We are lawyers with decades of litigation and conflict resolution experience. We are passionate about resolving disputes in a civil manner and outside of the confines of conventional litigation. We are “molders of consensus”.
We believe in preserving important personal and professional relationships, being pragmatic about problem solving and transparent in the resolution process. We also believe that the more you can participate in the process, the more effective the resolution.
Renee Collins
“A peace is of the nature of a conquest; for then both parties nobly are subdued, and neither party loser.”- William Shakespeare
Career Experience
Renee’s passion and skill for resolving disputes has been developed over more than 30 years as a practicing lawyer, mediator, senior manager and legal instructor. She mediates a broad range of disputes, with an emphasis on commercial, insurance, injury and estate matters. She also provides facilitation services, assisting boards and partnerships with succession planning and governance conflicts.
Renee brings a broad range of legal experience to her mediation practice. Her private practice work included corporate commercial litigation, insurance, medical malpractice, personal injury, family and estate law. She has worked with all walks of life including executives, board members, members of indigenous communities, educators, entrepreneurs, medical professionals and private individuals.
In addition to practicing law and mediating, Renee has occupied senior managerial roles with both the Law Society of BC and Mediate BC. At Mediate BC she was the Manager of the Civil and Family Rosters, and in this capacity oversaw all aspects of Roster membership, liaising with law groups, corporations and legal interest groups to raise awareness of and proficiency with mediation. At the Law Society she was the Manager of Governance and Board Relations, directly supporting the CEO, Benchers and Executive Committee in all aspects of Law Society corporate governance. From 2018 – 2024 she was also a sessional instructor with PLTC, the Law Society’s Professional Legal Training Course, teaching a broad range of substantive law and practical skills to newly graduated law students prior to their call to the Bar. In 2024 she also served as the Director of PLTC, helping to shepherd the program through leadership transition.
Alongside each of these endeavors, Renee has continued to mediate legal claims and conflicts, facilitate governance and succession planning with boards and partnerships, and coach individuals through times of professional and personal growth.
Renee received her law degree in 1991 and was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1992. She did her mediation training through the CLEBC as well as the Justice Institute of BC, and is a proud member of the Civil Roster of Mediate B.C with the RRM designation. She is also a trained coach, having achieved the Advanced Level coaching training through the Justice Institute. She now teaches CLE’s Fundamentals of Mediation with her good friend and colleague, Mark Tweedy, and continues to teach the mediation module of PLTC to the whole PLTC cohort each session.
Dispute resolution approach
Renee’s approach to mediation differs depending on the clients and the issues. Some call for a more facilitative approach, one that allows the parties and their lawyers freedom to discuss and collaborate with neutral guidance from the mediator. Others benefit from a more actively involved mediator, one who understands the needs of the clients and assist with goal setting and reality checking. Renee is flexible with her approach and happy to work with counsel and clients to determine the most effective and productive path to resolution.
Each conflict, and each party involved, calls for unique strategies. Renee has developed many methods to draw from – a colleague describes her legal resolution skills this way: “She finds the best approach for each situation, an approach that is informed by the parties themselves and tailored to their interests.”
A former client adds, “To know Renee is to know that she will be focused on the objective of reaching a resolution that all parties will feel they have been fairly treated with respect and understanding and find that they are able to reach a consensus where they will feel the right thing has been done.”
When she’s not working…
Renee’s personal time involves a lot of music, a lot of sports and a whole lot of family. As a singer, she has appeared on TV, and in a variety of live musical performances, including singing the Canadian anthem for the B.C. Lions for a season. She has also performed with an assortment of musicians including big band orchestras, choirs, jazz ensembles, Michael Creber and his band, The Irish Rovers and symphonies. And as lead singer of the Falcon Band, she and her band mates celebrated their win of the Battle of the Bar Bands at the Commodore Ballroom in 2017.
Renee is also an avid hockey fan (forever asking the age-old question, will she live to see a Canucks’ Stanley Cup…?) and has a passion for soccer. She has played competitive and recreational soccer since she was eight years old and has coached both adult and kids teams. When not singing, watching hockey, playing soccer or doing yoga, she can also be found hiking trails with her three dogs and hanging out with her daughters and granddaughter, her three favourite humans.
Elyn Underhill
In 2009 Elyn decided it was time to expand her skill set into the area of mediation. This was an obvious choice for her as a lawyer as she was able to effectively and efficiently resolve many disputes before trial and enjoyed working with clients and opposing counsel to work out settlements that suit all parties needs. Elyn is a proud member of the Civil Roster of Mediate B.C. and enjoys mediating and facilitating the resolution of issues where such is in the interest of the parties.
Elyn’s background is diverse. She obtained a bachelor of arts degree at Trent university in 1981 and the went on to get a law degree from Osgoode Hall law school in 1984. She articled at one of the big law firms in Vancouver in 1985 and then decided to do graduate studies in England and obtained a master of laws degree with merit from the London School of Economics in 1988. After obtaining that degree she worked mainly in the area of marine law with forays into other areas of transportation such as rail, air and road. She has handled a wide variety of cases including personal injury, insurance coverage issues, cargo claims, ownership disputes, product liability, and repair’s negligence. She has practiced law for over 25 years taking matters to various levels of the supreme and federal courts. On the solicitor’s side of the practice she has drafted and reviewed various commercial documents such as charterparties, letters of credit, bills of lading, marine mortgages, passenger tickets and settlement agreements. Elyn continues to sharpen her communication and resolution skill set by attending various courses and participating in workshops designed for that purpose.
Elyn is a keen competitor and sport enthusiast having played volleyball at an international level and received an athletic scholarship to an American university. Currently she enjoys her tennis and is a keen rower. Elyn loves to travel and enjoys most outdoor activities. She was able to combine these interests on a recent 14 day trek through the Mustang Valley on the Tibetan Plateau.
Testimonials
“It is not by chance that Renee has settled hundreds of legal disputes outside of a courtroom. She genuinely believes that settlements are possible in almost all circumstances. She finds the best approach for each situation, an approach that is informed by the parties themselves and tailored to their interests.”
– Kevin Lee, Lawyer, Ratcliff & Company
“Renee is confident… She has a clear understanding of the principles of interest-based mediation and demonstrated a high level of skills.”
– Wendy Lakusta
“Renee has a very relaxed and professional manner that puts the parties at ease.”
– Sally O’Sullivan, Mediator
“There are many aspects of Renee’s character and her values that make her eminently qualified to be engaged by those clientele who are seeking to resolve their issues. Renee always has the most realistic and high level view of the entire situation. It does not take Renee very long to know and understand all the elements of any particular situation.
She was very well versed in the primary elements and educated herself on any supplementary elements so as to become more knowledgeable that all other parties at the table, myself included. Renee always managed a strong positive demeanor while pushing forward on her well-developed strategy and presentation to the parties at the table.
The ethics and professionalism that are a very significant part of her makeup are amongst the highest one will ever find in her business undertakings. Renee somehow commands respect from everyone who has the pleasure of interacting with her. She has a sensitivity that always seems to be on the mark. It is impossible to work with Renee and not feel her strength, highest of values and related attributes.
If you ever have the pleasure to meet and work with Renee, you will find her to be focused, professional, fair and well balanced, very ethical and honorable. To know Renee is to know that she will be focused on the objective of reaching a resolution that all parties will feel they have been fairly treated with respect and understanding and find that they are able to reach a consensus where they will feel the right thing has been done. Agreement is inevitable and the outcome will most assuredly be fair, balanced and reasonable.”
– Don Osman, FEIC, P.Eng. (Ret) (former client)
