Clark Wilson LLP
Valerie S. Dixon


Valerie S. Dixon

Direct Tel. 604.891.7743
Email vsd@cwilson.com





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800 - 885 West Georgia Street
Vancouver B.C. V6C 3H1
Main Tel. (604) 687-5700
Fax (604) 687-6314

www.cwilson.com

Area of Practice

Labour & Employment, Estate & Trust Litigation and Insurance Litigation.

Representative Work

Labour & Employment

  • Successful Appellant's counsel in landmark Supreme Court of Canada decision regarding restrictive covenants in employment contracts: Shafron v KRG Insurance, 2009 SCC 6.

  • Representing employers and employees in wrongful dismissal and constructive dismissal actions.

  • Representing employers and employees in post-employment competition disputes, involving duty of confidentiality, noncompetition and non-solicitation clauses, and fiduciary duties.

  • Representing employers in injunction applications to restrain former employees from breaching noncompetition, non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements.

  • Advising employers regarding employment matters, including termination, wrongful and constructive dismissal claims and statutory obligations (such as Employment Standards).

  • Preparation and review of employment and consulting (independent contractor) agreements.

Estate & Trust Litigation

  • Acting on behalf of beneficiaries and executors/administrators in estate administration disputes, including accounting proceedings.

  • Acting on behalf of claimants, defendants and executors/administrators in Wills Variation Act disputes.

  • Advising trustees with respect to trust administration and trust variation matters.

  • Acting on behalf of applications and respondents in committeeship applications under the Patients Property Act.

  • Acting on behalf of beneficiaries in wills interpretation disputes.

  • Acting on behalf of charitable organizations in estate related dispute.

Insurance Litigation

  • Providing insurance coverage advice for commercial general liability and homeowners policies, as well as acting for insurers in coverage disputes.

  • Defending Canadian and American insurance companies and their insureds, including construction sub-trades, distributors, manufacturers and motor vehicle owners and drivers.

  • Prosecuting subrogated claims on behalf of insurance companies.

Profile

Valerie Dixon is an associate in Clark Wilson's Litigation Department. She has acted for a variety of clients including financial institutions, insurance companies, insurance brokers and charitable organizations. Valerie has appeared as counsel in all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

She writes for a number of internal and external publications, and speaks on employment, estate litigation and insurance issues on a regular basis.

Born and raised in Mission, BC, Valerie graduated from the University of the Fraser Valley with a Bachelor of Arts (Criminology) in 2000. She received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of British Columbia in 2003.

Valerie articled with Clark Wilson and was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 2004.

A self-described "foodie", Valerie spends her free time sampling the culinary delights offered by Vancouver and beyond. She (thankfully) has also developed a passion for running, which will hopefully ensure that she can continue to keep eating the foods she loves while still being able to fit into her court robes.

Memberships & Associations

Member, Law Society of British Columbia (2004)

Member, Canadian Bar Association (Employment Law, Wills & Trusts, and Insurance subsections)

Member, Vancouver Bar Association

Member, Canadian Defence Lawyers

Publications

Regular contributor to Clark Wilson's publications Work Place Post, Your Estate Matters and Insurance Bulletin

Author, Competition is Fierce – Restrictive Covenants in the Shafron Case, Canadian Insurance Magazine website (September 14, 2009)

Republished Author, You're not fired: reduced wages as grounds for constructive dismissal and You're not hired: avoiding recruitment discrimination claims, HRinfodesk Bulletin (July 6, 2009)

Co-author, Implementing Private Infant Settlement Trusts, The Verdict (June 2009)

Co-author, Court decision clarified restrictive covenants, BC Broker magazine (April 2009)

Contributing Author, BC Probate and Estate Administration Practice Manual (2007, 2008, 2009 CLE)

Contributing Author, British Columbia Estate Planning and Wealth Preservation Manual (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 CLE)

Contributing Author, Annual Review of Law & Practice (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 CLE)

Co-author, Court may presume landlord's tort immunity The Lawyer's Weekly, (March 24, 2006)

Co- or Contributing Author of various papers presented by The Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia, including The Mould (Litigation) Epidemic: Third Party Mould Claims in Canada (2002 CLE), Leaky Building Litigation Update (2003 and 2004 CLE) and The Evolution of Personal Information Protection in the Private Sector: An International Perspective (2004 CLE)