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William Holder

Partner

Bill is a senior mediator and litigator who combines a deep understanding of the law with a wealth of strategic experience in assisting our clients on a range of business issues. With a successful track record of 35+ years in resolving commercial disputes, Bill sees all sides of an issue to help our clients find the best solution to their case whether in or out of the courtroom.

His extensive understanding of these disputes and advanced mediation training in BC and at Harvard Law have provided Bill with a deep platform from which he operates as a highly effective mediator. Bill is equally comfortable working as a facilitative or evaluative mediator, but with counsels’ agreement prefers the latter approach.

Work Highlights

Served as mediator in successful resolution of expropriation

  • Mediation of multiple party expropriation Action involving a damages claim of $55-million

Served as mediator in termination of commercial lease

  • Successful mediation of multiple party wrongful termination of lease and loss of business claim for $500,000

Mediation of business loss claim

  • Served as mediator in resolving a $7-million Action for business loss
View more work highlights >

In addition to his extensive training, Bill is a Mediator of the Civil Roster of Mediate BC and is the practice group chair of our firm’s Mediation and Arbitration group. He has served since 2016 as the co-chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s Vancouver Alternative Dispute Resolution subsection and is currently the Secretary of the CBA’s National ADR section.

Bill has also successfully completed Social Justice Mediation Training in collaboration with the ShchEma-mee.tkt (Our Children) project. This enables him to design and employ customized processes for mediations involving First Nations communities and Indigenous Peoples.

Services
Real property disputes Cross border executions
Commercial lease disputes Creditors Remedies/collections
Mediation

 

Awards & Distinctions
  • Best Lawyers® in Canada, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, 2020 - 2025
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Served as mediator in successful resolution of expropriation
  • Mediation of multiple party expropriation Action involving a damages claim of $55-million
Served as mediator in termination of commercial lease
  • Successful mediation of multiple party wrongful termination of lease and loss of business claim for $500,000
Mediation of business loss claim
  • Served as mediator in resolving a $7-million Action for business loss
Personal injury claim mediation
  • Acted as mediator in resolving a personal injury claim of $7-million with complex loss of income issues
Contamination of property mediation
  • Successfully mediated a multiple party contamination of property claim of $1-million
"Mr. Holder is a highly professional mediator and has a deep understanding of ethics. This allows him to gain the trust of all parties. His professionalism is constant regardless of whether he is working with sophisticated or lay parties and is the key to his success. I retain Mr. Holder given his strength in resolving complex commercial disputes. He has a deep understanding of the law, as well as a strong business background. These things, coupled with his practicality, allow him to navigate complex commercial disputes with ease. He is able to facilitate discussion, collaboration, and ultimately resolution and is acutely aware of when and how to guide a discussion between adverse parties."

Senior Real Estate Litigator, Victoria, BC

"Mr. Holder is a “go to” mediator. He is sophisticated, polished, diplomatic, and level headed. He is highly professional and demonstrates the objectivity that one would expect of a senior litigator turned mediator. He does not shy away from investigating weak points, or from putting experts together to speak frankly about common ground. All this is done with transparency, so that the parties remain in control of their own process. He is an excellent facilitator and while mediation skill is somewhat intangible, Mr. Holder is clearly skilled as a mediator."

Senior Business Litigator, Vancouver, BC

Venture capital and private equity investor
  • Multiple appearances in the Court of Appeal successfully resulting in a rare guillotine order forcing a multinational oil and gas corporation to post security of over $3 million dollars, leading to a dismissal of the corporation’s appeal and execution on the client’s trial judgment
Staburn Group
  • Won judgment from the Court of Appeal in respect of the payment of real property taxes by two anchor tenants of a large commercial centre in Kelowna, BC
Henderson Development (Canada) Ltd.
  • Lead counsel on the effective defence and resolution of a multiple Plaintiff action for $10 million dollars brought by tenants in a large Vancouver shopping centre
Major Vancouver Real Estate Developer
  • Developed and implemented litigation strategies resulting in the successful cancellation of numerous tenancies to permit a $275 million dollar mixed use development to proceed
Private developer
  • Lead counsel in several Court actions concerning the development of an apartment complex by Osoyoos Lake and the cancellation of a related long term lease of lakeshore property. Numerous appearances in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal ultimately resulting in a successful declaration as to the leasehold interest
University
  • Obtained judgment of over $850,000 dollars against a fraudulent university employee followed by the successful collection of all stolen monies through the use of injunctive relief and execution proceedings in both BC and Quebec
"Bill has been an invaluable and highly regarded resource for Larco for over twenty years. A dexterous and clever problem solver, Bill frequently strategizes or negotiates a solution to legal challenges with pragmatic and cost-efficient outcomes. Should matters need to escalate to litigation, he is at the ready with sharp legal expertise, compelling courtroom advocacy, and a nimble support team. As In House Counsel, he makes me look good, gets the results I need, and provides indispensable service with efficiency, pragmatism and care."

Jennifer Williams, Legal Counsel, Commercial Real Estate, Larco Investments Ltd./Park Royal Shopping Centre

"Bill has assisted the Beedie Development Group on litigation matters for many years. He provides us with well-reasoned, practical legal advice aimed at resolving commercial real estate disputes in our favour while being mindful of our greater business objectives. We appreciate the strategic thinking he brings to bear on each file he handles."

Kyle Wilson, General Counsel, Beedie Development Group

"Clark Wilson has been our company’s law firm for over 30 years, and Bill is who we call for legal advice. We trust Bill’s experience and knowledge and know that our best interests are served at all times."

Richard Lui, Vice-President, Polaris Realty (Canada) Limited

View more >
Awards & Distinctions
  • Best Lawyers® in Canada, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, 2020 - 2025
Industry Involvement
  • Canadian Bar Association, member, 1981 - Present
  • Canadian Bar Association of British Columbia, member, 1981 - Present
  • Canadian Bar Association, National Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, chair
  • Canadian Bar Association, Alternative Dispute Resolution (Vancouver) Subsection, co-chair
  • UBC Conflict of Interest Committee, Chair, 2020 - Present
  • International Council of Shopping Centers, governance chair (BC), 2016 - Present
  • Law Society of British Columbia, member, 1981 - Present
  • MediateBC, civil roster member
  • Canadian Bar Association, National Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, past vice-chair, 2020 – 2021
  • Canadian Bar Association, National Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, past secretary, 2019 - 2020
  • International Council of Shopping Centers State and Provincial Government Relations Advisory Group, past Canadian representative, 2010 - 2012
  • International Council of Shopping Centers, past governance chair (BC), 2007 - 2010
  • Law Court’s Inn, former director
Community Commitments
  • Okanagan Road Racing Association, director
  • CrossFit, "A WOD to Remember" , past head organizer, 2016 - 2019
  • Zone 5 Karate Association of BC, past president, 2006 - 2015
  • BC Karate Team, past volunteer karate instructor and assistant coach, 2011 - 2012
Education & Call to Bar
  • Social Justice Mediation Training, sponsored by ShchEma-mee.tkt project, 2019
  • Harvard Law, Advanced Mediation Training, June 2017
  • Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia, Advanced Mediation Training, 2016
  • Call to Bar: British Columbia, 1981
  • University of British Columbia, Bachelor of Laws, 1980
External Presentations
External Publications