Daniel Barber

Profile
Experience
Publications + Presentations
News + Insights

Professional Background

Dan Barber is a Partner in the Insurance, Construction and Infrastructure, and Commercial Litigation Practice Groups at Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP.

He is a practical litigator who strives to solve his clients’ legal problems effectively and efficiently. He specializes in the areas of insurance defence, professional liability, construction, and collections.

In his insurance work, Dan represents insureds in claims made by third parties and also represents insurers in first party coverage claims, bad faith claims, and recovery matters.

Outside of his insurance work, Dan assists his clients to successfully navigate through complex litigation including:

litigated and pre-litigation construction claims
all manners of collections work, including garnishment and execution against both real and personal property
leasing disputes

Dan has appeared as counsel at all levels of court in British Columbia and regularly represents clients at chambers, trials, mediations and arbitrations.

He began his articles with the firm in 2009. Since then, he has crafted an accomplished practice in Insurance Law, Construction Law, and Commercial Litigation. He has remained heavily involved with the firm, captaining the Singleton Reynolds softball and ski teams.

Education

Called to the British Columbia Bar, 2010
Juris Doctor, University of British Columbia, 2009
Bachelor of Arts, Honours, University of Ottawa, 2006

Memberships

Chair, Insurance Law Subsection of the B.C. Branch of the Canadian Bar Association
Board Member, Alumni Association, Peter A. Allard School of Law
Member, Vancouver Regional Construction Association U40 Network
Member, Canadian Bar Association
Member, Vancouver Bar Association
Past “Member-at-large”, Vancouver Bar Association

Community + Volunteering

Clinician, Access Pro Bono
Volunteer Lawyer, Law Students’ Legal Advice Program
Captain, Singleton Reynolds Softball and Ski teams
Former Reviewer, Dial-a-Law

Representative Experience:

Defended a professional liability claim against an engineer in the context of a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project in British Columbia.
Defended a building subcontractor against claims of negligence arising from the fire loss of a multi-unit strata complex.
Defended municipalities and commercial owners against claims of negligent design, on multiple occasions achieving resolution without any payment by his clients.
Represented insurers in coverage matters and in matters involving allegations of the breach of the duty of good faith.
Represented professional surveyors against claims of economic loss arising from allegations of negligent surveying of a multi-unit strata development.
Represented formwork subcontractors to recover claims for delay and extras arising from the retrofitting of a historic concrete building.
Recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars on behalf of institutional insurers in subrogated, fraud, and other recovery claims.
Recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars on behalf of creditors, landlords, and professionals for a variety of debt claims.
Conducted multiple trials, ranging in duration from three days to three weeks, in the Supreme Court of British Columbia as lead counsel and co-chair in matters including insurance defence, insurance coverage, fraud, and construction claims.
Frequently resolved litigation using mediation, negotiation, and other alternative forms of dispute resolution.

Reported Decisions:

Wright v. Schlesiger 2020 BCCA 73
Rivers v. North Vancouver (District), 2020 BCSC 1050
Tsonis v. Mizuguchi, 2020 BCSC 643
Ghuman v. ICBC, 2019 BCSC 1380
Ghuman v. ICBC, 2019 BCSC 3
Can-Faith Enterprises Inc. v. 0932784 B.C. Ltd., 2019 BCSC 1322
Pearson v. Whiteside, 2018 BCSC 1246
Insurance Corporation of British Columbia v. Mehat, 2017 BCSC 1476
Pearson v. Savage, 2017 BCSC 1435
CIT Financial Ltd. v. Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, 2017 BCSC 641
Schaffner v. Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, 2016 BCSC 1186
LeBel v. ICBC et al, 2016 BCPC 126
Schaffner v. Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, 2015 BCSC 314
Kett v. Insurance Corporation of BC, 2014 BCPC 173
Wallner v. Uppal, 2012 BCSC 1602
Maver v. Greenheat Energy Corporation, 2012 BCSC 1139
Kotscha v. Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, 2011 BCSC 836

Publications

Co-author, “A Whole New World during and post COVID? Virtual Examination Discovery in B.C.”, July, 2020
Co-author, “Virtual Series – Virtual Oral Advocacy in British Columbia”, July, 2020
Co-author, “Collecting Arrears from Tenants Seeking Protection or Bankruptcy”, Building Owners & Managers Association of British Columbia Newsletter, June, 2020
Claiming Litigation Privilege Before a Lawsuit Starts
Highlights of the New Limitation Act
Co-author, “The Rules Have Changed But Litigation Remains the Same”
You can teach an old lawyer new rules?
Co-author, “The Perils of Co-Ownership”, August, 2018
Co-author, “The Sky’s the Limit—But Not for Limited Partners”, August, 2017
Author, “Engage in Extreme Sports at Your Own Risk”, July, 2017

Presentations

Dan has spoken on civil litigation topics to both business groups and the legal industry including:

Presenter, Canadian Defence Lawyers, Annual Paralegal Program, “The Clash: Using Summary Trial to Bring About Early Resolution”: 2016
Presenter, Better Business Bureau, Debt Collection: 2012 and 2013
Presenter, Small Business BC, Debt Collection: 2011