Professional Background

As a civil litigator, Laura’s practice has focused on insurance-defence involving complex commercial actions – including construction matters, large industrial losses and contract disputes – professional negligence, and serious personal injury/wrongful death claims. In addition to her defence work, a significant portion of Laura’s insurance practice involves providing coverage opinions to clients arising from factually and legally-complex claims. This includes matters related to defamation, professional negligence, product liability, and large construction projects.

As head of SVR’s Employment Group, Laura also maintains an employment law practice and advises both employers and employees in all manner of employment, human rights, and OHS-related matters. She also advises clients with respect to, and conducts, workplace investigations. Laura also routinely advises both employment and corporate clients with respect to all-manner of privacy-related issues including compliance, privacy complaints, handling privacy breaches, and drafting privacy policies.

Some of Laura’s recent work includes defending numerous Alberta universities in actions involving defamation, harassment, breach of contract and negligence. As a former member of Canada’s national biathlon team, Laura takes a particular interest in sports law. She has acted for both professional and amateur athletes and advised sports organizations in respect of various matters including discipline, team selection and harassment investigations.

Clients can count on Laura to take immediate action when a legal matter arises. Meticulous in her preparations, she tailors her strategies in each case in order to deliver solutions to complex and unusual claims. Laura has appeared as trial and appellate counsel before all levels of Court in Alberta. Laura also represents clients in arbitration proceedings, complex multi-party mediations, professional disciplinary proceedings, judicial review applications and proceedings before the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta and the Human Rights Tribunal of Alberta.

As a member of SVR’s Hiring Committee and a current/past principal to SVR articling students, Laura is dedicated to fostering the firm’s growth and long-term success by attracting and mentoring top legal talent.

Laura remains an active athlete and can often be found hiking or skiing with her family in the mountains surrounding her hometown of Canmore.