Julia K. Lockhart

Partner

E: jlockhart@nst.ca
T: 778.945.1481

Assistant Details

Michele Creamore
E: mcreamore@nst.ca

Julia K. Lockhart has built an attentive, personalized practice that blends an incisive legal intelligence with a thoughtful, client-focused approach. Julia demonstrates excellence and precision in her work as an advocate, as well as leadership and compassion in her work generally.  She carries on a general administrative and commercial litigation practice, focussing on complex commercial disputes and challenging administrative issues. Julia regularly advises the Law Society of British Columbia, and has experience before all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

  • Clerk to Justice Marshall Rothstein of the Supreme Court of Canada, 2012-2013
Education
  • British Columbia Bar, 2013
  • J.D., (Honours), University of Toronto, 2012
  • M.A., University of British Columbia, 2004
  • B.A., (Honours), University of British Columbia, 2002
Recognition
  • Leading Lawyers Under 40 Award winner, Lexpert, 2022
  • Gold Medal at U of T Law, 2012
  • Ranked as a Benchmark Litigation Future Star since 2020 & included on their 40 & Under Hot List for 2020, 2021, and 2022
Community Involvement
  • Access Pro Bono clinic volunteer
  • Provided pro bono advice to West Coast LEAF on potential interventions
  • Secretary of the Advocates Club, 2019 to 2024
Cases of Interest
  • A.B. v. C.D., 2020 BCCA 11
    Acting with partner Peter R. Senkpiel, Julia was counsel for an intervenor in an appeal dealing with informed consent under the Infants Act in the context of transgender healthcare.
  • Wastech Services Ltd. v. Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District, 2019 BCCA 66, and 2021 SCC 7.
    Together with partner Irwin G. Nathanson, Q.C., Julia was counsel on an arbitration appeal heard by the Supreme Court of Canada in December 2019, which raised issues related to contractual good faith.  The Supreme Court of Canada confirmed that Metro Vancouver did not breach any duty of good faith when it made its waste allocation decision, finding that Metro Vancouver’s decision was consistent with the purposes for which it was given the discretion to make those decisions under the contract. The SCC’s decision in this case will have important implications for all contracts that provide one party with discretionary powers.
  • Walkom v. Law Society of British Columbia, 2019 BCCA 391
    Acting with partner Peter R. Senkpiel, Julia was counsel for the Law Society of British Columbia in a case about the scope of tort liability for professional regulators.
  • Kepis & Pobe Financial Group Inc. v. Timis Corporation, 2018 BCCA 420
    Together with partner Stephen R. Schachter, Q.C., Julia successfully obtained and defended a Mareva injunction in relation to an international contract fee dispute.
  • Universe v. Fraser Health Authority, 2019 BCCA 234
    Counsel on an appeal from a successful application to strike pleadings regarding the scope of discovery obligations when a health care provider is sued
  • Fulcrum Capital Partners Inc. v HSBC Bank Canada, 2017 BCSC 2147
    Co-counsel with Stephen R. Schachter, Q.C. on a trial relating to a contractual indemnity claim
  • McLean v. Law Society of British Columbia, 2016 BCCA 368
    Counsel for the Law Society of British Columbia on an appeal concerning the test for an application for summary judgment
  • XY, LLC v. Canadian Topsires Selection Inc., 2015 BCSC 2116
    Co-counsel with James C. MacInnis, Q.C., represented defendant in multi-party commercial dispute concerning allegations of fraud and breach of confidence.
  • R. v. Nur, 2015 SCC 15
    Counsel for Pivot Legal Society in respect of an intervention on the constitutional limits on mandatory minimum sentences
  • Birch v. Brenner, 2015 BCSC 466
    Counsel for the successful plaintiffs in an action to enforce an easement on recreational property
Publications and Presentations
  • CLE BC Evidence chapter, 2016 to present
  • UBC Adjunct Professor, Advanced Contracts (spring 2021)
  • UBC Law Laskin Moot Coach (2019 – present)