As a partner at the high-powered BCF Business Law firm, Shaun E. Finn is co-leader of BCF’s Class Action Defence Group. His practice includes complex commercial litigation and class action defence, representing such entities as Montreal commuter train authority Exo, La Capitale, SSQ Insurance, Volkswagen, Porsche, Hyundai, Kia and Bard.
Finn has also written or edited six books on class-action litigation and is editor-in-chief of the BCF Class Action NetLetter, a monthly electronic newsletter published by Lexis Nexis.
After earning his BA and a graduate diploma in journalism from Concordia, Finn went on to receive his law degree from McGill and an LL.M. from Université Laval.
Selected by his peers for inclusion in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, the Best Lawyers in Canada directory, the Litigation Counsel of America and the International Association of Defence Counsel, Finn says: “It is always rewarding to be recognized by clients, colleagues and peers, but what really matters is aiming for excellence in every aspect of your professional life.”
Career challenge
“The main challenge for me is trying to look at a problem from different perspectives in order to find a tailor-made solution. It’s often easier — and seemingly ‘safer’ — to do what is typically done in a given situation rather than seeing whether there might not be a more innovative way of acting on behalf of your client.”
The Concordia factor
“The atmosphere of friendship, collegiality and intellectual openness at the Liberal Arts College, whether in the classrooms or the common room, was unforgettable. 2040 MacKay St. will always occupy a special place in my memories as it embodied what I loved most about academic life.”
Career advice
“No matter what you have studied or devoted yourself to in the past, you can bring that knowledge and those skills to bear on your career. Time is never lost unless you allow it to be.”
Trends and projections
“Class actions are and will remain on the upswing. Given how expensive litigation has become for ordinary people, class actions are a cost-effective way to obtain access to justice, and have adapted themselves to virtually every aspect of economic and social life.”