Biography

Richard Attisha chairs the commercial litigation group at Harper Grey. He also co-chairs our environmental law group. 

Richard helps clients with complex disputes involving their business or professional activities. These can involve intellectual property, real estate, employment, creditor/debtor, contaminated sites, pollution and international elements.

Richard is our designated contact for TAGLaw International, a network of almost 150 law firms worldwide. He is a former member of Canada's national rugby team, and lives in Vancouver with his wife and four children.

Education

• Dalhousie University, LL.B., 1996
• University of Edinburgh, LL.B. (Hons), 1989
• American University of Paris, Special Studies in Public International Law, 1986
• Queen's University, B.A. (Hons.), 1985

 Bar Admission

• British Columbia, 1992

 Leadership

• Advisory Board Member, TAGLaw International, 2008-2011
  
• Member, Canadian Bar Association - BC Branch, Alternate Dispute Resolution, Civil Litigation, Environmental Law, and Insolvency Law subsections
• Director, St. George's School, Vancouver - an award-winning independent day and boarding school for boys in Grades 1 to 12
• Member, Advancement Committee and Buildings & Grounds Committee, St. George's School, Vancouver
• Coach of minor hockey, rugby, soccer and Little League baseball teams

Client Work

Commercial Litigation

• Defending a Canadian supplier of educational products in copyright infringement, breach of confidence and passing off action
• Defending a number of affiliated companies and their directors and officers in a multimillion dollar contractual dispute with an inventor
• Representing plaintiffs in a multimillion dollar misappropriation of intellectual property and fraud case
• Defending major commercial landlords and tenants in lease disputes, including lease default actions 
• Mediating a substantial settlement for one of BC’s largest strata corporations in an action against a developer

Employment Law

• Drafting and enforcing employment contracts for both management and employees
• Representing clients at tribunals in matters involving employment standards and human rights
• Providing strategic advice regarding issues involving reduction of workforce, sale or acquisition of businesses, restraint of trade, breach of restrictive covenants, non-solicitation and non competition clauses
• Advising clients regarding workplace policies

Creditor/Debtor and Insolvency Law

• Obtaining and setting aside Mareva Injunctions in BC, including the recovery of over US $1 Million in a California action
• Representingd creditors in Companies' Creditor Arrangement Act proceedings with respect to Westar Mining Ltd., Woodward Stores Ltd., 360 Networks Inc., Doman Industries Ltd., Skeena Cellulose Inc., Pope & Talbot Ltd., and Bear Mountain Master Partnership
• Obtaining and defending security for cost applications
• Acting for clients, law firms and lawyers in assessments pursuant to the Legal Professions Act 

Environmental Disputes

• Acting for property owners, oil companies and various industries in proceedings brought under the BC Environmental Management Act (the “EMA”), the Contaminated Site Regulations and under the common law
• Successfully defended a developer in one of BC’s leading cases interpreting  BC's former Waste Management Act (the “WMA”).  The decision lead to changes in contaminated site legislation in the Province of BC, and the repeal of the WMA
• Successfully defended businesses and property owners charged with environmental offences under the Fisheries Act, the Migratory Birds Act, and the EMA
• Represented logging contractors in proceedings under the Timber Harvesting Contract and Subcontract Regulations

Estate Litigation

• Representing beneficiaries in "undue influence" claims and testamentary capacity issues
• Representing various parties in Wills Variation Act matters
• Acting for administrators and executors/executrixes of estates in passing of accounts

Articles