Ms Karen Martin KC > Dentons > Vancouver, Canada > Lawyer Profile
Dentons Offices
250 HOWE STREET, 20TH FLOOR
VANCOUVER, BC V6C 3R8
Canada
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Ms Karen Martin KC
Work Department
Litigation
Position
Partner, Global Vice Chair of the Dentons Global Board
Career
Karen Martin is the national co-leader of Dentons Canada’s Construction group, and a prominent member of the Infrastructure and PPP and Litigation and Dispute Resolution groups. She is the Global Vice Chair of Dentons’ Global Board and sits on the Firm’s Canada Board. Based on deep experience and the latest developments in the law, she provides strategic advice to clients to minimize legal risk during procurement and construction. She advises on the preparation of construction contracts to assist in the avoidance of disputes, and during the construction phase she helps clients to develop pro-active solutions to project issues. When disputes arise, she negotiates resolutions, and she acts as counsel in the mediation, arbitration and litigation of construction claims, including on P3, mining and energy sector projects.
Karen’s experience as counsel on large construction trials in the last three decades allows her to quickly understand the technical aspects of a construction claim and to provide creative advice on the appropriate methods to efficiently resolve disputes. She has extensive experience in disputes involving tenders, RFPs, construction contracts, builders’ liens, engineering issues, and negligence claims involving architects and engineers.
The author of many publications on topics of interest to the construction industry, Karen is also a frequent speaker on complex litigation and construction issues, including procurement, builders’ liens, delay claims, construction disputes, and settlement of multi-party litigation.
Languages
English
Memberships
- Immediate Past President, Canadian College of Construction Lawyers
- Elected Governor, Canadian College of Construction Lawyers
- Member, BC Law Institute’s Builders Lien Act Reform Project Committee, 2014-present
- Member, Canadian Bar Association (British Columbia Branch) Special Committee on Contribution after Settlement under the Negligence Act
- Member, Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch, Construction Law subsection
- Member, Certified Professional Committee, City of Vancouver, 2003-2005
Education
ADR Institute of BC, 2019, Certified Arbitrator
Harvard Law School, 2003, Mediation Workshop
University of British Columbia, 1984, LLB
University of British Columbia, 1979-81, Faculty of Commerce
Dalhousie University, 1978-79, Faculty of Arts
Centre for Conflict Resolution, Justice Institute of B.C., Negotiation and Mediation Courses, 1997, 1999
Lawyer Rankings
Canada > Construction
(Hall of Fame)The cross-Canada team of global firm Dentons provides a comprehensive service, advising on major construction and infrastructure projects in both the private and public sectors. With an active client base spanning such areas as energy, utilities, transport, real estate, healthcare and government, the practice assists with procurement, contract drafting and negotiation, contract administration, in addition to litigation involving construction and engineering contractual disputes, design issues, professional liability, construction bonds and tendering processes. The team is led in Vancouver by Jana Mansour, a specialist in the procurement of transportation and energy projects for domestic and multinational clients, and Karen Martin KC, a seasoned litigator and arbitrator. At the Edmonton office, Dennis Picco KC brings over 30 years of experience to litigation and dispute resolution matters in the construction and energy sectors. Simon Elzen-Hoskyn (also in Edmonton) and Chelsea Wilson in Vancouver were promoted to partner in February and June of 2023. Partner Morgan Burris in Vancouver joined from Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP in May 2023. Jonathan Hillson in Edmonton departed in June 2023.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Transport > Aviation
- Business immigration
- Construction
- Energy and natural resources > Oil and gas
- Telecoms
- Cannabis
- Capital markets
- Dispute resolution: Alberta
- Dispute resolution: Ontario
- Dispute resolution: Quebec
- Environment
- Indigenous law
- Insurance
- International trade
- Labour and employment
- Energy and natural resources > Mining
- Transport > Other transport
- Pensions
- Energy and natural resources > Power
- Public procurement
- Real estate
- Banking and finance
- Competition and antitrust
- Corporate and M&A
- Dispute resolution: British Columbia
- Infrastructure projects
- Restructuring and insolvency
- Tax
- Technology