Jonathan D. Meadows*
*Jonathan D. Meadows Law Corporation
Managing Partner
He/Him
Biography
With nearly thirty years of experience, Jonathan has established a reputation for himself as knowledgeable, strategic, and personable. Jonathan has held the Managing Partner position at Harper Grey since 2018.
Jonathan practices in the areas of health, insurance, construction, and professional regulation and is called to the Bar in both BC and the Yukon Territory. He prides himself on brining brings a well-rounded perspective and judgment to his diverse practice.
His practice includes advising and assisting physicians in professional liability and professional disciplinary matters. Jonathan’s work on behalf of insurers includes liability defence, coverage disputes, professional errors and omissions claims, defamation, sexual abuse/assault claims and the resolution of complex construction disputes. Jonathan also represents directors and officers and companies with respect to coverage issues relating to D&O insurance.
Jonathan is a frequent guest lecturer and speaker sharing his legal knowledge on health and insurance law topics.
Born and raised in Manitoba. Jonathan is an accomplished musician who plays in various bands.
Assistance Team
Expertise
Education
University of British Columbia, LL.B., 1996
Trebas Institute of the Recording Arts, Diploma in Audio Engineering, 1990
Languages spoken
- English
Experience
Health Law
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Providing legal services to physicians and other health care professionals in British Columbia
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Defending civil actions and matters before the Human Rights Tribunal
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Representing physicians and other health care professionals in disciplinary matters including allegations of sexual misconduct, breach of confidentiality, improper prescribing of medication and competence issues
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Providing counsel to physicians related to medical assistance in dying (MAID) and other issues relating to consent and capacity
Insurance Law
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Representing insurance companies and their insureds in claims brought against them for personal injury and property loss
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Providing coverage advice to insurers on a broad range of complex and difficult issues including environmental matters, marine matters, misrepresentation, failure to cooperate, intentional and criminal acts, arson and bad faith
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Representing marine insurers and their insureds in matters involving property and casualty loss
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Defending insurance agents and brokers in professional liability (errors and omissions) claims
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Representing directors and officers and companies with respect to coverage issues relating to D&O insurance
Maritime Law
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Appointed by insurers to represent owners and/or masters of pleasure craft with respect to bodily injury claims (including significant brain injury claims) and death claims – arising from collisions on inland waterways
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Counsel to various marine insurance brokers related to claims arising from water-skiing accidents, fatal accidents, oil spills and consequent environmental issues, inter-jurisdictional disputes and operation outside of territorial limits of policy
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Represented the owner of a submarine telecommunications cable in an action against the company laying the cable
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Advised a hull and machinery insurer regarding damage to a fishing vessel, where it was alleged that a collision was the result of intoxication of the master of the vessel
Construction & Engineering Law
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Counsel in construction deficiency and delay claims including large, complex multi-party proceedings with damages claims ranging from $200,000 to $30 million
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Representing parties involved in all aspects of construction, from subdivisions to single homes, including consultants, developers, architects, engineers, general contractors and construction sub-trades
Class Actions
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Counsel for defendant financial institution in class action regarding misappropriation of funds by provincial government employee
Professional Credentials
Leadership
- Administrative Justice: A Practitioner’s Guide, Published by LexisNexis Canada, Contributing Author (2016)
- Contemporary Canadian Insurance Law Casebook, Published by LexisNexis® Canada, Contributing Author (2015)
- Harper Grey Canadian Insurance Law Blog, Contributing Author
- Harper Grey Construction & Engineering Group, Assistant Chair
- Harper Grey Insurance Law Update Newsletter, Contributing Author
- Harper Grey, Managing Partner (2018 – current)
- Harper Grey Practice Management Committee, Member (2012 – current)
- LexisNexis® Harper Grey Insurance Law Netletter™, Contributing Author
- Lookout Emergency Aid Society Board of Directors, Past President (2002 – 2014)
- Lookout Foundation, Past Board Member
- UBC Faculty of Law, Past Guest Lecturer
Memberships
- Advocates’ Society, Member
- Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch Subsections, Member: Construction Law, Elder Law, Health, Insurance, Maritime
- Canadian Defence Lawyers, Member
- Canadian Maritime Law Association, Member
- Defence Research Institute, Member
- Law Society of Yukon, Member
- Medical-Legal Society of BC, Member
- The Law Society of British Columbia, Member
- The Risk Management Society, Member
Recognition
Named as “Leading Lawyer” in the area of Healthcare (Nationwide-Canada) by Chambers Canada®
2023-2024
Recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” in the areas of Insurance Law, Health Care Law and Medical Negligence by Best Lawyers® in Canada
2015 – 2024
Recognized as a “Repeatedly Recommended Leading Practitioner” in the area of Professional Liability by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory®
2021
Recognized as a “Repeatedly Recommended Leading Practitioner” in the area of Medical Negligence (Represents Defendants) by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory®
2016, 2017, 2019-2024
Recognized as a “Repeatedly Recommended Leading Practitioner” in the area of Litigation – Commercial Insurance by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory®
2016, 2017, 2019-2024
Recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” in the area of Construction Law by Best Lawyers® in Canada,
2017-2024
Recognized as a “Local Litigation Star” in British Columbia in the areas of Health Law, Insurance Law and Professional Liability by Benchmark Canada®
2015 – 2023
Commentaries
Select Cases
Deck collapse
Jonathan Meadows represents a property manager who rented a facility to a family. He is defending more than 47 personal injury actions arising from the collapse of a deck at the property managed by the insured.
Motor vehicle action
Jonathan Meadows was successful in representing an out of province motor vehicle insurer that sought to add itself to a motor vehicle action where coverage has been denied to the insured driver.
Specific Project Wrap-Up Liability Insurance Policy
We are representing two groups in an Application that involves the interpretation and application of a Specific Project Wrap-Up Liability Insurance Policy (“SPWLI Policy”). Jonathan Meadows successfully represented the Applicants in an action brought against the insurer claiming that they had a duty to defend them under a SPWLI Policy.
Fatal fire
Jonathan Meadows is acting as BC coverage counsel relating to a fatal fire and multiple fatalities in Washington State. The underlying action has been settled and coverage actions in BC and Washington State are in litigation.
Coverage counsel for a general contractor
Jonathan Meadows is acting as coverage counsel for a general contractor relating to a claim over an elder care centre in Saskatoon. Allegations were advanced against the general contractor, architect, and subcontractors that deficiencies in design and workmanship caused water damage to the building and prevented its use within a reasonable time.
Coverage counsel for the insurer of a retail company
Jonathan Meadows is acting as coverage counsel for the insurer of a retail company relating to a claim against that company and a number of other retailers alleging that salespeople promoted the selling of and use of devices to facilitate access to pirated cable programming.
Product liability action against sale of herbicide
Product liability action against a company relating to the sale of the herbicide, Roundup, alleging the development of Non-Hodgins Lymphoma from exposure to the product. Jonathan Meadows represents a third party alleged to be a vendor of the product.
Allegations of breach of contract, misrepresentation and negligence
Jonathan Meadows is acting as coverage counsel for a window supplier and installer relating to a 23-storey condominium project in Vancouver. Allegations have been made against our client of breach of contract, misrepresentation and negligence resulting in delays, lost profits, loss of reputation and other damages. We were able to make submissions to the insurer which agreed to defend the action on behalf of our client (i.e., fund the defence).
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