Our Team

VCard

Michele H. Hollins Q.C.
Partner

(403) 750-1117
hollins@dbblaw.com

Michele joined us in 2001 and became a partner in 2004. Her civil litigation practice is primarily concentrated in the area of employment law, including wrongful and constructive dismissal, duties of departing or competing employees and restrictive covenants in the employment relationship. Michele also has experience in the drafting of employment contracts and other related documents for employers. She has wide experience in a variety of other civil litigation matters, including product liability, debtor-creditor issues and general contract and tort claims.

Michele has appeared at all levels of Alberta Courts and has significant trial and chambers experience. She teaches advocacy skills in the annual LESA Intensive Trial Advocacy course and speaks and writes regularly on a variety of litigation and advocacy related topics. Michele is a past-President of the Canadian Bar Association, Alberta Branch and is currently the National Second Vice-President, scheduled to assume the role of National President in 2014-2015. She has previously served on the Boards of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and ASSIST, an assistance program for lawyers and their families, and is also a current member of the Calgary Stampede Blacksmith's Committee.

Law Practice

• Employment Law
• Shareholder Disputes
• Contract Disputes

 

Called to the Bar

• Alberta - 1994

 

Education

• University of Saskatchewan, LL.B., 1992
• Texas Christian University, B.Sc., 1987
  

 

Awards/Recognition

• Queen's Counsel Designation, 2008
• Louis St. Laurent Award, 2010 (National Canadian Bar Association, for contribution to the organization)

 

Memberships

• Calgary Bar Association
• Canadian Bar Association
• Association of Women Lawyers
• Squash Alberta

 

Publications/Presentations

• "Recovering Costs" CBA Alberta Law Conference
• "Wrongful Dismissal Claims Under the New Rules" CBA Employment Section
• "The New Rules: A Seamless Transition" (LESA)
• "Organizing Your File": The New Lawyer Seminar (LESA)
• The CBA Skilled Lawyer Series:
  • Preparing Your Witness for Discovery (Dec, 2010)
  • Document Production (November, 2011)
• Panelist at "Women in Law Leadership Conference", 2011
• Panelist at "Retaining Women in Law" Presentation, Saskatchewan, 2012

 

Notable Cases

• Crooked Post Shorthorns v. Masterfeeds Inc. (2008): Successfully defended $4.1M product liability lawsuit.
• Canadian Engineering Surveys v. Banque Nationale de Paris (1995): Assisted in the defence of a $20M lawsuit for improvident realization, with damages of $20,000 assessed at trial.
• AGP Inc. v. Chinook Grain (YR): Successfully recovered contract price based on failure to deliver product.
• Kuntz v. Road King Truck Stop (YR): Successfully defended a wrongful dismissal claim on behalf of employer.
• Carr v. National Life Assurance (2004): Successfully sued insurance company on behalf of agent for retroactive commission entitlements.
• Spiderplow Canada v. Lyons (YR): Obtained interim injunction for Spiderplow preventing departing employees from competing.
• Pawlett v. Dominion Protection Services (YR): Successfully sued employer for constructive dismissal and sexual battery on behalf of employee.

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