com/blog/): Firm culture posts covering internal events, community involvement, DEI initiatives, and life at Clark Wilson.
- [Contact](https://www.cwilson.com/contact-us/): Office address — 900–885 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 3H1. Phone: 604 687 5700. Fax: 604 687 6314. Hours: 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Monday–Friday. Managing Partner: Emily Clough.

## People

- [Lawyer & Staff Directory](https://www.cwilson.com/people/): Searchable directory of everyone at the firm, listed with their practice areas, direct phone numbers, and email. Includes partners, associates, counsel, paralegals, trademark agents, business-services leadership, and articling and summer students. Filterable by team and by practice area.
- [Lawyers](https://www.cwilson.com/team/lawyers/): Roster of the firm's lawyers — partners, associates, and counsel — with practice areas and contact details.
- [Leadership](https://www.cwilson.com/team/leadership/): The firm's leadership team, including Managing Partner Emily Clough, partners, and the directors and managers who lead business services (finance, human resources, IT, marketing & business development, legal support services, payroll & benefits, office services, and associate & student programs).
- [Paralegals](https://www.cwilson.com/team/paralegals/): Roster of the firm's paralegals, who support client matters across the practice areas.
- [Other Professionals](https://www.cwilson.com/team/other-professionals/): Non-lawyer professionals who advise on client matters, including registered trademark agents.
- [Students](https://www.cwilson.com/team/students/): Roster of the firm's current articling students and summer law students. For information on applying, see the Students page under About the Firm.

## News & Insights

- [News & Insights](https://www.cwilson.com/news-insights/): Articles, firm news, and upcoming events authored by Clark Wilson lawyers covering legal developments, case law updates, and commentary across all practice areas.

