Rice Parsons Leoni & Elliott LLP

04/29/2026

Today, a cross-border team comprised of RPLE lawyers John Rice KC and Mallory Hogan and the formidable lawyers of US law firm Edelson PC have brought cases for the victims of the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting in California federal court against OpenAI. In June 2025, about eight months before the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting, OpenAI, a company headquartered and doing business in San Francisco, California with a valuation approaching $1 trillion USD, flagged and banned the perpetrator’s ChatGPT account for “disturbing content” which allegedly included the discussion and planning of violent scenarios. However, despite some 12 different OpenAI employees imploring the company to notify Canadian law enforcement about the perpetrator’s plans, nothing else was done.

Our clients, represented in the US by Jay Edelson and his team, are courageously seeking accountability and actual change in the same jurisdiction OpenAI calls home – the Northern District of California. Ultimately, their goal, and our goal with them, is to make sure that there will be never again be an AI-predicted and facilitated mass shooting.

Says John Rice:

All Canadians are sickened and horrified by the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting. We cherish our schools as places of safety, learning, sports, nurturing and friendship. Based on what we understand the perpetrator to have discussed with ChatGPT, this murderous rampage was specific, predictable, and preventable – and OpenAI had the chance to stop it. What the families of those murdered have lost and what these kids and teachers witnessed is unacceptable. It is the type of point-blank gun murder rarely seen anywhere, even in a theatre of war. Nothing will ever restore what these families have lost but they have together come as a community from a small, humble, hardworking mining town in the Canadian north to stand up to OpenAI.

We honour the memories of those lost in the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting, and we will fight to the very end to get justice for all our clients.

Recent media coverage has brought increased attention to this case. For broader context and in-depth reporting, you can explore coverage from Global News, the Vancouver Sun, CNN, BBC, CBC, NPR, Mother Jones, The Guardian, Financial Post, Bloomberg, AP News, The Washington Post, Ars Technica, and the Times Colonist.

Today, a cross-border team comprised of RPLE lawyers John Rice KC and Mallory Hogan and the formidable lawyers of US law firm Edelson PC have brought cases for the victims of the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting in California federal court against OpenAI. In June 2025, about eight months before the Tumbl...

10/24/2025

Our thoughts remain with all those affected by the tragic events at the Lapu-Lapu Day Festival.

Our office has filed a proposed class action in the Supreme Court of British Columbia on behalf of individuals and families who suffered loss or injury.

The proposed class action has been featured by Global News. Watch the coverage here: https://globalnews.ca/video/11492342/lapu-lapu-day-class-action-lawsuit-filed

More information about the case can be found on our website: https://rhelaw.com/class-action/lapu-lapu-festival-class-action-lawsuit/

Watch Lapu Lapu Day class action lawsuit filed Video Online, on GlobalNews.ca

09/22/2025

Yesterday, seven brave souls from Rice Harbut Elliott LLP took on the Under Armour Eastside 10K, hosted by Canada Running Series.

To help get our team race-ready and motivated, we brought in Olympian Dylan Wykes — co-founder of Mile2Marathon Coaching Inc. — to design a custom training program just for us. Over eight weeks, the team followed Dylan’s racing plans through the Final Surge app, received weekly running tips, attended two virtual coaching sessions with him, and got outfitted with custom racing shirts. This was a particularly special experience because it kept Team RHE connected and focused on a shared goal for two solid months.

On race day, Kendal Paul captured some incredible photos of our teammates as they powered through — including the tough mid-race hill climb. Everyone on our team crossed the finish line! We couldn’t be more proud of their collective commitment, determination, grit, and camaraderie.

Here are some of our favourite moments from the day.

05/30/2025

Christine O'Reilly's story is a heartbreaking example of how B.C.'s no-fault insurance system fails those it was meant to protect. Under the current system, companies who negligently load trucks or negligently design or maintain roadways cannot be sued for damages in court, even in circumstances, like this, when somebody dies as a result.

