Paul Dawson

Paul Dawson

Paul Dawson has practiced law since 2001. He advises insurers on coverage, and drafts and revises policy wordings. He has particular expertise in analyzing and resolving coverage disputes involving specialty lines, such as errors and omissions (E&O), directors and officers (D&O), cyber liability and privacy-related claims, and extraprovincial and excess automobile liability policies.  Paul has also worked extensively on construction, environmental, and property insurance claims, and on allocation and contribution issues between primary and excess insurers.  He also defends insureds under general liability (CGL) and other lines of liability insurance.

In addition to maintaining an active roster of litigation files, Paul also performs specialized legal research on issues of historical, statutory, and foreign law. Paul has taught legal research and writing as an Adjunct Professor in the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Law, and has co-chaired seminars and presented papers on legal research for the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia and for Canadian Defence Lawyers.

Paul is the co-author of three textbooks – Liquor and Host Liability Law in Canada, Sports and Recreation Liability Law in Canada, and Cyber Liability and Cyber Insurance in Canada – all published by Canada Law Book. For more information on these textbooks, please visit Canada Law Book, or see the links below.

REPRESENTATIVE CASES

Paul participated as counsel in the following cases:

  • Furtado v. Lloyd’s Underwriters, 2023 ONSC 5803 (no relief from forfeiture resulting from late notice under claims-made D&O policy)
  • Busato v. Gore Mutual Insurance Company, 2021 BCSC 2214 (homeowners policy excludes damage to property used to grow cannabis)
  • PCL Constructors v. Royal & Sun Alliance Ins. Co., 2019 BCSC 822 (deductibles, rectification, and statutorily mandated policy language)
  • Blue Mountain Log Sales Ltd. v. Lloyd’s Underwriters, 2017 BCSC 1872, 2019 BCCA 240 (duty to defend under CGL advertising injury cover)
  • Lloyd’s Underwriters v. Blue Mountain Log Sales Ltd., 2015 BCSC 630, 2016 BCCA 352 (CGL insurer not liable for pre-tender defence costs)
  • Faulkner v. Duncan (City), 2015 BCSC 1763, and Faulkner v. Peace Hills Gen. Ins. Co., 2015 BCSC 2540 (third party notices against contractor struck)
  • Ross v. British Columbia Lottery Corporation, 2014 BCSC 320 (defending casino with respect to implementation of gambling voluntary self-exclusion program)
  • Harrison v. XL Foods Inc., 2013 ABQB 502 (defending beef producer in class action concerning voluntary recall)
  • McKerr v. CML Healthcare Inc., 2012 BCSC 1712 (defending mammography clinic in personal injury claim)
  • Coventree v. Lloyds Syndicate 1221 (Millennium Syndicate), 2011 ONSC 4788, 2012 ONCA 341 (defending D&O insurer in coverage proceedings)
  • MacEachern v. Rennie, 2009 BCSC 795, 2009 BCSC 652 (defending transportation company in catastrophic brain injury case)
  • Hung v. Gardiner, 2002 BCSC 781, 2003 BCCA 257 (defending professional body against defamation and malicious prosecution claim)

PUBLICATIONS

Liquor and Cannabis Liability Law in Canada, 2d ed., Canada Law Book (March 2023)

Cyber Liability and Cyber Insurance in Canada, Canada Law Book (February 2020)

Sports and Recreation Liability Law in Canada, Canada Law Book (March 2017)

“The Role of Fortuity in Builders’ All Risk Policies”, Canadian Journal of Insurance Law 34:2 (March 2016)

“Non-Traditional Research Tools”, Legal Research, CLEBC (2012)

“Darkness Beyond the Edge of Town: Third Party Proceedings and Municipal Limitation Periods”, Advocate 61:1 (January 2003)

Paul Dawson's practice areas include:

 

Class Action Defence

Commercial General Liability

Construction

Coverage

Cyber and Privacy Liability

COVID-19

Directors and Officers Liability

Excess and Cross Border Auto

First Nations

Hospitality – Liquor Liability, Social and Commercial Host Liability

Policy Wording and Risk Management

Product Liability

Professional Liability

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