Karen Martin, KC

Karen Martin, KC is a Partner at Dentons in Vancouver, serving as Vancouver Co-Leader of the Construction group and National Co-Leader of the Construction group, specializing in Infrastructure Law. She is recognized as one of Canada's leading construction and infrastructure lawyers with more than three decades of experience advising on complex construction, infrastructure, transportation, municipal, and mining projects.

Karen focuses on resolving project execution challenges and avoiding disputes before they escalate. She provides strategic advice on procurement, design, and construction, and drafts construction contracts to support dispute avoidance. She has acted as counsel in mediations, arbitrations, and litigation of construction claims, and has served as a mediator, referee, dispute board member, and arbitrator. Notable matters include defending engineering firm Knight Piésold Ltd in litigation related to the Mount Polley Mine tailings storage facility breach; acting as counsel for the City of Victoria on disputes regarding the Johnson Street Bridge; representing the City of Richmond in litigation involving the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant; and serving as counsel for a joint venture design‑builder on a large Canadian P3 infrastructure project. She has extensive experience in tenders, RFPs, builders' liens, engineering issues, and negligence claims.

Karen holds an LL.B from the University of British Columbia (1984) and completed a Mediation Workshop at Harvard Law School (2003). She is a Certified Arbitrator and has been admitted to the British Columbia Bar since 1985.

Karen has achieved the highest peer ranking recognitions, including a Band 1 Chambers rating and a Legal 500 Hall of Fame rating. She is a longstanding Fellow and Past President of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers and is consistently recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada in Construction Law, Corporate and Commercial Litigation, and Alternative Dispute Resolution.