Faculty members affiliated with the Centre for Business Law are continuously advancing business law scholarship through leading-edge research. Focused on a broad range of areas connected to business law, the Centre’s research is interdisciplinary in focus and global in influence.
The Centre has published interviews with adjunct faculty members in its quarterly newsletters:
Adjunct Profiles
Karim Amlani is the Adjunct Professor for the Corporate Counsel Externship, as well as a Senior Director of Legal at Hootsuite where he leads a team supporting the corporate, product and procurement functions. At Hootsuite, he has closed M&A/financing transactions, negotiated business critical agreements with social networks, developed company-wide processes and considered the use of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. Karim also sits on the Dean's Advisory Committee for the Centre for Business Law at the University of British Columbia and frequently contributes to industry activities within the legal community.
Published July 2023
Tyson is an associate at DLA Piper (Canada) LLP focusing on video game, information technology, and e-commerce businesses, as well as emerging and growth stage companies. Tyson has been a Adjunct Professor for the RBS Business Law Clinic since the 2020/2021 academic year.
Published May 2019
Gavyn is an Associate at DLA Piper’s Vancouver office. He is a corporate law generalist and a trusted advisor in the areas of commercial law, corporate governance, securities law, corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions. He advises companies at all stages of their lifecycle in a range of industries, including information technology, fintech, biotech, ecommerce, entertainment, and emerging markets. He frequently advises clients on a variety of corporate commercial matters, including purchase and sale transactions, business combinations, corporate finance, licences and services agreements, and the negotiation of other complex strategic relationships.
Published June 2024
John Alsbergas is a capital markets lawyer with a growing practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, public and private financings, initial public offerings, startups and emerging companies, as well as venture capital. He also provides ongoing advice to issuers regarding securities regulatory compliance, stock exchange matters, continuous disclosure obligations and general corporate law.
Published June 2024
Ryan J. Black, partner at DLA Piper (Canada)'s Vancouver office, was appointed as Clinic Adjunct in the Business Law Clinic for the 2019/2020 academic year. He has extensive experience in technology-related business law and is currently a member of the Dean's Advisory Committee for the Centre. Additionally, in 2017 he was named as one of Canada’s leading lawyers under 40 in Lexpert’s annual Rising Stars edition. He has made an undeniably positive impact on the industries he serves, as well as the Clinic during his tenure.
Published August 2019
Aminollah Sabzevari, BSc (Honours), JD, LLM, is an experienced litigator with the Department of Justice Canada. He represents the Federal Crown in complex insolvency proceedings under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act. Amin teaches insolvency law (Law 444) and creditors’ remedies (Law 443). He has been a panelist and presenter for events hosted by the Centre for Business Law, the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia, the Annual Review of Insolvency Law, and the Department of Justice’s Commercial Taxation Committee.
Published August 2024
Pavan Jawanda received his B.B.A. from Simon Fraser University in 2003 and his LL.B. from the University of British Columbia in 2008. As a Partner at McCarthy Tétrault LLP (Gold Affiliate of the Centre), his practice is primarily focused on advising public and private companies and private equity firms from a range of industries on domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, corporate finance, venture capital, and other corporate and commercial transactions. Prior to joining McCarthy Tétrault, Pavan was a corporate lawyer with Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP where he was based in its New York office from 2008 to 2012 and in its Hong Kong office from 2012 to 2014. He is also a Certified Public Accountant and was previously an auditor with KPMG LLP. Next semester, Mr. Jawanda will teach Topics in Corporate Law: Financial Accounting in Legal Practice at the Allard School of Law.
Published Winter 2019
Mr. Festinger is a Vancouver based counsel and educator. As an Adjunct Professor, he has taught a wide variety of law courses relating to intellectual property, media & communications, and business over more than 25 years at the law school at UBC. He is a Professor of Professional Practice at Simon Fraser University, a faculty member of the Centre for Digital Media, and Honorary Industry Professor in the Centre for Commercial Studies, Queen Mary University of London School of Law. Mr. Festinger is the author of the first edition of Video Game Law published by LexisNexis in 2005, and co-author of the second edition published in 2012, and is Co-editor and Chief of the Interactive Entertainment Law Journal. Additionally, he practices law through Festinger Law & Strategy. He is Chair of viaSport B.C. and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia’s Rule of Law and Lawyer Independence Advisory Committee.
Published Spring 2019
Ms. Chow is the Vice President Legal and General Counsel at Keg Restaurants Ltd., where her broad portfolio includes legal matters such as financing, real estate and leasing, business development, franchising, key partnership agreements, risk management, insurance, litigation, trademark protection, and corporate compliance. Before joining The Keg in 2006, she had a thriving private practice as a commercial and real property lawyer in Alberta and British Columbia.
Published Winter 2018
Erika Tse holds a law degree from Dalhousie University, a Bachelor of Commerce degree from UBC, and her ICD.D (directors education program) from the Institute of Corporate Directors, Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Currently, she is Chief Legal Officer, Corporate Secretary, and Vice-President of Human Resources for GLENTEL Inc. From 2018-2023, she taught and oversaw students in the Corporate Counsel Externship.
Published Fall 2018, Edited Summer 2023
Ms. Baron is a Co-Director of the Business Law Clinic and an Adjunct Professor at the Allard School of Law. She was called to the Bar in British Columbia in 2004, and assists small business clients with a variety of matters including incorporations, share structure, non-competition agreements and other contracts. Ms. Baron has helped many non-profit societies with their incorporations, bylaws and ongoing governance. She also practices estate planning and estate administration.
Published Summer 2018