## Practice Areas

- [All Practices](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/): Index of all 32 practice areas.
- [Aviation Law](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/aviation-lawyers/): Legal services for aviation industry clients including carriers, operators, and financiers. Covers aircraft purchases and sales, aircraft financing and leasing, airport operations, aviation regulatory compliance, and accident liability.
- [Banking, Insolvency & Restructuring](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/banking-insolvency-restructuring-lawyers/): Lending transactions, secured financing, corporate insolvency, creditor remedies, and restructuring. Relevant when a business can't pay its debts, a lender needs to enforce security, a company is going bankrupt or into receivership, or parties need to negotiate a debt restructuring or forbearance agreement.
- [Business Litigation](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/business-litigation-lawyers/): Commercial disputes, corporate conflicts, and civil litigation in BC courts. Relevant when a business partner has breached a contract, a shareholder is being squeezed out, a supplier has failed to deliver, or any party needs to sue or defend a lawsuit involving business interests.
- [Business Succession](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/business-sucession-lawyers/): Planning and execution of business ownership transitions, including sales, buyouts, and succession strategies. Relevant when an owner wants to sell their business, retire, buy out a partner, transfer a family business to the next generation, or plan for what happens to the company if an owner dies or becomes incapacitated.
- [Capital Markets, Securities, Mergers & Acquisitions](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/capital-markets-securities-mergers-acquisitions-lawyers/): Public and private capital raises, securities regulation, and large M&A transactions. Relevant for IPOs, going public on the TSX or TSX-V, raising money from investors, prospectus filings, securities compliance, buying or selling a publicly traded company, and large corporate acquisitions.
- [Charities & Not-For-Profits Law](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/charities-not-for-profits-lawyers/): Incorporation, governance, compliance, and advocacy for charities and non-profit organizations. Relevant when starting a charity or non-profit, applying for charitable status with the CRA, updating society bylaws, handling charitable gift disputes, or ensuring compliance with the BC Societies Act.
- [Commercial Real Estate Law](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/commercial-real-estate-lawyers/): Acquisitions, dispositions, development, financing, and leasing for commercial and mixed-use properties. Recognized as a top-ranked real estate practice in BC. Relevant for buying or selling office buildings, retail centres, industrial sites, or development land; negotiating commercial leases; real estate financing; and large mixed-use or multi-family development projects.
- [Elder Law](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/elder-law-lawyers/): Legal planning and protection for seniors, including capacity issues, financial abuse, and care planning. Relevant when a family member is losing mental capacity, an elderly person has been financially exploited, someone needs help with a power of attorney or representation agreement, or a family is navigating long-term care decisions.
- [Employment & Labour](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/employment-labour-lawyers/): Employment contracts, workplace disputes, human rights, collective agreements, and labour relations. Relevant when an employee has been fired without cause (wrongful dismissal), laid off without adequate severance, subject to workplace harassment or discrimination, or when an employer needs to draft employment agreements, handle a union certification, respond to a human rights complaint, or manage a termination.
- [Energy & Natural Resources](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/energy-natural-resources-lawyers/): Regulatory, transactional, and litigation matters for energy, mining, and resource sector clients. Relevant for oil and gas, pipelines, renewable energy projects (solar, wind, hydro), mining claims and mineral rights, BC Utilities Commission matters, and environmental compliance.
- [Estates & Trusts](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/estates-trusts-tax-lawyers/): Wills, estate planning, trust creation and administration, and estate litigation. Relevant when someone needs a will or wants to update one, set up a trust for their children, plan their estate to minimize taxes, act as executor of a deceased person's estate, or dispute a will they believe is invalid or unfair.
- [Estates & Trusts Opinions and Appeals](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/opinions-and-appeals/): Specialized legal opinions and appellate court work in contested estates and trusts matters, including wills variation claims and trustee disputes.
- [Family Law](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/family-law-lawyers/): Separation, divorce, property division, child custody, and support matters. Relevant when a couple is separating or divorcing, spouses disagree on how to divide assets (including a family business or real estate), parents are in dispute over children's living arrangements or parenting time, or someone needs a separation agreement, cohabitation agreement, or prenuptial agreement.
- [Family Office](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/family-office-legal-services/): Integrated legal services for high-net-worth families managing complex assets and multi-generational planning. Relevant for wealthy families who need coordinated advice on estate planning, tax structuring, trusts, philanthropy, and business succession across generations.
- [Forestry Law](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/forestry-law/): Regulatory, transactional, and dispute resolution services for the BC forestry sector. Relevant for timber licences, forest tenure transactions, BC Forest Practices Act compliance, relationships with the Ministry of Forests, and forestry-related Indigenous consultation issues.
- [Fraud & Asset Recovery](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/fraud-asset-recovery-lawyers/): Civil fraud claims, Mareva injunctions, tracing, and cross-border asset recovery. Relevant when someone has been defrauded, money has been stolen or misappropriated (by a business partner, employee, or third party), assets have been hidden or transferred to avoid creditors, or a victim needs to freeze or recover funds quickly.
