Stefani is an associate with Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP who maintains a commercial litigation practice focused on banking and financing disputes. She routinely acts for private lenders in foreclosures and other creditors’ remedy matters. She has significant experience handling real estate disputes including collapsing transactions and forcing co-owners to sell. Additionally, Stefani has a keen interest in complex fraud and misappropriation cases.
As an advocate, Stefani is assertive and proficient in the courtroom. She frequently appears before the British Columbia Supreme Court. She has significant trial experience as a junior associate, and she has also appeared before the Court of Appeal on a successful decision affirming the legal principles related to the renewal of a judgment.
Stefani obtained her Juris Doctorate from Thompson Rivers University in 2020. She was called to the British Columbia bar in 2021. Stefani’s legal experience belies her relatively few years as a member of the bar. Before attending law school Stefani worked for more than a decade as a legal assistant. She specialized in real estate conveyancing for residential, commercial, and agricultural lands. This experience aided Stefani’s success at law school where she made the Dean’s List, achieved course prizes, and was a selected editor of the Canadian Journal of Comparative and Contemporary Law.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- “Case Law Update”, CLEBC’s annual Residential Real Estate Conference, 2021 – present
- “Commercial Law – Personal Property Security Act”, CLEBC Annual Review of Law & Practice, 2022-present
- “Tips for Summering, Articling, and Clerking in BC”, The Advocates’ Society, 2023
AWARDS
- Gervin Metis Award for Distinguished Advocacy and Leadership, 2019
- Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP Prize in Construction Law at Thompson Rivers University, 2019
- Roper Greyell LLP Prize in Employment Law at Thompson Rivers University, 2020
- Law Foundation of BC Public Interest Award, 2020
Notable Cases
- Brent Ryan-Lewis v. Penticton Indian Band, 2024 BCSC 1968
- 1239466 Alberta Ltd. v. Promerita Peachland Development Corp., 2023 BCSC 2040
- Laventure Estate v. Ovelson, 2022 BCCA 136
Professional Affiliations
- Canadian Bar Association
- Kelowna Bar Association, Executive Director
- Law Society of British Columbia
- Southern Interior Insolvency Discussion Group
- Trial Lawyers Association