Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2017 
Mike Wagner is a Vancouver-based litigator and dispute resolution lawyer with more than 20 years of experience representing clients in complex commercial, employment, constitutional, environmental, and class action matters across British Columbia and Canada. He practises at Farris LLP and advises businesses, executives, shareholders, government entities, and private clients on a broad range of disputes involving Labour and Employment Law, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, and Privacy and Data Security Law.
Mike has been recognized by peer-ranking publications including Benchmark Litigation, Best Lawyers in Canada, and Lexpert. In 2018, he became a member of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only fellowship for trial lawyers across North America. He also serves on the firm’s Strategic Committee.
Mike regularly lectures on professionalism and ethics through the Inns of Court program for junior barristers. He also chairs the Air & Space Law section of the Canadian Bar Association – British Columbia, supporting clients in the aviation and transportation sectors.
His litigation practice includes four primary areas: company and shareholder disputes, private wealth litigation, class actions, and government, constitutional, and environmental litigation. Mike represents clients in matters involving shareholder disagreements, governance disputes, fiduciary obligations, executive employment issues, valuation disputes, trusts, and tax-related litigation. He has acted in cases involving disputed assets valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Mike’s Labour and Employment Law practice includes executive employment disputes, workplace investigations, restrictive covenant matters, wrongful dismissal claims, and injunction proceedings. He regularly assists employers and senior employees with urgent workplace disputes and litigation involving confidential information, fiduciary duties, and reputational concerns.
In Corporate and Commercial Litigation matters, Mike represents companies, shareholders, directors, and business owners in disputes involving contracts, business torts, oppression claims, partnership conflicts, fraud allegations, and complex commercial claims. He has experience handling urgent court applications, including Mareva injunctions, Anton Piller orders, Norwich Pharmacal applications, publication bans, and sealing orders.
Mike also advises clients on Privacy and Data Security Law issues arising from cyber incidents, confidentiality disputes, data breaches, and the protection of sensitive commercial information. His practice includes litigation and risk management involving privacy obligations, electronic evidence, and information governance.
Mike’s class action work includes matters involving contract disputes, misrepresentation, negligence, product liability, business practices, and consumer protection claims. He acts for both plaintiffs and defendants, providing strategic advice at all stages of class proceedings.
His government, constitutional, and environmental litigation practice includes representing municipalities, public bodies, and private parties in disputes involving land use, mining, contaminated sites, waste management, administrative law, contract, tort, and constitutional issues, including matters involving the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Mike’s private wealth litigation practice focuses on disputes involving multigenerational families, estates, trusts, and capacity-related matters. He serves as counsel to the court-appointed Administrators of the Estate of Gang Yuan, one of British Columbia’s most closely followed estates matters in recent years.
Mike is known for handling high-stakes disputes that require practical judgment, careful strategy, and efficient resolution. He regularly assists clients with urgent matters where immediate court intervention is necessary to protect business operations, assets, confidential information, or legal rights.
