Nicole C. Gilewicz

Nicole C. Gilewicz is developing a diverse practice in criminal, civil and administrative litigation with a focus on forestry.

Nicole was born and raised in Saskatchewan and obtained her juris doctor from the University of British Columbia. During law school, Nicole worked extensively with the UBC Innocence Project and interned with the Provincial Court of British Columbia.

Before joining Hunter Litigation Chambers, Nicole articled at an international law firm in Vancouver and clerked at the Federal Court of Appeal for the Honourable Justice Donald J. Rennie. Nicole was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 2016.

Publications

"Civil Procedure – Court Rules" in the Continuing Legal Education Society of BC’s Annual Review of Law & Practice (2017-2021), by Mark Oulton, Rebecca J. Robb and Nicole C. Gilewicz

Douglas C Harris and Nicole Gilewicz, "Dissolving Condominium, Private Takings, and the Reimagining of Property," in B Hoops et al, eds, Rethinking Expropriation Law II: Context, Criteria, and Consequences of Expropriation (The Hague, NL: Eleven, 2015).

Colin Galinski and Nicole Gilewicz, "Lacey v Weyerhauser: Post Retirement Benefits 'for life'," For Your Benefit CBA National Pensions and Benefits Section Newsletter (September 2013).

Nicole is committed to community involvement and has volunteered with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House Saskatchewan, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Law Students' Legal Advice Program and the George Pearson Centre in Vancouver.

News

August 2024

We are delighted to share that Nicole Gilewicz has been recognized in The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada (2025 edition) for Administrative and Public Law. This recognition underscores Nicole’s exceptional expertise and unwavering commitment to her field. Nicole’s inclusion in this prestigious list reflects her remarkable contributions and dedication to excellence in legal practice. Her continued impact in Administrative and Public Law exemplifies the highest standards of professionalism and client service. Please join us in congratulating Nicole on this well-deserved honor.

January 2024

Hunter Litigation Chambers is pleased and proud to announce the promotion of four Counsel to the firm: Aubin Calvert, Monique Evans, and Nicole Gilewicz, and Julia Roos. These appointments recognize the important contribution each of the new Counsel have made to the firm’s success, and going forward, their increased involvement in decisions concerning the operation and growth of the firm. Please join us in congratulating each of them on this significant and well-deserved achievement!

March 2023

Hunter Litigation Chambers was proud to represent Crystal Smith and Raymond Shaw in their application to permit registration of their baby son λugʷaləs K'ala'ask Shaw’s name on his birth certificate. Our clients reached a resolution with the British Columbia Vital Statistics Agency to permit the use Kwak̓wala characters on the birth certificate for their son. The Hunter Litigation Chambers team working on this matter included Claire Hunter K.C., Nicole Gilewicz, Aubin Calvert and Amanda Richards.

January 2022

Claire Hunter, Q.C., and Nicole Gilewicz successfully represented Carol Todd, the mother of Amanda Todd, and the Amanda Todd Legacy Society (“ATLS”) in a constitutional challenge to s. 486.4(3) of the Criminal Code, which imposed a mandatory publication ban on any information that would identify Amanda Todd in criminal proceedings against the man accused of exploiting her online. The provision, which precluded publication, broadcast or transmission of any information that could identify a young person who was either a witness in a proceeding involving child pornography charges or the subject of child pornography, was struck down as unconstitutional by the Honourable Justice Devlin of the B.C. Supreme Court on January 10, 2022 on an immediate and prospective basis. Carol Todd and ATLS were further granted a constitutional exemption from the publication ban as it applied to Amanda’s identity in the ongoing criminal case. The reasons for judgment striking down the ban are subject to a further publication ban under the Criminal Code and are not currently publicly available. Some examples of media coverage of the decision are available here and here.

In Carol Todd’s words:

I am very pleased that the Court ruled today that the section of the Criminal Code that required the publication ban over Amanda’s name was unconstitutional and that the advocacy work based on her story will be able to continue in her legacy and in her memory.

It has always been the reaching goal of Amanda’s Legacy to be able to share her story (as she herself did with her YouTube video) in addition to providing prevention and awareness related to cyberbullying, digital safety and exploitation so that other children and families would be able to be informed and have strategies on how to reach out for support.

With this ruling today, we can continue to work together to create a safer online world for our children.

This matter was referred by the Access Pro Bono Society of British Columbia who provided disbursement coverage. Moira Aikenhead, a graduate student at the Peter A Allard School of Law, also provided research support.

November 2021

Chambers Canada has published a Practice Area Overview authored by Mark Oulton and Nicole Gilewicz describing current issues facing the forest sector and legal practice in that area. A copy of the article can be found here.

May 2020

Mark Oulton and Nicole Gilewicz successfully obtained an order dismissing an application brought under s. 31 of the Arbitration Act seeking leave to appeal from an arbitral award relating to the proper interpretation of a replaceable road construction agreement. A copy of the decision can be found here.

October 2017

Nicole Gilewicz attended the inaugural Canadian Benchmark Women in Litigation Forum in Toronto on October 18.