BRANCH MACMASTER - Key Persons
Bryan McLean is a partner with Branch MacMaster LLP. He joined the firm as an associate on November 20, 2017.
Bryan's practice focuses on commercial litigation, insurance defence, class actions and intellectual property.
Bryan has extensive litigation experience representing clients in insurance and intellectual property litigation. He has acted for clients in all aspects of commercial insurance matters including building defect claims, major loss claims, surety claims, product liability, and class actions. He has also represented clients in intellectual property matters, including patent, trade-mark and copyright enforcement, domain disputes and intellectual property licensing.
Conall joined Branch MacMaster as a paralegal in 2018, working primarily in the area of class actions. He assists the class action counsel team through document review, correspondence management, pleadings drafting and case research.
Before joining the firm Conall studied and worked in Belfast, Ireland. He read Law at Queen's University and then worked for two years as a Legal Analyst at a global firm, supporting trial teams in various civil and commercial litigation scenarios.
Outside of work Conall enjoys sports, nature, theatre and pizza.
Education
Bachelor of Laws, Queen's University Belfast, 2016
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Counsel
- Associate Counsel With
Craig Jones is associate counsel with Branch MacMaster LLP. He has a litigation and consultation practice focussing on public law and class actions. He authored Theory of Class Actions, a leading text in the field, and has appeared as counsel in a number of significant constitutional cases, public inquiries and reporting commissions, and judicial reviews.
Prior to joining Branch MacMaster, Craig was Supervising Counsel of the Constitutional and Administrative Law Group in the B.C. Ministry of Justice, and before that he was a partner at Bull, Housser & Tupper.
He holds a tenured faculty position at Thompson Rivers University, where he teaches torts, constitutional law, and legal ethics & professional conduct. He is a frequent lecturer on topics of tort, class actions, and constitutional law in British Columbia and across Canada.
In 2022 Craig was retained by the Attorney General of B.C. as General Counsel to the Premier. He will not be serving any other clients for the duration of this commitment.
Elizabeth is a litigation associate at Branch MacMaster LLP and works at the firm's Toronto office. She practices in the areas of general civil litigation and class actions. She has both trial and appellate experience as well as experience before administrative tribunals.
Emily is a partner at Branch MacMaster and practices primarily in the areas of insurance and health law. Her practice is litigation based and she has successfully defended claims in a number of areas including commercial host liability, occupier's liability, property damage and professional negligence. She also has experience bringing subrogated claims and defending first party claims against insurers.
Halla is a litigation associate at Branch MacMaster LLP. She works at the firm's Toronto office.
Halla joined Branch MacMaster in 2021, after being called to the bar in Ontario. Halla practices in the areas of health and regulatory law, insurance defence, and class actions. Halla has appeared before the superior courts in both British Columbia and Ontario on insurance and administrative law matters, and has assisted lead counsel on several civil and class action appeals before the BC, Alberta, and Ontario appellate courts.
Jill started at Branch MacMaster as a Legal Administrative Assistant in 2015. She continued her education at Capilano University where she obtained her Paralegal Certificate in 2022. Jill now has over 7 years' experience working in the legal field where her focus has mainly been insurance defence. She works closely with counsel in providing support in all aspects of the organization and management of files, including assisting with document production, such as gathering and reviewing documents, drafting pleadings, court applications and preparing lists of documents. She often works with counsel practicing in multiple jurisdictions across Canada. She has experience and knowledge with court procedures in BC, AB, ON, YT, NWT and NU.
Outside of the office, Jill enjoys camping, travelling, trying out new recipes and spending time with her family, friends and bunny.
Education
2022 Paralegal Certificate, Capilano University
2015 Legal Administrative Assistant Certificate, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (with distinction)
Luciana Brasil is a partner at Branch MacMaster and the lead of its class action practice.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Senior Partner With
Since 1986, Nevin has been defending insurers in the area of personal injury law. He has successfully defended numerous major tort claims out of car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian and shipping accidents.
Born and bred in Vancouver, Nevin is a proud of his native city. He cherishes its people, culture and nature. When not practising law, Nevin's spare time is devoted to his wife, their three grown children, chocolate lab (Arya) and barn cat (Wilbur).
Paul Miller is a civil litigator who helps his clients successfully resolve their legal disputes through both negotiation and litigation. Paul joined Branch MacMaster in 2007, after practicing for 8 years with a prominent Seattle law firm.
Paul has broad based experience in the law, with a focus on the firm's insurance coverage/defence and class action practices. He also has assisted clients in resolving disputes in areas such as construction, product liability, contracts, real estate, employment, and business matters at both the local and national level.
Although he returned to his hometown of Vancouver in 2007, Paul continues to assist U.S. clients as a member of both the B.C. and Washington bars.
Education
J.D. University of Nebraska (1998) with High Distinction
University of Nebraska All-University Superior Scholar
Job Titles:
- a Legal Administrative Assistant
- Paralegal
Sarah joined Branch MacMaster as a legal administrative assistant in 2011 and transitioned to a Paralegal role in 2017. She supports counsel primarily in the area of insurance defence litigation, along with some support in the area of class actions.
Sarah helps counsel resolve disputes by managing correspondence with clients and other parties, drafting pleadings and applications, reviewing and summarizing documents, preparing for examinations for discovery and trials, and other crucial tasks. She also assists with training of new employees, maintaining and creating precedents and managing tech related issues around the firm.
Outside of work, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband and dog, hiking and traveling.
Education
Paralegal Certificate Program, Capilano University, 2018
Legal Administrative Assistant Certificate Program, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, 2011
Siobhan McConnell is a litigation associate at Branch MacMaster LLP. She joined the firm in 2021 and practices primarily in the areas of class actions and insurance.
Siobhan came from a national firm and has experience advocating for clients in various areas including contractual disputes, occupier liability, personal injury, and professional liability. She has experience resolving multi-party disputes through alternative dispute resolution measures and she has represented clients in administrative matters before professional regulatory bodies.
In her spare time, Siobhan enjoys spending time with her family and she is an avid artist.
Education
JD, University of Victoria 2015
Bachelor of Arts (Criminology) with distinction, Simon Fraser University 2012
Job Titles:
- Member of the BC Paralegal Association
- Paralegal
Trinh came to Canada at the age of 5 and has lived in Vancouver since. She joined Branch MacMaster in 2010 as a legal administrative assistant. She then went on to graduate from Capilano University's paralegal program and maintained the merits list.
Trinh is also trilingual in English, Cantonese and Vietnamese. She enjoys spending time with her family, friends and exploring B.C. She is passionate about travelling and spending time outdoors.
Her paralegal practice experience includes
Trinh is a member of the BC Paralegal Association. She also achieved her certificate in Emergency First Aid for Industry.