Legal Practice & Consulting

I practice law as a member of the Law Society of Ontario. I have a wide and varied practice, applying the general principles of administrative law to subject-matters as diverse as prisons and pensions, in English and in French. This practice ranges from litigation through general advisory work (including expert reports) to detailed reviews of decision-making procedures. Some of this is public (as detailed below) but often is confidential. I have appeared at all levels of court in Canada, in both official languages, in multiple provinces.

Here is some recent representative litigation work:

Supreme Court of Canada

  • Counsel for the appellant Democracy Watch at the Supreme Court of Canada in Democracy Watch v. Attorney General of Canada, File 41576 (adequate alternative remedies and constitutional foundations of judicial review).
  • Counsel for the appellant Roland Auer at the Supreme Court of Canada in Auer v. Auer, 2024 SCC 36 (lawfulness of regulations relating to child support obligations).
  • Counsel for the appellant Law Society of Saskatchewan at the Supreme Court of Canada in Law Society of Saskatchewan v. Abrametz, 2022 SCC 29 (professional discipline, procedural fairness annd abuse of process), having successfully sought leave to appeal from Abrametz v. Law Society of Saskatchewan, 2020 SKCA 81.
  • Counsel for the intervener Canadian Telecommunications Association at the Supreme Court of Canada in Telus Communications Inc. v. Federation of Canadian Municipalities, 2025 SCC 15 (dynamic statutory interpretation in the telecommunications law context).
  • Counsel for the intervener Canadian Telecommunications Association at the Supreme Court of Canada in Yatar v. TD Insurance Meloche Monnex, 2024 SCC 8 (role of remedial discretion on judicial review).
  • Counsel for the intervener Yukon Francophone School Board at the Supreme Court of Canada in Commission scolaire francophone des Territoires du Nord-Ouest v. Northwest Territories (Education, Culture and Employment), 2023 SCC 31 (influence of Charter values on exercises of ministerial discretion in relation to schooling decisions).
  • Counsel for the intervener Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers at the Supreme Court of Canada in Mason v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2023 SCC 21 (standard of review on questions of statutory interpretation in the immigration context).
  • Counsel for the intervener British Columbia Civil Liberties Association at the Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Sullivan, 2022 SCC 19 (nature of declaratory relief in constitutional cases).
  • Counsel for the proposed appellant at the Supreme Court of Canada in United Nurses of Alberta v. Alberta Health Services, 2021 ABCA 194 (discrimination law, notably the scope of family status discrimination).
  • Counsel for the proposed appellant at the Supreme Court of Canada in Canadian National Railway Company v. Canada (Transportation Agency), 2021 FCA 173 (procedural fairness in the context of administrative tribunal’s consideration of systemic issues).
  • Advised counsel for Bell Canada and the National Football League at the Supreme Court of Canada in Bell Canada v. Canada (Attorney General), 2019 SCC 66 (lawfulness of broadcasting regulations relating to advertising during the Super Bowl).
  • Advised counsel for the intervener Coalition for Gun Control at the Supreme Court of Canada in Quebec (Attorney General) v. Canada (Attorney General), 2015 SCC 14, [2015] 1 SCR 693 (division of powers and destruction of data).

Other appellate litigation

  • Counsel for the appellant in 9255-2504 Québec Inc. c. Canada (Procureur général), 2025 CAF 23 (remedy for a constructive taking due to an environmental protection order).
  • Counsel for the appellant in Galderma Canada Inc. v. Canada (Attorney General), 2024 FCA 208 (pharmaceutical regulation and constitutional limits of federal jurisdiction over drug prices).
  • Advised counsel for Canadian National Railway Company in Canadian National Railway Company v. Halton (Regional Municipality), 2024 FCA 160 (governor-in-council decision-making in relation to environmental assessments)
  • Counsel for the respondent in Abrametz v. Law Society of Saskatchewan, 2023 SKCA 114 (professional discipline sanctioning decisions).
  • Amicus curiae to the Federal Court of Appeal in Société Radio-Canada v. Canada (Attorney General), 2023 FCA 131 (freedom of speech and the jurisdictional limits of the broadcasting regulator).
  • Counsel for the appellant Julie Lauzon in Justice of the Peace Julie Lauzon v. Justices of the Peace Review Council, 2023 ONCA 425 (leave to appeal refused, 2024 CanLII 40775) (judicial discipline and freedom of expression).
  • Counsel for the intervener Immigration and Refugee Board at the Federal Court of Appeal in Abel c. Canada (Citoyenneté et Immigration), 2021 CAF 131 (role of the Board in immigration matters).
  • Advised counsel for Senator Michael Duffy at the Ontario Court of Appeal in Duffy v. Senate of Canada, 2020 ONCA 536 (parliamentary privilege and the law of tort).

Other litigation

  • Counsel for the petitioner in Lorval Developments v. Township of Langley, 2025 BCSC 1148 (ability of municipality to impose charges without lawful authority by way of a nominally non-binding ‘policy’)
  • Counsel for the applicant/respondent on the motion to strike in Dugré c. Canada (Procureur Général), 2024 CF 1797 (judicial discipline and scope of judicial review).
  • Advised counsel for the plaintiff Scott McAnsh at the Ontario Superior Court in McAnsh v. Ontario, 2023 ONSC 3537 (administrative tribunal independence).
  • Advised counsel for the applicant Elsie Flette at the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench in Flette et al. v. The Government of Manitoba et al., 2022 MBQB 104 (class actions, separation of powers).

Here is some recent representative opinion and advisory work:

  • Prepared a framework for an energy regulator seeking to balance adjudicative independence with implementation of government policy.
  • Advised a professional association of judges on legal considerations in the context of salary negotiations.
  • Strategic advice on regulatory guidance in the context of a disagreement between a regulator and sponsoring government department.
  • Part of a team advising on the implementation of an independent decision-making structure in carceral institutions.
  • Conducted an expert, independent assessment of decision-making for a federal administrative tribunal.
  • Created a statutory interpretation framework for use by a provincial regulator.
  • Advised an expert federal regulator on issues relating to bias and recusal.
  • Acted as an expert witness for the Civil Resolution Tribunal in Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia v. British Columbia (Attorney General), 2021 BCSC 348, 2022 BCCA 163.
  • Advised the Immigration and Refugee Board on its Quality Assurance Framework.
  • Conducted an expert, independent assessment of decision-making for a federal quasi-judicial decision-maker.
  • Advised Canadian Heritage and Innovation, Science and Development Canada on reforms to the Copyright Board of Canada.
  • Assisted Professor Peter Oliver in the production of an expert report for the Attorney General of Canada in Motard c. Canada (Procureur général), 2016 QCCS 588; 2019 QCCA 1826.

Please do get in touch if you have a matter you believe I could help with.

This content has been updated on July 4, 2025 at 16:39.