Melanie Teetaert

Partner  •   Co-Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department

Vancouver
 teetaertm@bennettjones.com
Education
Brandon University, BA (Spec.), 1997
Dalhousie University, LL.B., 2001
Bar Admissions
Alberta, 2002
British Columbia, 2005
Saskatchewan, 2019
Melanie Teetaert is Co-Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department and has practised energy, commercial and construction litigation and commercial arbitration in Calgary and Vancouver for over 20 years. 
Overview

She has extensive experience with contract disputes, breaches of trust and fiduciary duty, negligence and other general commercial claims. Her focus in energy related litigation includes joint ventures, CO&Os, joint operating agreements, farmout agreements and transportation and handling agreements. 

Melanie is experienced in royalty, accounting and operator disputes and is regularly consulted on rights of first refusals. Her focus in construction-related litigation includes delay claims, engineering and design issues, breach of contract and negligence. Additionally, she has experience in cross-border claims, including coordination of inter-related claims in Canada and the United States.

Melanie has acted in both international and domestic commercial arbitrations under the Alberta and British Columbia Arbitration Acts, ADR Institute of Canada, BCIAC and the International Chamber of Commerce International Court of Arbitration. She has appeared before all levels of the Alberta Courts and the British Columbia Courts as well as the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench and Court of Appeal. She has dealt with claims before the British Columbia Securities Commission, the British Columbia Financial Services Authority and other administrative tribunals and professional governing bodies.

Experience
•  Directors and Shareholders, in representation in shareholder oppression claims.
•  Engineering Firm, in representation in respect of work on construction project involving complex defence of delay and other claims valued at over $500-million dollars.
•  Lender, in representation on successful foreclosure and sale of residential and commercial tower in Vancouver valued at approximately $75-million, including award of solicitor and client costs.
•  Mining Company, in successful defence of claims involving mining assets in Canada, South America and Africa, with all claims dismissed against client following a six week trial, including an award of special costs against the Plaintiff.
•  Oil & Gas Company, in successful defence of claims over license and use of seismic lines off the East coast of Canada.
•  Oil & Gas Company, in the successful resolution of claims involving pipeline strike.
•  Power Producer, in representation on several arbitrations under Alberta's Power Purchase Arrangements.
•  Shareholder, in representation of breach of trust claims in respect of shares in a Singapore private company.