Shea Coulson

Commercial Disputes

Shea advises in commercial disputes, including for and against the public sector, which incorporates complex policy considerations alongside commercial considerations. Shea has particular expertise in and a focus on technology services businesses.

 

Shea has advised in procurement disputes, MSA disputes, supplier auditing and vendor disputes, broker disputes (real estate, finance, insurance), collapsed transactions, post-transaction disputes (misrepresentation, claw backs), commercial disputes and debt collection arising out of or in relation to Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and CCAA proceedings, ROFR disputes, buy-out and valuation disputes, commercial leasing, and myriad contractual disputes arising out of regular business operations.

 

Shea has worked closely with senior executives in the province’s leading industries, including: IT services and consulting, technology start ups, artificial intelligence, rail transport, trucking, warehousing logistics and distribution, private post secondary education, liquor and cannabis regulation, wine growing and producing, liquor importation and sales, liquor retailing, hospitality and tourism, natural resources and adjacent businesses, film and television production, franchisors and franchisees in various sectors such as pharmacy, vehicle sales maintenance and service, retail and food.

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Shea regularly advises in partnership and shareholder disputes across business sectors.

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​Shea has acted in numerous corporate commercial fraud matters, including asset recovery, and has successfully obtained Mareva Injunctions and Anton Piller Orders on behalf of corporate clients pursuing fraudulent wrongdoing and unlawfully competing directors and senior employees. Shea has significant experience with disputes requiring financial and digital forensics

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Regulatory Enforcement and Licensing

Shea appears regularly in judicial review proceedings in relation to numerous provincial and federal regulatory bodies and agencies, both for private businesses and for government. Shea also has significant expertise in licensing matters across industries. Sectors include private post-secondary institutions (Private Training Act and EQA), Motor Vehicle Authority matters, Vancouver Port Authority matters, BC Container Trucking Commissioner, rail transportation (Canada Transportation Agency and the Canadian Transportation Act), trucking, BC Financial Services Authority matters, Liquor Control and Licensing, Liquor Distribution Branch, cannabis - federal (Health Canada) and provincial regulation (Cannabis Control and Licensing Act).

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Shea also advises on constitutional cases involving the free trade provision of the Constitution Act, 1867, advertising and commercial speech and the Charter, and administrative and civil search and seizure.

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Artificial Intelligence Risk Management 

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Shea was formerly the Canadian head of Artificial Intelligence at a large international law firm and collaborates with a local, national, and international network of leading experts. Shea's team was one of only six firms ranked  nationally by The Legal 500 rakings of best AI Law Firms in Canada in its inaugural 2025 AI rankings, in which the Leal 500 Editorial Team wrote: "The practice is led by Shea Coulson, who advises on tech-related commercial disputes, tech regulatory matters and the use of AI in administrative decision-making".

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Shea assists a wide range of businesses achieve the commercialization of AI in an uncertain legal landscape. Shea is a leading adviser in the emerging regulatory framework for artificial intelligence at the Canadian federal, provincial, and agency level and with respect to certification and industry standards, AI safety, and risk management in the context of the emerging standard of care for AI deployment. Shea also regularly advises on issues involving the use of artificial intelligence in administrative decision making. He fundamentally believes that effective regulation and standard setting means ensuring stability and consistency for commercial deployment. When done well, regulation, safety, and standards increases the value and reputation of AI deployment in the market.

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Shea has advised leading local, national and international businesses including financial, legal tech, technology services, engineering services, non-profits, and AI startups on AI risk management. Shea has also advised regulatory bodies on AI risk management and regulatory policy.

 

Shea also advises on technology related commercial disputes, including technology procurement, IPT services and supply agreements, and supplier disputes.

 

​Recognition

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Litigation Star, Commercial and Constitutional Litigation, Benchmark Litigation Canada, 2018 to present

 

Artificial Intelligence Law, Led Tier 3 Nationally Ranked Team, The Legal 500
 

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Bar Call

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Law Society of British Columbia, 2010

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Education

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JD, University of British Columbia, 2009

PhD program, York University, 2006

MA, University of Western Ontario, 2005

BA, University of Toronto, 2003

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Professional & Community Activities

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 Member, International Technology Law Association

 Member, Canadian Artificial Intelligence Association

 Member, Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence

 Lecturer on AI and Legal Ethics at UBC Law School

 Former Law Clerk, BC Court of Appeal

 Former Lecturer on Constitutional Remedies at UBC Law School

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Cases

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• Successfully obtained an injunction restraining a departing director's use of company confidential information: AFX Mixing & Pumping Technologies Inc. v. McKinon, 2025 BCSC 1717.

