Contact

T: 778-725-2226
E: andrew@cslitigation.ca

ASSISTANT CONTACT

T: 778-725-1924
E: elizabeth@cslitigation.ca

Ranked by Chambers & Partners and Benchmark Litigation for over seven years

"He has established himself as a highly respected counsel who practices with skill and integrity."

“He has established himself as a highly respected counsel who practices with skill and integrity. "

Andrew Crabtree

 

  • Andrew is a commercial litigator.  He has over 15 years of experience resolving all kinds of corporate disputes, including shareholder, partnership, contract and property problems in court, arbitration and mediations.  He has particular expertise in shareholder disputes.

    He has represented accountants and lawyers in investigations and disciplinary hearings before the CPABC and Law Society. He has appeared in matters before the BC Securities Commission, the BCFSA and CIRO.

    Andrew is currently an adjunct professor at UBC’s Allard School of Law where he is teaching a course on shareholder disputes. He regularly contributes to CLEBC.  He is a founding author of “Shareholder Remedies”, a chapter in the “Annual of Review of the Law”, which he has written since 2015. 

    Before launching this firm, Andrew practised for five years with Blake, Cassels & Graydon and then with Bob Cooper KC at Cooper Litigation. He ran his own firm, Crabtree Law, for 9 years before combining forces with Peter Senkpiel, KC. 

    He graduated with UBC with distinction earning a degree in Political Science. After attending UVic Law, he clerked for five justices of the BC Supreme Court. 

    Prior to law school, he was an intern at the British Columbia legislature and worked for the Ministry of the Attorney General.

    1. Shareholder in a liquidation of a $50 million company

    2. Shareholder in a derivative action filed against a director that had misappropriated corporate funds (2025 BCSC 2218; 2026 BCCA 156)

    3. Sona Resources Corp. in a trial and appeal involving the interpretation of a mining option agreement (2017 BCSC 1326; 2018 BCCA 368; 2019 BCCA 89)

    4. A logging company in a 9-week trial and appeal involving a multi-million dollar claim against TimberWest Forest Corp. in fraud and conspiracy (2020 BCSC 978; 2021 BCCA 326);

    5. Property dispute relating to misrepresentations in property disclosure statement (2024 BCSC 1116)

    6. Sunridge Gold Corp. in its international dispute involving a multi-million dollar garnishing order (2015 FC 34; 2016 FC 393; 2017 FCA 188);

    7. US company resisting an application for a letter of request to obtain documents for a class action (2025 BCSC 2559)

    8. Group of shareholders in a dissent action and an oppression claim in the BCSC against a TSX-listed pharmaceutical company (2013 BCSC 1949);

    9. Directors in a complex oppression claim initiated by a shareholder and creditor (2022 BCSC 852; 2023 BCCA 134);

    10. Canaccord Genuity in the successful prosecution of a multi-million dollar fee dispute (2018 BCSC 674; 2019 BCCA 278);

    11. Nevsun Resources Inc. in a multi-million dollar claim involving allegations of breaches of international law (2020 BCSC 511);

    12. Lender in a debt claim involving over a million dollars of cryptocurrency (2024 BCSC 1551);

    13. Acting for mortgagee in complex action against mortgagor (2021 BCSC 1285; 2022 BCCA 239);

    14. Acting for accountants the subject of investigations by the CPABC, including for fraud, and successfully navigating settlement agreements;

    15. Company in a dispute involving a group of debentureholders claiming to have exercised conversion rights (2012 BCSC 653);

    16. Various companies and individuals in compelled interviews and hearings before the BC Securities Commission;

    17. First Nation in Alberta in a complex claim against the Federal Government regarding oil and gas issues and breaches of fiduciary duties

    18. First Nation minors seeking court approval of a long-term oil and gas lease and appointment of trustee;

    19. shareholders and partners in complex real estate disputes;

    20. Individuals and an association regarding various disputes under the Societies Act involving allegations of oppression and electoral irregularities (2021 BCSC 497);

    21. Plans of arrangement involving Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Inc., Sona Resources Corp., Grenville Strategic Royalty Corp., Aurcana Corporation and Vizsla Silver Corp.

    22. Yellow Pages Ltd. in multiple business loss claims;

    23. Individuals and companies in oppression claims involving technology start-ups, cannabis companies and a pharmaceutical company;

    24. a company in its recovery of funds appropriated through electronic fraud;

    25. shareholders and partners in their disputes involving various multi-million dollar real estate projects;

    26. landlords and tenants in a commercial lease disputes;

    27. Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic Games in multiple business loss claims;

    28. an individual in a 10-day arbitration against a TSX-listed pharmaceutical company for the recovery of a finder’s fee

    29. Whistler Blackcomb in a business loss dispute;

    30. investors in a joint venture dispute regarding the management and construction of a development project;

    31. a former pharmacy owner in its dispute with Shoppers Drug Mart;

    32. a debtor in a breach of contract claim relating to a multi-million dollar loan facility; and

    33. guarantors in disputes against banks and other creditors.

  • Director of the BC Indigenous Housing Society and former chair of the governance committee.

    Director of Legal Aid BC

    Former director of the Vancouver Bar Association

  • Allard School of Law – Adjunct Proof (2024 – present)

    CLE Annual Review of the Law – Shareholder Remedies (2015-current)

    CLE Seminar – Ethics and Practice Management in Shareholder Disputes

    CLE Seminar – Using Technology and AI in Litigation

    CLE Seminar – Shareholder Remedies

    CLE Seminar – Closing Submissions in Civil and Corporate Litigation

    TLABC Seminar – Commercial and Estates Seminar

  • Benchmark Canada – Litigation Star

    Chambers Global

 

Expertise

  • Commercial Litigation

  • Appeals

  • Arbitration

  • Class Actions

  • Professional Liability and Regulation

  • Securities Litigation

  • Investigations

Education

  • UBC – Bachelor of Political Science with distinction (2004)

  • UVIC – Bachelor of Law (2008)

  • Clerkship – BC Supreme Court (2008 – 2009)

  • Pepperdine University – Mediating the Litigated Case (Certificate, 2020)

Bar Admission

  • British Columbia (2010)