Profile
Karen Weslowski is a litigation partner in the Vancouver office. Her areas of practice include:
- Insurance defence, which involves acting for insurers and insureds in a wide variety of situations including professional liability claims and construction claims;
- Insurance coverage work; and
- Estate litigation, including claims pursuant to the Wills Variation Act.
Karen has been involved in all levels of court, including the British Columbia Supreme Court, the British Columbia Court of Appeal, the Federal Court of Canada and the Supreme Court of Canada. She has a keen interest in appellate work, and has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada.
As a former Equine Canada Level 1 coach and hunter/jumper competitor, Karen has a special interest in “equine law” and has been a contributor to The Canadian Horse Journal since March 2005, writing legal articles of interest to members of the equestrian community. Karen has represented clients with respect to various disputes involving horses.
Education
- LL.B., University of British Columbia, 2000
- B.A. (First Class), University of British Columbia, 1996
Professional Achievements
- Recipient, Jacqueline Dearman Memorial Prize
- Recipient, Graduating Class of ’53 Scholarship
- Recipient, Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia Kenneth S. Fawcus Memorial Prize
- Recipient, Hon. Thomas A. Dohm, Q.C. Scholarship in Law
Representative Work
- 0763486 B.C. Ltd. v. Landmark Realty Corp., 2009 BCSC 810
- Vrabec v. College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, 2009 BCSC 675
- WCAT - 2009 - 02562 (Re), 2009 CanLII 76793
- Doucette (Litigation Guardian of) v. Wee Watch Day Care Systems Inc. et al., 2008 SCC 8
- Rintoul v. Granger, 2008 BCSC 1852
- WCAT - 2008 - 01569 (Re), 2008 CanLII 33717
- McPhee v. British Columbia, 2008 BCCA 254
- McPhee v. HMTQ et al., 2007 BCSC 568
- Lin and R&J Honeyland Inc. v. Tham, 2007 BCSC 1862
- College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia v. Meagher, 2005 BCSC 1844
- Dr. Q. v. College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, 2003 SCC 19
Directorships
- Treasurer, Canadian Bar Association - National Insurance Law Section, 2012-14
- Chair, Canadian Bar Association - Insurance Section (BC Branch), 2011-12
- Vice-Chair, Canadian Bar Association - Insurance Section (BC Branch), 2010-11
- Treasurer, Canadian Bar Association - Insurance Section (BC Branch), 2009-10
- Registration Officer, Canadian Bar Association - Insurance Section (BC Branch), 2008-09
- Program Director, Canadian Bar Association - Insurance Section (BC Branch), 2007-08
- Member at Large, Canadian Bar Association - Insurance Section (BC Branch), 2006-2007
- Treasurer, Canadian Bar Association - Young Lawyers' Section, 2005-06
Community Involvement
- Health Law/Ethics Tutor, UBC Faculty of Medicine, Doctor Patient & Society Class
Memberships
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
Presentations
- The Insuring Agreement: Key Concepts of Fortuity, Accident, Occurrence, and Property Damage, CLEBC Insurance Law Conference, 2011
- Confidential Information in Litigation, CLEBC Personal Injury Conference, 2007
- Non-Disclosure and Misrepresentation, CLEBC Insurance Law Conference, 2003
Published Works
- Author of chapter on "Marriage and Children", Miller Thomson on Estate Planning, Carswell, 2012
Publications
- Horse Trading: When Purchases and Sales Go Wrong, Equine Canada Magazine, 2012
- Rights and Duties of Charitable Beneficiaries, Gift Planning in Canada, 2012
- Practical Considerations When Making a Charitable Gift by Will, Charities and Not-for-Profit Newsletter, May 2012
- When a Horse Purchase Goes Awry, The Lawyers Weekly, 2012
- Practical Considerations When Making a Charitable Gift, Wealth Matters, Spring 2012
- Considerations when you decide to leave part of your estate to charity, Vancouver Sun Leave a Legacy Special Feature, 2012
- Horse Trading: An Update on Sellers' Obligations, Equine Consumers' Guide, 2012
- Equine Insurance - Are You Covered?, Equine Consumers' Guide, 2011
- The Enforceability of Parental Waivers, Insurance Law Newsletter, December 2009
- The Enforceability of Parental Waivers, Sports Law Communiqué, 2009
- Builders Lien Update: Change in Security for Costs Practice!, Construction and Infrastructure Law Newsletter, June 2009 BC Client Alert
- Managing Risk: A Guide for Coaches and Trainers, The Canadian Horse Journal p. 24-29, 2009
- The Impact of Privacy Legislation on Video Surveillance by Insurers - 2008 Update, Insurance Law Newsletter, April 2008
- Negotiating Risk: The Use and Enforceability of Waivers in the Horse Industry, The Canadian Horse Journal p. 20-23, 2008
- Border Crossings: Importing & Exporting Horses, Horse Community Guide, 2008
- Tax Talk for Horse People, The Canadian Horse Journal p. 25-28, 2007
- Alter Ego Trusts as a Means to Avoid Challenges to a Will, Wealth Matters, October 2007
- Planning, Managing and Running a Horse Show: Ensuring Your Event Passes Uneventfully, (co-author) The Canadian Horse Journal p. 14-18, 2006
- Horse Trading: How to Avoid Legal Pitfalls when Buying or Selling a Horse, The Canadian Horse Journal p. 34-37, 2005
- A Home in the Country: Buying a Farm or Acreage, The Canadian Horse Journal p. 34-39, 2005
- Liability for Horse Related Accidents, The Canadian Horse Journal p. 22-27, 2005
- The Fine Print: Understanding Horse-Related Contracts, The Canadian Horse Journal p. 42-47, 2005
- The Impact of Privacy Legislation on Video Surveillance by Insurers, Insurance Law Newsletter, February 2005
- Managing Informed Consent and Patient Privacy, 2003
Industry Expertise
Key Practice Expertise
Areas of Focus
- Insurance defense and insurance coverage
- Wills and estates litigation
Year of Call
- British Columbia Bar, 2001