Mark Fancourt-Smith graduated from the law school at UBC’s LLB program in 2002. Prior to attending law school, Fancourt-Smith received an Honours Bachelor of Arts from Queens University in English, Biology, and Philosophy in 1994. During his early legal career Fancourt-Smith worked as an Associate with Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP from 2003-2010. He is currently a Partner at Lawson Lundell LLP (“Lawson Lundell”) in Vancouver, having joined the firm in 2010.
Fancourt-Smith’s primary practice focuses on commercial disputes, ranging from technology and intellectual property issues to fraud. He has experience representing a diverse portfolio of clients including international mining corporations, software companies, a visual effects studio, and a luxury retailer. Fancourt-Smith is no stranger to the courtroom, having appeared before the Supreme Court of British Columbia, the British Columbia Court of Appeal, and the Federal Court of Canada. He also has ample experience in alternative dispute resolution and private arbitration.
Apart from his mainstay legal practice, Fancourt-Smith also actively contributes to Lawson Lundell’s Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution blog with updates on new trends, developments, and pressing concerns in the field. His blog posts range in focus from the role of negative online reviews in defamation claims to the use of competitor names in online, keyword advertising. In 2020, Best Lawyers in Canada recognized Fancourt-Smith for his work in corporate and commercial litigation.
An incredibly involved and dedicated alumnus, Fancourt-Smith continually gives back to the legal community and supports local initiatives. From 2003-2009 he served as Treasurer for the Allard Law Alumni Association. More recently, he served as President for the Vancouver Bar Association from 2014-2015. His professional expertise has also proved useful in the classroom, teaching Civil Procedure at the Peter A. Allard School of Law first as a guest lecturer from 2007-2013 and currently as an Adjunct Professor since 2018. Additionally, Fancourt-Smith’s commitment to his community reaches outside the world of law. Since 2019, he has served as Director for the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival—Western Canada’s largest professional Shakespeare festival.