Brian Vail is a partner in the firm’s Edmonton office with more than 30 years of experience representing individuals, businesses and public institutions in a broad range of civil and criminal litigation matters before trial and appellate courts throughout Alberta. He has extensive experience with cases involving a combination of civil and criminal law issues in multiple venues, defending businesses, individuals and public institutions facing emotionally-charged claims and complaints of embezzlement, sexual offences, misconduct or other serious wrong-doing.  

Brian is well versed with respect to using electronic evidence and social media in litigation.  He feels it is important to keep up to date on the law and to look for common ground and shared concerns on every file so as to facilitate resolution by settlement if possible and by litigation if necessary.  He takes satisfaction from taking the mystery out of the law applicable to his clients’ situations.

Brian's practice is primarily focused on the following:

• Emerging Technology and Privacy – cyber-liability, autonomous (driverless) vehicles and related insurance issues
• Criminal Defence – assault, sexual offences, child pornography offences and internet luring offences, embezzlement, fraud 
• Insurance – approved litigation defence counsel for several major insurers throughout Canada
• Education Law – defence of teachers and schools against all types of misconduct claims
• Personal Injury – defence of motor vehicle accident, work accident, product liability and other negligence claims
• Complex Commercial Litigation – breach of contract, shareholder actions and partner disputes 

Before joining Field Law, Brian articled with the Alberta Court of Appeal. He has spoken at industry events and published numerous papers discussing trending topics in emerging technology, privacy and cyber-liability, autonomous vehicles, social media in litigation, criminal, insurance,  personal injury, and education law. He is also a former sessional lecturer at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Law.  Brian was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 2012.

Brian is a member and past chair of the National Insurance Section of the Canadian Bar Association and past chair or co-chair of the Insurance, Criminal Justice and Education Law subsections of the Canadian Bar Association (Northern Alberta).  He is also currently a member of the Privacy and Intellectual Property/Technology  subsections.  He is a past chair and current member of the Canadian Defence Lawyers and a member of the Defence Research Institute and the Criminal Trial Lawyers Association.

Outside the Office

Brian is an avid reader of history and science fiction and an amateur archer.