Shane D. Coblin, FCIArb.
Partner

Shane D. Coblin, FCIArb.

Contact Shane:

Shane D. Coblin, FCIArb.
T: 604.331.8320
E: scoblin@kornfeldllp.com

Assistant: Kristin Apan
T: 604.331.8341
E: kapan@kornfeldllp.com

Shane is a partner in Kornfeld’s litigation group.  He is an experienced litigator with a practice focused on construction, real estate and commercial disputes. Shane regularly advises senior executives, in-house counsel, real estate development companies, investors and family-owned businesses and individuals on dispute-avoidance strategies. When issues cannot be resolved through negotiation, Shane delivers effective representation at all levels of court, before administrative tribunals and in mediations and arbitrations.

“My clients focus on making and delivering high-quality products and services. I help prevent conflicts before they arise and minimize potential liability when they do, so that my clients can apply their energy and resources toward achieving their core business goals.”

In the real estate and construction arenas, Shane represents owners, investors and major developers in complex disputes with shareholders, vendors, contractors, builders, strata corporations and other parties. He has advised clients in a broad range of matters involving sales, purchases, leases, contractor and subcontractor agreements, breach of contract, zoning and easements. He has extensive experience representing clients in matters involving the Real Estate Development Marketing Act, the Strata Property Act and the Builders Lien Act.

Shane also advises corporations and individuals in shareholder disputes and matters involving securities, contracts and partnerships, insolvency, estate litigation, fiduciary obligations, negligence and fraud.

Shane has extensive experience acting for clients on commercial arbitrations. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is available for appointment as arbitrator in domestic or international commercial matters.

Practice Areas

Education

  • Faculty of Law, Queen’s University at Kingston, LLB
  • University of Western Ontario, BA, Psychology

Bar Admissions

  • British Columbia, 2006
  • Ontario, 2002

Honours

 

Notable Cases

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  • 0790482 B.C. Ltd. v. KBK No. 11 Ventures Ltd., 2021 BCSC 1761

    Shane Coblin and Devin Lucas successful in having court declare an attempt to certify a class action, after years of delay, an abuse of the court process.

    After approximately six years of delay, the Plaintiff in this putative class action sought to significantly amend its claim to expand the class definition, add new claims of negligence claiming damages for pure economic loss resulting from dangerous defects, and to add a number of new parties. Many of the claims were duplicative of other actions commenced at the instruction of the proposed representative plaintiff, and therefore the court found the amendments to be an abuse of process.

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  • Gold Royalty Corp.’s acquisition of Golden Valley Mines and Royalties Ltd.,

    The acquisitions were undertaken by way of two statutory plans of arrangement pursuant to section 288 of the British Columbia Business Corporations Act and section 192 of the Canada Business Corporations Act.

    Shane represented Golden Valley and Abitibi in the court approval process, first obtaining the initial order approving the calling of the necessary shareholders meeting, setting the procedure for approval of the transaction, and providing for dissent rights.

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  • Youyi Group Holdings (Canada) Ltd. v. Brentwood Lanes Canada Ltd., 2020 BCCA 130

    The British Columbia Court of Appeal agreed with the judge at trial that a $28.8 million contract of purchase and sale should not be enforced, being tainted by the illegality of the purchasers’ fraudulent conduct.   While the trial judge found numerous instances of illegal conduct each rendering the contract unenforceable, the Court of Appeal considered it unnecessary to look beyond the conclusion that the purchasers had designed and used the contract and related lease to falsely inflate rent for financing purposes.

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  • Pacific Centre Limited v. Creative Energy Vancouver Platforms Inc., Westbank Projects Corp. and others, 2020 BCSC 676

    Cadillac Fairview Limited and its property, Pacific Centre mall, were unsuccessful in their efforts to stop the proposed redevelopment of 720 Beatty St., site of the Creative Energy steam heat plant which serves the energy needs of over 200 commercial and residential buildings throughout downtown Vancouver.   Our clients, Creative Energy and Westbank Projects Corp., are teaming up to build a state-of-the-art office tower and entertainment facilities bridging Vancouver’s Yaletown district with BC Place Stadium.

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  • Youyi Group Holdings (Canada) Ltd. v. Brentwood Lanes Canada Ltd., 2019 BCSC 739

    After a 78-day trial, the Supreme Court of British Columbia allowed our client to withdraw from a $28,800,000 contract for the sale of a large redevelopment site, due to the intended purchaser’s use of the contract for illegal purposes.  This allowed our client to reap a nearly $50,000,000 increase in value.

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  • KBK No. 11 Ventures Ltd. v. XL Insurance Company Ltd., 2022 BCSC 1652

    Our client is the developer of a large luxury mixed-use building located in Vancouver.   For the past number of years it has been a defendant in a complex multi-party construction dispute, part of which has been proceeding as a class action.  The client had a wrap-up liability insurance policy in place for the development that required the insurer to defend any actions alleging damage to property.  The insurer denied coverage relying on an exclusion referred to as the “your work” exclusion.  Shane and Devin successfully argued that the insurer had not met its burden to demonstrate to the court that this exclusion clearly applied to oust coverage.  Justice Millman found that the duty to defend had been triggered and ordered the insurer to reimburse our client for all costs incurred to date to defend those actions and to prospectively cover all defence costs going forward as they are incurred.

    Please see the reasons for judgment in KBK No. 11 Ventures Ltd. v. XL Insurance Company Ltd.,  2022 BCSC 1652

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Contact Shane:

Shane D. Coblin, FCIArb.
T: 604.331.8320
E: scoblin@kornfeldllp.com

Assistant: Kristin Apan
T: 604.331.8341
E: kapan@kornfeldllp.com