Insurance Law
Robert M. McLennan
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2016 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Rob is a partner and member of the Insurance, Class Actions, Administrative Law, and Business Disputes Practice groups. Rob has been a litigator for almost 30 years. His practice is primarily focused on personal injury, product liability, professional liability, property damage and class actions.
Rob has extensive experience appearing before the British Columbia Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, and Federal Court and Court of Appeal. He is an impassioned and skillful trial advocate, but he understands that the significant majority of matters are resolved through negotiation, not trial. Accordingly, he has developed his skills and ability to resolve matters effectively and efficiently through thoughtful analysis and strategy, from the outset of every case. He takes pride in being as persuasive an advocate in the dispute resolution process as in the courtroom. To enhance these skills Rob has completed numerous mediation courses, including the intensive Mediating the Litigated Case course through the acclaimed Strauss Institute of Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University.
Rob sits on multiple committees at Alexander Holburn and is the chair of the Insurance Practice Group.
Overview
Vancouver, British Columbia
- University of British Columbia, LL.B., graduated 1992
- Queen’s University, B.A., graduated 1988
- Yukon, Law Society of Yukon, 2008
- British Columbia, Law Society of British Columbia, 1993
- Canadian Bar Association, (Civil Litigation + Insurance subsection) - Member
- Canadian Defence Lawyers - Member
- Law Society of British Columbia - Member
- Vancouver Bar Association - Member
Vancouver, British Columbia
- Yukon, Law Society of Yukon, 2008
- British Columbia, Law Society of British Columbia, 1993
- Canadian Bar Association, (Civil Litigation + Insurance subsection) - Member
- Canadian Defence Lawyers - Member
- Law Society of British Columbia - Member
- Vancouver Bar Association - Member
- University of British Columbia, LL.B., graduated 1992
- Queen’s University, B.A., graduated 1988
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada™ 2026 for work in:
- Insurance Law
Awards:
- 2016 – 2023 Best Lawyers® in Canada Insurance Law
- 2022 - 2023 Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory repeatedly recommended in the area of Litigation - Commercial Insurance
News & Media
Additional Information
- Experience
Occupiers’ Liability
Rob has handled occupiers’ liability claims for his entire career. He regularly acts directly on, and supervises all levels of occupiers’ liability claims ranging from slip and falls on residential premises, to catastrophic injury on commercial properties.
As a result, Rob has developed extensive knowledge and expertise relating to liability issues associated with an occupiers’ duty of care, including necessary maintenance and supervision systems. In addition, given his years of experience and ongoing practice, Rob has also developed very considerable knowledge regarding the medical conditions and injuries that are the subject of the claims, ranging from minor soft tissue injuries to severe and disabling injuries such as paralysis, brain injury and psychiatric disorders.
Product Liability
For more than twenty years, Rob has handled a wide variety of products liability cases for retailers, distributors and manufacturers, both as insureds and directly for the corporate entities.
Rob has extensive expertise with the legal and practical issues associated with product manufacturing, sale, use and failure. He also has detailed knowledge regarding the effects of product failure, including personal injury, property damage and economic loss.
Professional Liability
Rob regularly represents and defends professionals in negligence claims. He acts for professionals in a variety of fields although the majority of his practice involves defending liability claims against pharmacists and real estate appraisers.
Rob also regularly represents and defends pharmacists, other pharmacy professionals and pharmacy operators in disciplinary and related proceedings with the College of Pharmacists of BC.
Advocacy
Rob has appeared as counsel in the British Columbia Supreme Court and Court of Appeal and in the Federal Court of Canada and Federal Court of Appeal.
He frequently conducts seminars for lawyers and students through Alexander Holburn’s internal ASCEND™ program, and for law students at the University of British Columbia on the litigation skills required for effective advocacy and case management/resolution.
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