Michael Silva joined Whitelaw Twining in June 2003 and became a Partner at the Firm in 2009. He practices in the area of general litigation, with a focus on transportation matters. Mike is one of two partners in charge of our Firm’s Marine & Transportation, Road Maintenance and Subrogation practice groups.
Michael has appeared on behalf of clients in British Columbia Provincial and Supreme Courts, the British Columbia Court of Appeal, in Federal Court, and in a variety of administrative tribunals. He has effectively resolved matters involving vessel and motor carrier collisions, marina fires, cargo claims, helicopter crashes, ship and aviation repair and construction disputes, and derailments.
In addition to his litigation practice, Michael has performed a number of corporate/solicitor related tasks for his marine and trucking clients. This solicitor-based work has focused on risk management and contract drafting, and has included:
negotiation and drafting of complex, client specific carriage and towage agreements;
negotiation and drafting of multimodal transportation contracts to ship aircraft fuselages from Asia to British Columbia by sea, and the subsequent transport by truck to manufacturing and assembly facilities in Quebec;
drafting of sales, warehousing and shipping contracts for both the perishable and non-perishable food and beverage industry;
risk management and regulatory work for motor truck transport of hazardous cargo;
preparation of standard term contracts and Bills of Lading for towboat operators, motor truck carriers and freight forwarders, and advice respecting the proper and effective use of same;
negotiation and drafting of complex dock and terminal use agreements, and related carriage agreements;
purchase and sale, escrow, offshore delivery and related Pleasurecraft and Yacht purchase contracts;
advising on insurance issues and drafting of specific endorsements;
drafting marine related insurance policy wordings;
preparation of Independent Contractor & Employee Protection Agreements for the shipbuilding industry.