In this Global News segment, RHE lawyer Jesse Kendall discusses the urgent need for reform in the no-fault system to ensure victims and their families receive fair compensation, and to ensure that the wrongdoer (not taxpayers and safe drivers) end up holding the bag for their dangerous conduct.

Watch the full story here:

A Surrey widow says she has gone into financial distress following a tragic incident in Boston Bar and must sell her house because ICBC's death benefits were so minimal.

05/13/2025

Please join us in thanking all SUPPORTING SPONSORS of the 2025 Peace Arch Hospital Gala, NOLA! ✨

Supporting sponsors include: Peace Arch News (Media Sponsor), Rice Harbut Elliott (Bar Sponsor), Cara Interiors (Entertainment Sponsor), Fiera Capital (Chef Station Sponsor), TBMS Warehouse Inc. (Welcome Drink Sponsor), KA Creative (Graphic Design Sponsor), and Supported By City of White Rock.

We're so grateful for ALL of our incredible sponsors who will be making echoes of impact at this year's event TOMORROW!💜🔮

Peace Arch News Rice Harbut Elliott LLP Cara Interiors TBMS Warehousing Inc. - Third Party Logistics. KA Creative City of White Rock

04/17/2025

When you purchase home insurance, you are doing so for the peace of mind that if your home is damaged or destroyed by a fire or another cause, you will be able to deal with the problem quickly and efficiently. You expect the insurance company to treat you fairly, and to not deny your claim when you have paid your premiums, followed their deadlines for submitting your claim – and have done nothing wrong.

A recently released decision from the BC Court of Appeal highlights one of many kinds of circumstances in which powerful insurance companies improperly deny claims. In this decision (Busato v. Gore Mutual Insurance Company, 2025 BCCA 79), the plaintiff’s home was unfortunately destroyed by an accidental fire that started in the kitchen. After the fire, the insurance company learned that the plaintiff had been legally growing ma*****na for medical purposes under a license obtained from the federal government – he had chronic and debilitating pain after five surgeries from 2006 through 2013 and required the ma*****na for pain management.

The insurance company denied the claim on the basis of an exclusion in the insurance policy. The trial court agreed with the insurance company and dismissed the plaintiff’s claim. The Court of Appeal reversed the trial court’s ruling, on two grounds: (1) the exclusion clause in the policy was ambiguous and should be interpreted narrowly in favour of the plaintiff (reasoning that any ambiguity should be resolved against the insurance company since they drafted the policy); and (2) the language in the policy was unjust or unreasonable pursuant to the remedial provisions found in s. 32 of the Insurance Act, R.S.B.C. 2012, c. 1, which permits the court to find that particular language in a policy is not binding on the homeowner.

The takeaway? Insurance companies routinely deny claims for all kinds of reasons, often without any legal justification. They know that denying claims will cause many of their insureds to simply walk away from their claim, and they know that many people do not realize that insurance denials can be challenged.

If your insurance claim has been denied (home insurance, life insurance, disability insurance), contact Rice Harbut Elliott without delay and we will evaluate whether your claim has been unfairly denied.

If your insurance claim has been denied (home insurance, life insurance, disability insurance), contact Rice Harbut Elliott without delay and we will evaluate whether your claim has been unfairly denied.

12/18/2024

In this devastating hit-and-run case, a driver lost control and severely injured a woman crossing the street before fleeing the scene. The victim’s life has been completely transformed—enduring chronic pain, mental health struggles, and a loss of independence. She now requires ongoing medical care and is unable to work.

John Rice comments in this article on how BC's mandatory no-fault system impacts hit-and-run claimants. Although the full interview was not captured, John’s central point was that it is misleading to suggest someone like Maria can sue a "criminal convicted driver" for damages. Very rarely is anyone convicted of a criminal driving offense, and even if they are, it is even more rare that someone convicted of a driving offense will have any assets to pay judgment damages. The result? An empty verdict in 99% of such cases.

See the Global News article here:

RCMP have collected dashcam video of the collision that left the 64-year-old care aid in hospital last Wednesday.