Tara Callan

Tara Callan is an experienced litigator with a broad civil litigation, health, class action, administrative, and appellate practice. She has experience working on personal injury, complex commercial matters, royal commissions and high-profile criminal prosecutions.

As Legal Counsel, she appears in all levels of tribunals and courts in British Columbia and the Supreme Court of Canada. Many of her files are complex, high-profile and strategically important. For example, Tara successfully represented her clients in high profile cases involving Crown Prosecutor liability (Clark v. Ontario and Miazga v. Kvello), successfully represented her client on issues of cabinet privilege in the Ontario v. CBC appeal at the Supreme Court of Canada (the Doug Ford mandate letter case), as well as successfully represented her clients in numerous health law matters at the Supreme Court of Canada and British Columbia Court of Appeal. Tara also was counsel before the Cohen Commission, the Jericho Hill School Class Action, and in Bennett v. British Columbia (one of British Columbia's first class action common issues trials.)

Tara joined Preszler Law BC in Vancouver in 2024 after twenty-three years of practice with the Province of British Columbia, where she focussed on complex government litigation, health, class actions, and malicious prosecution lawsuits. Prior to working with the Ministry of Attorney General she articled at a large international firm.

Tara graduated from Western University with a B.Sc.(Hons) in Pharmacology and Toxicology and obtained her Law Degree from Queens' University.

In 2018 Tara won the Attorney General and Public Safety and Solicitor General's Leadership Award.

Tara is an active volunteer in the profession, the community and LSB. Within the profession, Tara has volunteered with the Professional Legal Training Course and is a regular volunteer with the Canadian Bar Association.

Tara was the Vice President of the British Columbia Government Lawyers Association from 2021 to 2023, volunteered with the Professional Employees Association, and has lectured at in-house CLE's for lawyers. Tara is, and has been, a trusted mentor for many young lawyers, and has undertaken the role of Principal and Supervising Litigation Counsel.

In the community, Tara is an avid fan of the arts and regularly volunteers backstage with the Goh Ballet as a parent volunteer. She is a talented ice dancer and, in the past, volunteered as an assistant figure skating coach. She also mentors and provides guidance to students at Western University. She enjoys fundraising for various local charities.

Selected Reported Decisions

Supreme Court of Canada Advocacy

• Chung v. British Columbia, [2023] S.C.C.A. No. 403


• Eastside Pharmacy Ltd. v. British Columbia (Minister of Health), [2022] S.C.C.A. No. 381


• Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario as represented by the Minister of Energy v. Quality Program Services Inc., 2020 CanLII 74020 (SCC)


• Miazga v. Kvello Estate, 2009 SCC 51


• Miazga v. Kvello Estate, [2007] S.C.C.A. 506


• Ontario (Attorney General) v. Clark, 2021 SCC 18


• Ontario v. Ontario (Attorney General) v. Ontario (Information and Privacy Commissioner), 2024 SCC 4


• Poonian v. British Columbia Securities Commission, [2022] S.C.C.A. No. 380

Court of Appeal Advocacy

• Barclay (Guardian ad litem of) v. British Columbia, 2006 BCCA 434


• Barclay (Guardian ad litem of) v. British Columbia, 2005 BCCA 382


• Bennett v. British Columbia, 2012 BCCA 115


• Bennett v. British Columbia, 2007 BCCA 5


• Chung v. British Columbia, 2023 BCCA 294


• Delivery Drugs Ltd. (c.o.b. Gastown Pharmacy) v. British Columbia (Deputy Minister of Health), 2007 BCCA 550


• Eastside Pharmacy Ltd. v. British Columbia (Minister of Health), 2022 BCCA 259


• Eastside Pharmacy Ltd. v. British Columbia (Minister of Health), 2021 BCCA 280


• Este v. Esteghamat-Ardakani, (unreported May 26, 2017)


• Gamble v. Canada (AG) et. al. 2011 BCCA 488


• Green v. Proline, (unreported Nov. 20, 2017)


• Meghji v. British Columbia (Ministry of Transportation and Highways), 2014 BCCA 345


• Meghji v. Lee, 2014 BCCA 105


• Pete v. Axworthy, 2005 BCCA 449


• R. v. Mastronardi, 2012 BCCA 364


• Sam v. Wilson, 2007 BCCA 622

British Columbia Supreme Court Advocacy

• Adams v. British Columbia, [2013] B.C.J. No. 627


• Atkinson (Guardian ad litem of) v. British Columbia, [2004] B.C.J. No. 3036


• Bacon v. Surrey Pretrial Services Centre, 2022 BCSC 838


• Bacon v. Surrey Pretrial Services Centre, [2012] B.C.J. No. 2030


• Bacon v. Surrey Pretrial Services Centre, [2010] B.C.J. No. 1080


• Barclay (Guardian ad litem of) v. British Columbia, [2005] B.C.J. No. 979


• Bennett v. British Columbia, [2009] B.C.J. No. 1955


• Bennett v. British Columbia, [2005] B.C.J. No. 2636


• British Columbia v. Canadian Cartographic Ltd., [2007] B.C.J. No. 1339


• British Columbia (Securities Commission) v. Hrappstead, [2009] B.C.J. No. 1736


• Chung v. British Columbia, 2022 BCSC 829


• Community Outreach Pharmacy Ltd. v. British Columbia (Minister of Health), [2017] B.C.J. No. 1836