- [General Business Law](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/general-business-law-lawyers/): Corporate structuring, commercial contracts, partnerships, and day-to-day business legal needs. Relevant for incorporating a company, drafting or reviewing shareholder agreements, setting up a joint venture, negotiating supplier or customer contracts, and general ongoing business legal advice.
- [Higher Learning](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/higher-learning-lawyers/): Legal services for post-secondary institutions including universities, colleges, and institutes. Covers governance, academic employment, student matters, research agreements, construction and infrastructure contracts, and regulatory compliance.
- [Immigration Law](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/immigration-lawyers/): Business immigration, work permits, permanent residence, and immigration compliance for employers. Relevant when a company wants to hire a foreign worker, an employee needs a work permit or LMIA, someone is applying for permanent residency or Canadian citizenship, or a business needs help with immigration compliance and global mobility.
- [Indigenous Business & Economic Development](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/indigenous-business-economic-development/): Legal support for First Nations pursuing economic development, joint ventures, land transactions, treaty negotiations, revenue sharing agreements, and self-governance initiatives. Also advises businesses and governments on Indigenous consultation and accommodation obligations.
- [Information Technology](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/information-technology-lawyers/): Technology agreements, software licensing, IT outsourcing, data protection, and cybersecurity law. Relevant for negotiating SaaS contracts, technology procurement, outsourcing arrangements, data breach response, cloud computing agreements, and IT vendor disputes.
- [Infrastructure, Construction & Procurement](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/infrastructure-construction-procurement-lawyers/): P3 projects, public procurement, construction contracts, builders liens, and major infrastructure transactions. Relevant when a contractor hasn't been paid and wants to file a builders lien, a construction project has gone over budget or over schedule, a public body is running an RFP process, or parties are in dispute over a construction contract.
- [Insurance](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/insurance-lawyers/): Coverage disputes, policy interpretation, and defence work for insurers and policyholders. Relevant when an insurer has denied a claim, a policyholder believes they are owed coverage, parties disagree on the scope of an insurance policy, or an insurer needs defence counsel for a liability claim.
- [Intellectual Property](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/intellectual-property-lawyers/): Trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, IP licensing, and enforcement. Relevant for registering a trademark or brand name in Canada, protecting a logo or product design, licensing technology or creative works, stopping a competitor from copying your IP, and drafting non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements.
- [International Estates & Trusts](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/international-estates-trusts-lawyers/): Cross-border estate planning and administration for clients with assets in multiple countries. Relevant when a deceased person owned property abroad, beneficiaries live outside Canada, foreign inheritance or estate taxes are a concern, or a trust involves assets or trustees in different jurisdictions.
- [Mediation & Arbitration](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/arbitration-mediation-lawyers/): Alternative dispute resolution services including commercial arbitration and mediation. Relevant when parties want to resolve a business dispute outside of court, an arbitration clause in a contract has been triggered, or parties are looking for a faster or more private resolution process than litigation.
- [Privacy](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/privacy-lawyers/): PIPEDA, BC PIPA, BC PIHSIA, privacy breach response, and privacy compliance program development. Relevant when a company has suffered a data breach, an organization needs a privacy policy or compliance audit, an individual believes their personal information has been misused, or a business must comply with Canadian privacy legislation.
- [Private Company Mergers & Acquisitions](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/private-company-mergers-acquisitions-lawyers/): Buy-side and sell-side advisory on private company transactions, due diligence, and deal structuring. Relevant when buying or selling a privately held business, structuring an asset purchase vs. share purchase, negotiating representations and warranties, or completing due diligence on a target company.
- [Public Sector](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/public-sector/): Legal services for government bodies, Crown corporations, municipal governments, and public agencies. Covers procurement law, administrative law, public-private partnerships, regulatory matters, and Indigenous consultation obligations.
- [Strata Property](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/strata-property-lawyers/): Strata corporation governance, disputes, bylaws, and transactions under the BC Strata Property Act. Relevant for condo owners in disputes with their strata council, strata corporations dealing with problem owners or bylaw violations, depreciation reports, special levies, buying or selling a strata unit, and strata wind-up proceedings.
- [Tax](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/tax-lawyers/): Corporate and personal tax planning, reorganizations, tax disputes, and cross-border tax structuring. Relevant for minimizing taxes on a business sale, structuring a holding company or family trust, responding to a CRA audit or reassessment, estate freezes, GST/HST disputes, and international tax planning for businesses operating across borders.
- [Technology Transactions and Emerging Company Services](https://www.cwilson.com/practice/technology-transactions-lawyers/): Venture financing, startup formation, SaaS and licensing agreements, and legal support for growth-stage technology companies. Relevant for tech founders incorporating a startup, negotiating a seed or Series A round, drafting founder agreements, setting up an employee stock option plan (ESOP), licensing software or data, and preparing for a company sale or acqui-hire.

## Optional

- [Account Payments](https://www.cwilson.com/account-payments/): Online payment portal for existing Clark Wilson clients.