As a former partner and more recently counsel in the Ottawa office of an international law firm with 42 years of commercial and related litigation experience, I have joined Mann Lawyers in the role of General Counsel and Director of Practice Management. While I continue to handle complex commercial disputes, I am predominantly involved in supporting the continued development of the firm’s practice, including the recruitment and retention of associates, mentorship in enabling our associates to reach their professional goals, and the provision of structured training programs.  With particular reference to the litigation practice, I will be providing advocacy support and strategic advice.

After completing an honours degree at Carleton University in 1973, I completed my law degree at Windsor Law School in 1975 and an M.A. in political studies in 1976.  I was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1977.  Since 1977, I have appeared at all trial, judicial review and appellate levels in Ontario, as well as at the Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court of Canada, the Alberta Queen’s Bench, the Alberta Court of Appeal, the Quebec Superior Court and the Quebec Court of Appeal.  In addition to my commercial trial and appellate experience, I have regulatory experience and have acted on forensic investigations including an interesting engagement as senior counsel to the Independent Investigation into the 2008 Listeriosis Outbreak. Out of these latter experiences I am pleased to offer guidance to the firm’s corporate clients in Risk Avoidance and Strategic Advice and to assist corporate needs in the conduct of Third Party Investigations (whistle blower and commercial fraud).

In addition to my commercial dispute practice, I have been involved throughout my career in education and training, instructing at the Bar Admission Course as it then was commencing in 1980, as Director of Practice Skills at the Course subsequently, at Carleton University in the Department of Law and the School of Public Administration for many years, in CLE programs, or in lecturing on advocacy at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law.  I have spoken at numerous programs and authored as many papers on various subjects throughout.

As a trustee on the board (Past Chair) of the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group (the Royal) for almost 8 years and as chair of the board for 4 of those years, I am available to provide Ontario hospitals and those concerned with them with professional guidance in Governance and Risk Management.  I am also pleased to sit as the Chair of the Board of the Centre of Excellence on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Related Mental Health Conditions, which will serve the needs of the Department of National Defence and the RCMP.

I am pleased to have been recognized over the years in my practice:

  • Named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers for Corporate and Commercial Litigation Law, Ottawa (2019)
  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada as one of Canada’s leading lawyers in Corporate and Commercial Litigation Law (2011–2021)
  • Recognized by Benchmark Litigation  as a Local Litigation Star (Ontario) in the area of Litigation and Dispute Resolution (2012–2015) and as a Litigation Star (2016)
  • Repeatedly recommended by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (2014–2017) as one of Canada’s leading lawyers in the area of Litigation – Corporate Commercial Law
  • Martindale-Hubbell BV Distinguished Peer Review Rating

I live with my wife and our fine son in Brockville, Ontario on the shores of the St. Lawrence River. We love dividing our time with my older sons between Brockville, Montreal and Ottawa enjoying what they offer through the seasons.  Unlike many of my colleagues I am not particularly athletic, however I have run 15 marathons throughout the years and many more races of various distances, although these days in the big races the juice and food are all gone by the time I finish.