Profile
Ryan is the Managing Partner of Watson Goepel LLP and a member of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group. He is an experienced advocate with a broad practice involving commercial and property disputes, trust and estates matters, construction matters, transportation law and insurance law. Ryan has represented clients at all levels of court in British Columbia as well as the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Canadian Transportation Agency, and at numerous mediations and arbitrations.
Outside of work Ryan enjoys many outdoor pursuits and spending time with his family.
Education
LLB, University of British Columbia, 2007
BA (Honours), University of Toronto, 2001
Bar
British Columbia, 2008
Representation
- Standard Group Projects Inc. v. 0972672 B.C. Ltd., 2023 BCCA 205
- The Order of St. Basil the Great in Canada v St. Mary’s Ukrainian Senior Citizens Housing Society, 2023 BCSC 23
- 0972672 B.C. Ltd. v Standard Group Projects Inc., 2022 BCSC 1995
- Tait v van Wollen, 2022 BCSC 1509
- Feng v Bao, 2021 BCSC 2067
- BNSF Railway Company v Teck Metals Ltd., 2020 BCSC 1133 (with Tom Keast, K.C.)
- Fellowship Deaconry Association of British Columbia v Fellowship Deaconry, Inc., 2019 BCSC 1476
- BNSF Railway Company v. Teck Metals Ltd., 2016 BCCA 350 (with Tom Keast, K.C.)
Work Highlights
Ryan has successfully acted for clients in resolving matters outside of court and/or provided legal opinions on numerous matters including:
- Contractual interpretation;
- Commercial disputes, including shareholder disputes;
- Collapsed real estate transactions;
- Property disputes involving mortgages, easements, rights of way, etc.;
- Debt collection and foreclosure;
- Enforcement of judgments including the enforcement of foreign judgments in British Columbia;
- Construction disputes (residential and commercial) and builders liens;
- Trust issues including constructive trusts and resulting trusts;
- Wills and estates disputes;
- Matters pertaining to the transportation industry (railways, trucking companies, municipalities); and
- Insurance issues including coverage.
Publications and Presentations
- Presenter, “Construction Law for Contractors,” Chinese Construction & Renovation Association of Canada (CCRA), September 2018.
- Author, “Foreclosure and Unconscionability,” WG Publication, July 2017.
- Author, “Strata owner cannot rely on Charter to avoid strata fees,” WG Publication, August, 2015.
- Author, “BC’s Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT). Is it an option to resolve your strata property dispute?,” WG Publication, March 2015.
Professional and Community Affiliations
- Former Director, Pacific Parklands Foundation
- Member, Canadian Bar Association, Civil Litigation, Insurance and Employment sections
- Volunteer Lawyer, Access Pro Bono
- Member, Canadian Transport Lawyer Association (CTLA)
* Practicing through a Professional Law Corporation.
