Farris acted as counsel to a group of key leaders in the artistic and music community who grew concerned with the governance and composition of the board of directors of the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society (the “Society”). Farris successfully negotiated a resolution to a protracted dispute, thereby allowing the Society to avoid a requisitioned special meeting and appoint a new board of directors committed to furthering the Society’s purposes.

Today, the Society ranks as BC’s largest not-for-profit music presenter, producing the annual TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Bright Moments series of concerts and the annual Winter Jazz festival on Granville Island. The Society is also involved in presenting local, national, and international artists throughout the year, and has a long-standing commitment to music education in B.C. Since its inception, the Society has become a significant part of Vancouver and B.C.’s economic engine and tourism industry, attracting over half a million people to the province for the annual jazz festival and generating over $43 million in economic activity.

The Farris team was led by Krista Vaartnou.