• Delivery Drugs Ltd. (c.o.b. Gastown Pharmacy) v. British Columbia (Deputy Minister of Health), [2006] B.C.J. No. 893


• East to West Holistic Pharmacy Ltd. v. British Columbia (Minister of Health), [2015] B.C.J. No. 2033


• Eastside Pharmacy Ltd. v. British Columbia (Minister of Health), [2017] B.C.J. No. 1722


• Eastside Pharmacy Ltd. v. British Columbia (Minister of Health), [2017] B.C.J. No. 445


• Eastside Pharmacy Ltd. v. British Columbia (Minister of Health), 2019 BCSC 2205


• Endean v. Canadian Red Cross Society, [2006] B.C.J. No. 2655


• Este v. Esteghamat-Ardakani, [2016] B.C.J. No. 263


• Gamble v. Canada (Attorney General), [2011] B.C.J. No. 2263


• Gamble v. Canada (Attorney General), [2011] B.C.J. No. 2382


• Green v. HMTQ, 2018 BCSC 389


• Green v. Proline Management Ltd., [2017] B.C.J. No. 1847


• Green v. Patterson, [2016] B.C.J. No. 1625


• Hewko (guardian ad litem of) v. British Columbia, [2006] B.C.J. No. 2877


• Huebner v. PR Seniors Housing Management Ltd. D.B.A. Retirement Concepts, 2021 BCSC 837


• Huebner v. PR Seniors Housing Management Ltd. D.B.A. Retirement Concepts, 2020 BCSC 1037


• Huebner v. PR Seniors Housing Management Ltd., D.B.A. Retirement Concepts, 2020 BCSC 1290


• Isman v. New Westminster (City), [2012] B.C.J. No. 1061


• Isman v. New Westminster (City), [2012] B.C.J. No. 355


• I.A.L. v. Y.C., 2019 BCSC 727


• I.L. et. al. v. Y.C. et. al., 2019 BCSC 726


• I.L. et. al. v. Y.C. et. al., 2019 BCSC 714


• I.A.L. v. Y.C., 2019 BCSC 1566


• I.A.L. v. Y.C., 2019 BCSC 1211


• I.L. et. al. v. Y.C. et. al., unreported 20181127 Vancouver Registry Docket S118637


• I. L. et. al. v. Y.C. et al. unreported 20180926 Docket S118637 Vancouver Registry


• I.L. et. al. v. Y.C. et. al. unreported 20180803 Docket S118637 Vancouver Registry


• Knight v. British Columbia, 2020 BCSC 1338


• L.R. v. British Columbia, [2005] B.C.J. No. 247


• McIvor v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [2015] B.C.J. No. 3106


• Meghji v. Lee, [2012] B.C.J. No. 523


• Meghji v. Lee, [2012] B.C.J. No. 149


• Meghji v. Lee, [2011] B.C.J. No. 1560


• Meghji v. Lee, [2009] B.C.J. No. 2241


• Merritt v. Canada (Attorney General), [2013] B.C.J. No. 385


• Noddle v. Canada (Deputy Attorney General), [2016] B.C.J. No. 693


• Northburn Prescriptions Ltd. (c.o.b. Northburn Remedy's RX) v. British Columbia, [2014] B.C.J. No. 2771


• Novopharm Ltd. v. British Columbia (Minister of Health), [2008] B.C.J. No. 100


• Pereira v. British Columbia, 2024 BCSC 436


• R. v. Dhillon, 2014 BCSC 2488


• R. v. Tull, 2021 BCSC 1834


• Sam v. Wilson, [2004] B.C.J. No. 2315


• Shaver v. Mallinckrodt Canada, 2021 BCSC 455


• Shaver v. Mallinckrodt Canada, 2021 BCSC 404


• Viet Pharmacy Ltd. (c.o.b. La Vie Remedy's Rx) v. British Columbia (Minister of Health), [2015] B.C.J. No. 1974

British Columbia Provincial Court Advocacy

• R. v. Fisher, unreported December 19, 2019 Surrey Registry 219368-3C and -4C, British Columbia Provincial Court


• Zolvanvari v. The Province, unreported 2007 Vancouver, British Columbia Provincial Court

Federal Court Advocacy

• Abraham v. Kaplan, 2019 FC 382


• Abraham v. Kaplan, 2018 FC 1176


• Ashraf v. Province of British Columbia, Docket T-886-22, June 23, 2022, Vancouver Registry


• Ashraf v. Province of British Columbia, Docket T-886-22, July 13 ,2022, Vancouver Registry


• Ashraf v. Province of British Columbia, Docket T-886-22, August 16, 2022, Vancouver Registry


• Ashraf v. Province of British Columbia, Docket T-886-22, October 21, 2022, Vancouver Registry


• Ashraf v. Province of British Columbia, 2022 FC 1494


• Tippett v. Canada, 2020 FC 714

Tribunal or Royal Commission Advocacy

• The Cohen Commission Report into the decline of Sockeye salmon in the Fraser River.


• Demcak v. British Columbia (Ministry of Environment), [2013] B.C.E.A. No. 10


• Newberry v. Deputy Regional Manager, 2017 Wil-005(a)


• Seaforth Lodge LLC v. British Columbia (Ministry of Environment), [2017] B.C.E.A. No. 3


• Re: Young, Ian, Coroners Inquest, File 2008-0364-1107