Vanessa S. Werden

Background

About Vanessa S. Werden

Vanessa is a partner with JML LLP and an experienced construction and infrastructure lawyer serving clients in British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta and the Northwest Territories. Vanessa provides her clients, including contractors, and public, private, and Indigenous owners, with advice and advocacy services concerning procurement, project delivery, contract drafting and negotiation, builders liens, mid-project disputes, and post-project dispute resolution. She has experience advising on major infrastructure projects, including stadiums, hydroelectric power facilities, telecommunications infrastructure, healthcare facilities, wastewater treatment, and commercial developments. She is Chair of the BC Road Builders & Heavy Construction Association and founder of its Women in Road Building Committee. Notable experience: • Counsel to a contractor in an arbitration claiming delays and extra costs to construct a state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure project, primarily concerning complex geotechnical conditions. • Counsel to First Nation owner of hydropower facility advancing claim for incomplete and deficient work, and defending claim for unpaid invoices and extra work. • Counsel to design-builder at referee stage for dispute concerning construction of complex hydroelectric power facility on Vancouver Island. • Assistant Chair of Dispute Adjudication Board on complex tunneling project for hydroelectric power facility in northern British Columbia. • Counsel to private owners concerning procurement and project delivery for hydroelectric power facilities. • On counsel team for major subcontractor on complex stadium construction litigation, including 60+ days of examinations concerning delays, cost overruns, technical near-misses and deficiencies. Lead counsel for successful pre-trial business records application. Vanessa is Past Chair (2021-2023) of the CBA (BC Branch) Construction Law Section. She was the Co-Chair of the 2023 CBA Construction & Infrastructure Law Conference. Awards & Recognition- Lexpert ranked in Construction Law as Repeatedly Recommended (British Columbia, 2024)- Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyer (2023, 2024, 2025)- Lexpert "Leading Lawyer to Watch" in Construction Law (1 of 2 in British Columbia, 2023)- Lexpert “Lawyer to Watch” in Infrastructure Law (1 of 5 in Canada, 2023); Lexpert Ranked in Infrastructure Law, 2024 & 2025 - Short-listed nominee, Women's Infrastructure Network Emerging Leader Award (2023)- CBABC Community Supporter Award (2022)- On-Site Magazine "Top 40 Under 40 in Canadian Construction"(2020)