Brian Filips Partner, Practice Group Leader Overview Experience Professional Recognition Community News + Views + Events Client Stories Brian Filips - a former insurance claims examiner and adjuster for North America's largest insurer - is a civil litigation lawyer representing corporate clients throughout Alberta and elsewhere in Canada. With years of experience with complex insurance-related claims, Brian has earned a reputation for being accessible, for managing files with a cut-to-the-chase efficiency and for placing a premium on collaboration.
Brian's in-house experience processing large-loss bodily injury claims affords his clients a competitive advantage in insurance matters. This includes Brian's experience handling cases on both sides of the docket involving:
- Automobile
- Home
- Personal injury claims
- Construction
- Occupier's liability
- Property
- Cargo
- CGL
- Directors and officers
- Errors and omissions
- Subrogation
- Fiduciary and
- Life and disability
Clients also often turn to Brian for written opinions on insurance coverage and policy interpretation issues.
He has acted as counsel at all levels of Court in Alberta including Provincial Court, Queen's Bench and Court of Appeal. Brian served as Chair of the Canadian Bar Association's Insurance Section for Northern Alberta and is currently on the Edmonton Humane Society Board of Directors.
Value to Clients
Brian's in-house insurance experience gave him a first-hand appreciation for the cycle time of a file and the client's priority on closing a file. "I look at all of the possibilities from beginning to end," Brian notes, "advise the client accordingly and prepare their expectations."
"I pick up the phone and call my client," Brian explained. "It's a great way to communicate in cases when strategy needs to be part of the conversation. And, my clients know that they can get a hold of me directly."
Outside the Office
Brian says that he's proud of his service to the Humane Society. He's also into the martial arts practice of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.
Defence Research Institute Member 2011-Present Edmonton Insurance Association Member 2010-Present Canadian Defence Lawyers Member 2010-Present Canadian Bar Association Alberta, Civil Litigation Section (North) Member 2006-Present Canadian Bar Association Alberta, Insurance Law Section (North) Member 2006-Present Edmonton Bar Association Member 2001-Present Law Society of Alberta Member 2001-Present Canadian Bar Association Alberta, Insurance Law Section (North) Past Chair 2010-2011 Canadian Bar Association Alberta, Insurance Law Section (North) Chair 2009 - 2010 Canadian Bar Association Alberta, Insurance Law Section (North) Vice Chair 2008-2009 Canadian Bar Association Alberta, Insurance Law Section (North) Program Coordinator 2008-2009 Canadian Bar Association Alberta, Mentor Program Member 2007-2008 Listed Insurance Law The Best Lawyers™ in Canada 2019 "Future Star" Benchmark Canada 2018 Edmonton Humane Society Board of Directors 2010 - Present Edmonton Humane Society Volunteer 2007 - Present Edmonton Humane Society Vice Chair 2016 - 2016 Edmonton Police Services Volunteer 1997 - 1998 Student Legal Services of Edmonton 1997 - 1998 Owners: Condominium Plan No. 0625385 v Oxford Grande Ltd., 2017 ABQB 316Blicharz v Livingstone, 2014 ABQB 373, Alberta Court of Queen's Bench Nelson v. Industrial-Alliance Pacific Life Insurance Company, 2012 ABCA 1, Alberta Court of Appeal Genesis Land Development Corp. v. Alberta, 2010 ABCA 148, Alberta Court of Appeal Murhula v. Yetman, 2010 ABQB 655, Alberta Court of Queen's Bench Nelson v. Industrial-Alliance Pacific Life Insurance Company, 2010 ABQB 746, Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench Genesis Land Development Corp. v. Alberta, 2009 ABQB 221, Alberta Court of Queen's Bench Zubick v. Alberta Teachers' Association, 2009 ABCA 136, Alberta Court of Appeal Shipanoff v. Landry, 2008 ABQB 212, Alberta Court of Queen's Bench Zubick v. Alberta Teachers' Association, 2008 ABCA 388, Alberta Court of Appeal Zubick v. Alberta Teachers' Association, 2008 ABQB 582, Alberta Court of Queen's Bench Zubick v. Alberta Teachers' Association, 2008 ABQB 241, Alberta Court of Queen's Bench Zubick v. Alberta Teachers' Association, 2008 ABQB 5, Alberta Court of Queen's Benchv Janie Louise Ryan and Dennis Clifford Ryan v. Parmjit Singh Purba and Beant Kaur Purba, 2007 CanLII 2775, Supreme Court of Canada Purba v. Ryan, 2006 ABCA 229, Alberta Court of Appeal Purba v. Ryan, 2006 ABQB 127, Alberta Court of Queen's Bench September 2018 The Best Lawyers in Canada 2019 28 Field Law Lawyers Recognized Field Law is proud to announce that 28 of our lawyers have been included in the 13th edition of The Best Lawyers™ in Canada. These lawyers have been recognized in 17 service areas, resulting in a total of 36 rankings.Among the 28 Field Law l... May 2018 What is the Duty of Care owed by Bailee of a Vehicle to Innocent Third Parties on the Road? Insurance Alert Does a garage owner owe a duty of care to a third party who comes onto the businesses private property, steals a vehicle and is injured in a subsequent motor vehicle accident? The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that “a business will only owe a... March 2016 Dempsey v. Bagley, 2016 ABQB 124 - Lessors of Vehicles Still Vulnerable Under Workers Compensation Act April 2013 Housekeeping Damages and Dealing with Difficult Counsel April 2013 Occupier Liability Trends in Alberta March 2013 Dealing with Difficult Counsel March 2013 Use of Expert Witnesses at Trial March 2013 Video Killed the IME Star - The Effect of the New Rules of Court on Defence IMEs June 2012 Insurance Law Update May 2012 Minor Injury Regulations April 2012 Dealing with Difficult Counsel December 2011 Minor Injury Regulations October 2011 Minor Injury Regulations September 2011 Alberta Workers' Compensation Legislation September 2011 TMJ and the Minor Injury Regulation May 2011 Social/Commercial Host Issues February 2011 The Minor Injury Cap April 2010 Minor Injury Regulation February 2010 Sprains, Strains and Automobiles - The Cap is Here to Stay September 2009 Difficult Counsel, Surveillance and Privilege February 2009 Insurance 2008 Year in Review January 2009 Insurance 2008 Year in Review November 2008 Use & Operation of a Motor Vehicle November 2008 Use of Juries in Civil Litigation August 2008 Use & Operation of a Motor Vehicle June 2008 Minor Injury Cap March 2008 Life After the Cap February 2007 Various Insurance Topics December 2006 Minor Injury Cap October 2006 Lynne v. Taylor: A New Standard of Appellate Review in Alberta October 2006 Minor Injury Cap September 2006 Public Safety: Responsibilities of the Parking Lot Owner, Operator and the Public December 2003 Various Insurance Topics Resolving the issue and avoiding litigation
An Alberta-based insurance company needed help handling a potentially expensive, motor-vehicle accident claim with multiple parties and serious injuries. As Brian puts it, "We believed that the case was resolvable without further litigation steps. So, I picked up the phone and called the lawyer for the plaintiffs. I went over the issues, got him to look at his files and gave an assessment of the case. We resolved the claim with a single phone call."
Making the facts work for clients
In a case that went to court, Brian's insurance client was facing a huge liability damages claim in a personal injury case. The plaintiff who was representing himself had suffered a broken knee when struck by a vehicle in Fort McMurray, AB. Brian established for the Court that the plaintiff walked into the path of the vehicle, and the case was dismissed after two days of trial.
Education University of Alberta, 2000, Bachelor of Laws University of Alberta, 1996, Bachelor of Arts |
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