What kind of law does Branch MacMaster practice?

Branch MacMaster is a small litigation firm concentrated in three areas: class actions, health law, and insurance litigation. Its lawyers also handle related matters like personal injury and intellectual property litigation, and they appear before all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

Does Branch MacMaster represent plaintiffs or defendants in class actions?

Both. The firm has acted for plaintiffs, defendants, insurers, governments, and health profession regulators in class actions, work it has been doing for over 25 years.

Is the Toronto office Branch MacMaster's head office?

No. The firm is headquartered in Vancouver, where it has practiced from 777 Hornby Street since it was founded in August 1998. The Toronto office at 175 Carlton Street is a second location that handles litigation in Ontario.

Can Branch MacMaster help with a professional discipline or licensing complaint?

The firm's health law practice represents health care practitioners and health profession regulators in discipline proceedings, hospital privilege disputes, and related regulatory matters.

Does Branch MacMaster handle personal injury claims?

Lawyers at the firm handle personal injury litigation on both the defence and plaintiff sides. One of the firm's lawyers was recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada in 2024 for personal injury litigation.

How long has Branch MacMaster been practicing?

Since August 1998, when Jim MacMaster and Ward Branch left Faskens to start the firm. Its class action practice alone spans more than 25 years.

Branch MacMaster LLP | LawOnline Directory

About Branch MacMaster LLP

Branch MacMaster LLP is a small litigation firm founded in Vancouver in August 1998 by Jim MacMaster and Ward Branch, who left the national firm Faskens to start their own practice. The firm is headquartered at 777 Hornby Street in Vancouver, an address it has occupied since it opened, with a second office at 175 Carlton Street in Toronto. It concentrates on three practice areas, class actions, health law, and insurance litigation, and its lawyers appear before all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada. Many hold standing in more than one law society, among them British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.

The founders wanted a smaller, specialized litigation practice rather than a spot at a large firm, describing their approach as big firm law in a small firm context. Ward Branch authored the textbook Class Actions in Canada and was appointed to the BC Supreme Court in June 2017. Jim MacMaster retired that October. The class action practice is unusual in that it acts for both plaintiffs and defendants. In 2022, The Globe and Mail and Statista named Branch MacMaster one of Canada's Best Law Firms in Healthcare and Life Sciences.

Practice areas

Class Actions

Administrative & Regulatory Law

Insurance Law

Civil Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Intellectual Property

Personal Injury

Milestones & recognition

Founded in August 1998 when Jim MacMaster and Ward Branch left Faskens to start their own litigation practice.
Don Lebans joined the firm in October 1998 and became its longest serving partner.
Ward Branch authored the textbook Class Actions in Canada before an appointment to the BC Supreme Court in June 2017.
Jim MacMaster retired from the firm in October 2017.
The Globe and Mail and Statista named Branch MacMaster one of Canada's Best Law Firms for 2022 in Healthcare and Life Sciences.
A lawyer at the firm was recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada in 2024 for personal injury litigation.

In the community

The firm and McInnes Cooper made a $1 million donation from the Manuge SISIP Clawback class action settlement that helped establish the Veterans Legal Assistance Foundation, which funds legal help for Canadian veterans pursuing benefit claims.
A lawyer at the firm has volunteered with Access Justice Pro Bono for many years.

Good to know

Wheelchair accessible A calendar with a checkmark beside a clock

By appointment

Lawyers 24

This firm’s lawyers at a glance

Called to the bar: 1986–2021 · median 10 years in practice 11 of 24 lawyers
Law schools: University of British Columbia (5), Thompson Rivers University (3), University of Toronto (3), University of Victoria (3), McGill University (2), Osgoode Hall Law School and 5 more 22 of 24 lawyers
Languages on the roster: Hindi, Korean, Punjabi

Who handles what

Offices 2

Vancouver (Head Office)604-654-2999

1410-777 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1S4, Canada

Toronto416-915-4152

175 Carlton Street, Toronto, Ontario M5A 2K3, Canada

The neighbourhood

Branch MacMaster's Toronto office sits at 175 Carlton Street, near Sherbourne Street, on the edge of Cabbagetown and the Moss Park area in downtown Toronto's east end. It's a satellite of a firm headquartered in Vancouver, where Branch MacMaster has practiced from 777 Hornby Street since it opened in 1998. The Toronto location lets the firm's litigators handle work in Ontario courts and before Ontario regulators without relocating a Vancouver based practice.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of law does Branch MacMaster practice?: Branch MacMaster is a small litigation firm concentrated in three areas: class actions, health law, and insurance litigation. Its lawyers also handle related matters like personal injury and intellectual property litigation, and they appear before all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada.
Does Branch MacMaster represent plaintiffs or defendants in class actions?: Both. The firm has acted for plaintiffs, defendants, insurers, governments, and health profession regulators in class actions, work it has been doing for over 25 years.
Is the Toronto office Branch MacMaster's head office?: No. The firm is headquartered in Vancouver, where it has practiced from 777 Hornby Street since it was founded in August 1998. The Toronto office at 175 Carlton Street is a second location that handles litigation in Ontario.
Can Branch MacMaster help with a professional discipline or licensing complaint?: The firm's health law practice represents health care practitioners and health profession regulators in discipline proceedings, hospital privilege disputes, and related regulatory matters.
Does Branch MacMaster handle personal injury claims?: Lawyers at the firm handle personal injury litigation on both the defence and plaintiff sides. One of the firm's lawyers was recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada in 2024 for personal injury litigation.
How long has Branch MacMaster been practicing?: Since August 1998, when Jim MacMaster and Ward Branch left Faskens to start the firm. Its class action practice alone spans more than 25 years.

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Listing compiled from the firm’s public website in August 2026. Verify licence status in the Law Society of British Columbia directory ↗