Bio
Jennifer Biernaskie is a litigation strategist who finds solutions. She skillfully analyzes a claim from all sides, considering both the present details and what will happen down the road. The end result is a forward-thinking strategy that shapes a successful future for her clients.
Her strong track record for resolving claims is based on skill, creative agreements and common sense in commercial litigation, insurance defence, and administrative law.
With particular proficiency in high-complexity matters, Jennifer skillfully handles the in-depth research and investigations required for intricate claims involving areas such as oil and gas, engineering, and professional liability.
In her commercial litigation practice, Jennifer has defended and prosecuted a wide range of contractual disputes, including shareholder issues, commercial and residential tenancy breaches, and employment and service agreements. She has unique experience in complex, multi-party litigation such as long-tail environmental losses, pipeline failures, intellectual property disputes, construction negligence, and class-action litigation.
Her experience in insurance defence includes claims involving professional liability, sexual abuse, property loss and injury claims. With a big-picture view of cases and her clients in corporate litigation, she believes in looking beyond a situation to what else is going on to help solve the problem. Never one to follow a typical, cookie-cutter approach, Jennifer thinks broader about the context of the dispute and how best to approach it. It’s how she got her reputation as an outstanding strategist.
Clients appreciate Jennifer’s down-to-earth manner combined with her responsive and quick approach. She is well known for detailed and comprehensive reports, as well as her focus on keeping costs down.
With extensive experience in eastern and western Canada, she has represented clients in a wide range of industries and settings, from aquaculture and off-shore oil and gas in the Atlantic, to engineering firms and land-based oil and gas in the Prairies.
In her insurance practice, Jennifer is equally skilled on both sides of the table and advises both insurers and policyholders on a variety of risk-management issues.
She has acted for insurers in Alberta and Nova Scotia as both defence and coverage counsel and provides coverage opinions to insurers in a wide range of sectors, including the aviation and auto industries.
She has represented policyholders in pollution and contamination claims and regularly defends claims involving professional negligence, property losses, pollution claims, motor vehicle accidents, slip and falls, and social/commercial host liability.
Her considerable trial experience covers courts at all levels and various other boards and tribunals in both Alberta and Nova Scotia.
In Alberta, Jennifer has appeared before the Alberta Court of Appeal, Alberta Court of King's Bench and Alberta’s Provincial Court.
In Nova Scotia, she has appeared before the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, Nova Scotia Labour Board, Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, the Nova Scotia Police Review Board, and the Provincial Court of Nova Scotia. When practising in Nova Scotia, Jennifer was appointed as a member of the Regional Assessment Appeal Court.
In her area of work, Jennifer knows her clients are facing real problems. She explains legal content clearly and helps her clients understand the issues, precisely guiding them through the process of litigation. She works strategically and efficiently to find solutions, because relieved clients, happy with their outcome, is always her goal.