Maurice Laprairie, Q.C.

Representative Work

• Insurance Company of Pennsylvania et al. v. Global Aerospace, 2010 SKCA 96. An action to determine whether claims for indemnities by co-insurers on a paid out claim were barred by statute or a claim of estoppel.

• UMA/B&V Ltd. et al. v. SaskPower International et al., 2007 SKQB 40, 2007 SKCA 40, 2007 CanLII 40508 (S.C.C.). Successfully representing the owner in a trial lasting 18 months on a question of the limits of a professional service firm’s contractual liability in the construction of a power co-generation plant at a mine.

• Merck Frosst Canada Ltd. v. Wuttunee, 2009 SKCA 43, successfully opposing a grant of certification involving the prescription drug Vioxx; leave to appeal to Supreme Court of Canada denied 22 October 2009.

• Directed successful constitutional challenges to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) Act in 14 Canadian jurisdictions in Federation of Law Societies of Canada v. Canada (Attorney General) to the provisions requiring lawyers to report “suspicious transactions”. The Government of Canada repealed the suspicious transaction reporting requirements and a consent order made any further legislation in the area subject to the consent of the law societies. The decision is named as one of 2003's Top 10 Litigation Decisions in Canada.

• D.W. v. Attorney General of Canada and William Starr, 1999 SKQB 187, the successful prosecution of the first Residential School Abuse Trial in Canada.

Leadership

• American College of Trial Lawyers – Former Chair, Manitoba/Saskatchewan
• Federation of Law Societies of Canada – Former President (2001-2002) 
• Law Society of Saskatchewan – Former President (1999)

Papers & Presentations

• “The Regulatory Framework” in Barristers & Solicitors in Practice (Butterworths, 2004). 
• Frequent lecturer in the area of civil litigation at bar admission and CLE courses.

Awards & Distinctions

• Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers
• Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America
• One of Benchmark Canada's "Canada Litigation Stars" – Class Actions
• Selected as one of the Best Lawyers in Canada – "Bet-the-Company" Litigation; Class Action Litigation; Corporate and Commercial Litigation; Insurance Law (since 2008) 
• Named one of Canada's Leading Lawyers in The Canadian Lexpert Legal Directory – Professional Liability; Corporate Commercial Litigation; Commercial Insurance Litigation; Personal Injury (since 2003)
• Lexis-Nexis / Martindale-Hubble – "AV Peer Review Rated" 
• Member of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys 
• Appointed Queen’s Counsel (1996)