Precedent Setters
& Breakthroughs
At VanBuskirk Law, we consider it our duty to courageously pursue the best outcomes for our clients even when that’s hard. If proceeding to a trial is the right thing to do, then that’s what we’ll do. While not all cases end the way we’d like, we’ve been very fortunate to obtain a series of precedent-setting outcomes and other legal breakthroughs, including:
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Dornan v PNB (Court of King’s Bench), a record-setting damages award upheld by the Court of King’s Bench:
New Brunswick v Dornan, 2023 NBKB 225 (CanLII), https://canlii.ca/t/k2n8b
N.B. seeks to quash record-breaking $2M awarded to fired Horizon CEO Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon · CBC News
N.B. court upholds record $2M payout to fired Horizon CEO Dr. John Dornan • CBC via Yahoo! News
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Dornan v PNB (PSLRA Arbitration), a record-setting $2M employment damages case
Dornan v New Brunswick (Health), 2023 CanLII 10433 (NB LA), https://canlii.ca/t/jvj44
Fired New Brunswick health network CEO awarded $2M in unjust dismissal case • Global News
Largest-ever unjust firing award of $2 million given out in New Brunswick | Canadian HR Reporter• Canadian HR Reporter
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Blaney v PNB (Human Rights), at more than $700,000, the highest human rights award in New Brunswick history:
Blaney v New Brunswick (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency), 2025 CanLII 85778 (NB LEB), https://canlii.ca/t/kf2ng
Former PC cabinet minister in N.B. wins case over firing by Liberals | CBC News Jacques Poitras · CBC News
N.B. government will apologize to former P.C. minister for firing | CBC News Jacques Poitras · CBC News
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Morrow v Aviva Canada (Court of Appeal), the first employment law summary judgment award in New Brunswick:
Morrow v. Aviva Canada Inc., 2004 NBCA 100 (CanLII), https://canlii.ca/t/1jg0v
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Poirier v Van Horlick (Court of King’s Bench), the highest award for workplace violence in New Brunswick:
Natasha Poirier v Bruce Randolph “Randy” Van Horlick, 2022 NBQB 54 (CanLII), https://canlii.ca/t/jnldh
Man who attacked nurses ordered to pay more after contempt hearing | CBC News Shane Magee · CBC News
Man successfully sued by Moncton nurse he attacked is ordered to appear in court - Yahoo News Canada CBC · Yahoo! News
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Rothesay Residents Assoc. v Rothesay (Court of Appeal), a ground-breaking administrative tribunal apprehension of bias case:
Rothesay Residents Association Inc. v. Rothesay Heritage Preservation & Review Board et al., 2006 NBCA 61 (CanLII), https://canlii.ca/t/1nfq1
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Hampton v Thirty-Five Charlotte Ltd (Court of King’s Bench), the first-ever Wallace Factor damages award in New Brunswick:
Hampton v. Thirty-Five Charlotte Ltd., 1999 CanLII 32713 (NB KB), https://canlii.ca/t/g93z6