Kathleen S. Duffield Associate Counsel and Mediator

Kathleen has practiced as a litigator since being called to the bar in 1995. She has represented clients in matters in B.C. and Alberta and has appeared at all levels of court in British Columbia as well as the Supreme Court of Canada.

Her clients have included specialty insurers, leading property and casualty insurers, municipalities and individuals.

Kathleen’s knowledge of a broad range of practice areas has prepared her well for the role of mediator, where she is known for working tirelessly with parties to assist in resolution of their disputes.

Please click on the above link or scroll to the bottom of the page to book a mediation or a pre-mediation conference call.

In addition to in-person mediations, Kathleen is pleased to accommodate mediations virtually via Zoom, or via MS Teams for parties who require that platform. Please contact Kathleen (kduffield@tshlaw.ca; 604.638.9235) or Jennifer Yang (jyang@tshlaw.ca; 604.638.9236) if you have any questions.

Kathleen’s primary practice areas include:

Professional Liability
Defending design professionals, health care professionals (including psychologists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, optometrists, medical imaging technologists, dentists, chiropractors and naturopathic practitioners), accountants, and insurance professionals. Kathleen has also represented psychologists, chiropractors and physiotherapists in complaints proceedings.

Employment Practices
Liability Representing employers and employees in claims of wrongful and constructive dismissal.

Liquor Liability
Defending claims against restaurants, pubs, nightclubs, bars, and hosts of special events. She has also defended cases brought against social hosts.

Product Liability
Defending manufacturers or suppliers of products and materials alleged to be the cause of injury to person or property, including food and beverage, chemical products, small industrial equipment, recreational vehicles, fire equipment and consumer appliances.

Occupiers Liability
Defending residential owners (both individual and strata) and commercial and sports facilities owners and operators from all manner of losses arising in the occupiers liability context.

Sports and Recreational Liability
Defending sports teams or organizations, and sports facilities, including claims against alpine resorts, for claims involving injury to persons or property, and facility maintenance and operations losses.

Transportation and Motor Vehicle Liability
Acting for national and multinational leasing and commercial transportation companies in defence against claims of personal injury and property damage. Acting as counsel in cross border auto cases, and as excess or monitoring counsel in motor vehicle actions involving catastrophic loss.

Complex and Catastrophic Personal Injury
Extensive experience defending catastrophic personal injury losses (both adult and infant claims) arising in the context of all of the above areas, including mild to catastrophic brain injury, spinal cord and other nerve injury, poly trauma (including traumatic amputation cases), complex pain disorders, and fatal accident claims.

Defamation
Advising and acting on behalf of companies, their employees, and business associations in resolving and avoiding defamation actions.

Abuse and Sexual Abuse Claims
Representation of individuals in pursuing abuse claims and defending institutions against such claims.

Education
LL.B. - University of British Columbia
B.Sc. (Hons) - University of Alberta

Mediation and dispute resolution courses through:

• The Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University
• Program on Negotiation at Harvard University
• The Continuing Legal Education Society of B.C., and
• The Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada

Professional Affiliations and Memberships:
Law Society of British Columbia
Canadian Bar Association
Medical Legal Society of British Columbia