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• Successful resolution of disputed collapsed transaction following an executed LOI acting for the purchaser in a $100M acquisition in the tech industry.

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• Successful settlement of $9 million dispute under $1 billion technology procurement contract.

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• Successful defence of $10 million right of first refusal arbitration brought against a reporting issuer arising out of public markets financing.

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• Successfully obtained Anton Piller Order in corporate fraud and breach of fiduciary duty matter.

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• Confidential final offer arbitration to set rail shipping rates for large resource firm under the Canada Transportation Act, 2022.

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• Successful Level of Service Complaint before Canada Transportation Agency for large paper firm under the Canada Transportation Act, 2022.

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• Confidential final offer arbitration to set rail shipping rates for large resource firm under the Canada Transportation Act, 2021.

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• Successfully settled complex multi-million dollar partnership and taxation dispute.

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• Successfully removed valuator from valuation dispute.

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• Successfully settled disputed buy-out of minority shares in $30 million dispute in the tech industry.

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• Successfully settled complex licensing dispute in the liquor sector.

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• Successfully settled multi-million dollar share claw-back dispute for founders arising from a new tech IPO and subsequent acquisition.

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• Successfully settled complex multi-jurisdiction commercial lease dispute in hospitality sector.

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• Successfully obtained multi-million dollar injunction for alleged fraud on behalf of large corporate client: Whirlpool Canada v. Sidhu, 2019

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• Successfully defended Canadian National Transportation Ltd. in a regulatory audit of its trucking operations by the B.C. Container Trucking Commissioner, B.C. Container Trucking Commissioner and Canadian National Transportation Ltd., CTC Decision No. 02/2019.

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• Successful judicial review on procedural fairness grounds on behalf of a motor vehicle dealer against the Motor Vehicle Council of British Columbia: Best Import Auto Ltd. v Registrar of Motor Dealers; Motor Dealer Council of British Columbia, 2018 BCSC 834.

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• Lead counsel for a group of British Columbia wineries at the Supreme Court of Canada in the landmark case determining for the first time in modern Canadian history the meaning of s. 121 of the Constitution Act, 1867 (Canada's free-trade provision): R. v. Comeau, 2018 SCC 15.

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• Counsel for the Director of Civil Forfeiture in important case applying the Charter to civil forfeiture proceedings. Successful on all major Charter breach issues: British Columbia(Director of Civil Forfeiture) v. Johnson, 2016 BCSC 1570.

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• Lead counsel for the drivers successfully arguing BC's administrative roadside prohibition impaired driving law violated section 8 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms: Goodwin v. British Columbia (Superintendent of Motor Vehicles), 2015 SCC 46; Sivia, Goodwin et al. v. British Columbia (Superintendent of Motor Vehicles), 2014 BCCA 79.

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• Counsel in a successful judicial review of decisions by Port Metro Vancouver to deny licenses to almost 30 companies representing hundreds of trucks for access to the Port to conduct local shipping and drayage: ATL Trucking LTD. et al v. Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, 2015 FC 520.

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• Counsel for the Government of British Columbia in constitutional dispute with the Provincial Court Judges’ Association respecting judicial compensation: Provincial Court Judges’ Association of British Columbia v. Attorney General of British Columbia, 2014 BCSC336; Provincial Court Judges' Association v. British Columbia (Attorney General), 2015 BCCA136.

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• Counsel on precedent-setting case on tribunal standing to make submissions in judicial review: 18320 Holdings Inc. v. Thibeau, 2014 BCCA 494.

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• Counsel on case successfully challenging Student Aid BC Policy changes impacting private post-secondary institutions: 18320 Holdings Inc. v. Thibeau et al, 2013 BCSC 539 and 2013 BCSC 1677.

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• Counsel in contract dispute involving unjust enrichment claim for improperly paid commission for financial services. Was successful at trial and upheld on appeal: IAT Air Cargo Facilities Income Fund v. BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., 2010 BCSC 1965 and 2011 BCCA 226.