Owen J. James

Biography

Owen James is a commercial litigator. He regularly acts in complex corporate-commercial disputes, with a particular focus on class actions and real estate and environmental disputes.

The corporate-commercial litigation Owen has successfully handled for clients has involved a range of matters, including contractual claims, shareholder actions, fraud claims and product liability claims.  

Owen has appeared as counsel at the trial courts of a number of Canadian provinces and at the appellate levels in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario, as well as at the Supreme Court of Canada. He has also acted for clients in domestic and commercial arbitrations and before various administrative tribunals, including the Environmental Appeal Board, the Forest Appeals Commission, the Real Estate Council of BC, the Chartered Professional Accountants of BC and the Safety Standards Appeal Board.  

Owen regularly contributes to legal education initiatives. He has spoken and written for Continuing Legal Education, including authoring and editing chapters in the Annual Review of Law and Practice and the British Columbia Civil Trial Handbook. He also sits on the Editorial Board of the Provincial Court Small Claims Handbook. He has written on a range of topics for The International Who’s Who of Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyers, CCH Tax Topics, Canadian Property Management, Pacific Business Law Institute and has also presented on topics relating to his practice.  

Before joining McEwan Partners in 2017, Owen practiced at an international law firm in Vancouver, where he chaired the Vancouver office’s pro bono program, student program and advocacy skills program. He also formerly clerked for several justices of the British Columbia Supreme Court.