Elizabeth is a senior partner at Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP providing legal advice on various matters including mergers and acquisitions for public and private companies; corporate governance issues; establishment of commercial and “not for profit” corporations; corporate reorganizations; arrangements to achieve a division of assets and the creation of a new public entities; arrangements to affect merger of companies, including pooling of interests and general corporate advice to clients including advice on incentive and employee stock compensation plans and deferred unit plans. Her legal experience has involved contracting with international companies and contracting in international venues.
Elizabeth has lectured extensively on the Canada Business Corporations Act and has advised boards and general counsel on Corporate Governance issues. She was the Executive Director of the Wise-Persons’ Committee on securities reform in 2003.
Elizabeth served as Chair of BC Ferry Services Inc. and developed relationships with officials in the British Columbia government, as well as in Northern British Columbia, such as Prince Rupert.
Lexpert, the most respected legal publication in Canada, has consistently named Elizabeth among the leading 500 lawyers in Canada, as well as among the Top 100 US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada in Corporate, Commercial and Mergers and Acquisitions.
Lexpert also named Elizabeth among the Top 25 Women Lawyers in Canada and the Top Creative Lawyers in Canada.
In May 2009 Elizabeth won the Performance and Excellence PEAK award from Women in Finance.
In October 2009, Elizabeth was given a Zenith Award by Lexpert. This was the inaugural award to women who have succeeded in business law and managed through the labyrinth.
Elizabeth has received a “Very High to Pre-eminent” legal ability rating from Martindale-Hubbell, an authoritative and global source for identifying leading lawyers and law firms.
Best Lawyers in Canada, a well respected peer-review publication in the legal profession, names Elizabeth among the leading lawyers in Canada in the areas of Corporate Law, Securities Law, Mergers & Acquisitions.
Elizabeth has served on the Board of Directors of the International Finance Centre, St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation, The Vancouver Opera and Crofton House School (Vice-Chair). She was recently Chair of the Board of Directors of BC Ferries and was involved in drafting of the legislation that established the BC Ferry Authority and BC Ferry Services Inc. She is currently on the Board of Directors of the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs.
Education
Queen’s Counsel (1986)
Admitted to the British Columbia Bar (1973)
University of Alberta (LL.B., 1972)
University of Alberta (B.A., 1971
