Vanessa Reakes

Full Profile

Vanessa is highly regarded for her advice and advocacy in complex commercial, professional indemnity, property, products liability, personal injury, and regulatory disputes. She has developed a practice catering to regulated and highly specialized industries including insurance, construction, engineering, architecture, finance, aviation, and manufacturing. Vanessa regularly appears at all levels of the Canadian courts and within regulatory, administrative and alternative dispute resolution forums.

In addition to her defence practice, Vanessa frequently acts on behalf of international and domestic insurers as coverage and monitoring counsel in high-value corporate governance disputes, representing directors, officers and professional managers where claims of breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and usurping of corporate opportunities are alleged.  

Vanessa sits on Clyde & Co’s North American Board and is an adjunct professor with the University of British Columbia’s civil engineering program. She is also a Fellow of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers. She is recognized by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in professional liability defence and by The Best Lawyers in Canada in the areas of insurance, products liability, construction, professional liability and D&O liability.

Admissions

• British Columbia Bar, 2009

Education

• LLB, University of Manitoba, 2008

• BA, Simon Fraser University, 2004
   

Professional Associations

• Fellow, Canadian College of Construction Lawyers (May 2024)

• Member, Civil Litigation Section, Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch)

• Member, Insurance Section, Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch)

• Member, Construction Section, Canadian Bar Association (BC Branch)

• Member, Vancouver Bar Association

• Member, Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia

• Member, Canadian Construction Women
   

Community Involvement

• Board Member, Board of Governors Langara College, BC Provincial Appointment, 2014

• Board Member, Mole Hill Housing Society, 2015

• Adjunct Lecturer, UBC Engineering Department, 2010 – present

• Contributor, Real Estate Council of BC Legal Update

• Contributor, Continuing Education, BC Builders Lien Practice Manual
   

Speaking Engagements

• Since 2010, Vanessa has volunteered as an adjunct lecturer with the UBC Engineering Department