Bronwen Black

Profile

Bronwen joined Whitelaw Twining in 2017. Bronwen’s practice involves a broad range of insurance defence work, including municipal law, abuse litigation, product liability, professional negligence, and construction. She loves the diversity of her practice as she has a ravenous appetite to learn and translate complex legal issues and facts into compelling and persuasive argument.

Bronwen is well known for her committed work ethic, creative problem solving, and collaborative practice style. She adores appearing in court, and has done so before all levels in British Columbia. She has effectively represented clients in interlocutory applications, summary trials, judicial reviews, statutory appeals, and multi-week trials.

Notable experience includes:

• Successfully defending against a claim for over $1.6 million dollars before the Civil Resolution Tribunal, along with a Petition for judicial review following the same, with special costs ordered in favour of our client.
• Appearing at a four week trial where the damages awarded to our client significantly exceeded all prior offers.
• Establishing at trial that a defendant driver breached his duty to warn after striking an animal and colliding with and displacing a concrete barrier.
• Taking the lead on behalf of all parties in defending a petition for judicial review of a Workers Compensation Appeal Tribunal decision, and extricating our client from the subsequent appeal, which was also later dismissed.

While Bronwen loves being on her feet making submissions, she is proponent of alternative dispute resolution.  Throughout the life of every file she consistently considers different opportunities for cost-effective, efficient, and practical resolution.

Finally, community engagement has always been important to Bronwen. While in law school, Bronwen was elected as the Law Student Society Accessibility Representative; was a Program Coordinator for the University of Victoria’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada; and sat on the Editorial Board of the Appeal Law Journal. She was the proud recipient of a number of awards, including the Law Foundation of British Columbia’s Public Interest Award, and the coveted University of Victoria’s Ann Roberts Humanitarian Award.

Here at Whitelaw Twining, she is an active member of various committees, including the sustainability committee and the diversity and inclusion committee. She has taken the lead on various in-house fundraising initiatives to support those in need, while also bringing firm members together. Outside the office, Bronwen also enjoys volunteering with Access Pro Bono Society of British Columbia, and sits on the Boards of the CBA-BC Women Lawyers Forum and the Vancouver Bar Association.

When not practicing law, you can find Bronwen enjoying local restaurants and exploring the outdoors. She is also a lover of animals, and in particular her two cats, Pancake and Sammy.