Maya Ollek

Associate

Maya Ollek is an Associate at Sugden McFee Roos who brings a sharp intellect, strategic thinking, and a client-focused approach to her civil litigation, public law and administrative law practice. She is an astute and effective advocate for her clients. Maya has appeared as counsel in a wide array of settings, including in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal of British Columbia, before diverse administrative law and professional disciplinary bodies, in mediation, and before the Commission of Inquiry into Money Laundering in British Columbia.

Before completing law school, in which she received awards for leadership and academic excellence, Maya spent several years working on human rights policy in conflict and post-conflict settings, including as Canada’s lead policy advisor on human rights and governance in Afghanistan at Global Affairs Canada.

Outside her work, Maya can be found deeply engrossed in cooking adventures, out in the woods, on her bike, and volunteering in her community.

Clerked for the Hon Justice Rosalie Abella at the Supreme Court of Canada, 2015 – 2016
Clerked at the British Columbia Supreme Court, 2014 – 2015

Education

J.D., University of Toronto, 2014
Visiting Student, University of California-Berkeley, Faculty of Law, 2013 – 2014
M.A. (Honours), McGill University, 2008
B.A. (First Class Honours), McGill University 2005

Bar Admissions

Ontario, 2016
British Columbia, 2019

Areas of Practise

Recognition

Prosser Award, Employment Discrimination, University of California (Berkeley) Faculty of Law, 2014
Frank J. Callaghan Memorial Moot, First Place, University of Toronto Faculty of Law, 2013
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP Professional Excellence Award, 2012

Memberships

Canadian Bar Association

Community Involvement

Access Pro Bono – Court of Appeal Program
Member, Board of Directors, Elizabeth Bagshaw Clinic (Past Co-Chair, 2020 – 2022)

Representative Matters

Chu v China Southern Airlines Company Limited, 2023 BCSC 21: Acted with Jessica Lithwick as counsel for the plaintiff, a wrongfully dismissed 67-year-old former senior manager, at summary trial. The Court awarded the plaintiff 20 months’ salary for failure to provide reasonable notice, $50,000 in aggravated damages for mental distress suffered due to the employer’s breach of duty of good faith and fair dealing in the manner of the dismissal and $100,000 in punitive damages for the employer’s highly blameworthy, abusive, and reprehensible conduct.

McLeod v. Law Society of British Columbia, 2022 BCCA 280, Acted as appellate counsel for the Law Society in an appeal by a member of findings by a Hearing Panel that he committed professional misconduct and cross-appeal by the Law Society.

Pinnacle Gaming Solutions Inc. v. BC Lottery Corporation, 2022 BCSC 1177, Successfully opposed an application to add a Defendant to a lawsuit alleging, among other things, negligence and misfeasance of public office.

McLeod (Re), 2022 LSBC 24, Acted as discipline counsel for the Law Society in a hearing on penalty.

Cullen Commission into Money Laundering in British Columbia, Acted as counsel for the President and Chief Executive Officer of the British Columbia Lottery Corporation

Wilson (Re), 2020 LSBC 20, Acted as discipline counsel for the Law Society in a hearing on penalty against a lawyer who committed professional misconduct

Ip v. Wilson, 2019 BCCA 189, Successfully opposed appeal of a registrant seeking the production of documents in a petition proceeding for judicial review

About Maya

Previous Lawyer

Jessie Meikle-Kahs

Next Lawyer

Jennifer Crosman