Practice Areas
Administrative Law
We act for individuals, entities and tribunals on judicial reviews including those under the Judicial Review Procedure Act. We have extensive experience in many forms of litigation involving the actions of government and public regulatory authorities, and their impact on individuals and businesses. Some cases of note are:
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A successful defence of an application for judicial review of a decision of the Health Professions Review Board. Available here.
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A successful judicial review of a decision of the Minister of Justice to order the surrender for extradition of an Indigenous person to the US. Available here.
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A case concerning the Law Society's authority to regulate uncivil in-court conduct in light of the duties of zealous advocacy and loyalty to the client's cause, the independence of the judiciary, and the free expression of members of the law society. Available here.
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Successful judicial reviews of the Provincial government’s response to the recommendations of a Judges’ Compensation Commission. Available here and here and here and here.
Civil, Charter and Constitutional Law
We act as counsel on a number of significant constitutional cases. We also act for both plaintiffs and defendants on complex issues of civil law, including defendants facing asset forfeiture under the Civil Forfeiture Act. Some cases of note include:
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Litigation establishing a Charter right to medical assistance in dying. Available here.
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Litigation establishing a Charter limit on the use of solitary confinement. Available here.
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A successful claim for Charter damages arising from wrongful conviction. Available here.
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A case establishing that Review Boards are courts of competent jurisdiction under s. 24(1) of the Charter. Available here.
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Successful defence against admission of prior judicial determinations, here.
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Successful defence against admission of expert evidence, here.
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Successful application for an injunction (in this instance to allow access to pharmaceutical heroin), here and here.
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Successful application to strike pleadings and establishing that the Director of Civil Forfeiture may not advance "lifestyle" claims, here.
Criminal Law
We act in criminal law matters at both the trial and appellate level. Some cases of note include:
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Successful defence of entrapment in respect of terrorism related offences, here;
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Litigation concerning how the reasonable suspicion standard for the doctrine of entrapment applies when police investigate a phone number or other virtual means of communication between people, here;
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Successful appeal for a youth charged with the possession of child pornography and possession of child pornography for the purpose of distribution, here;
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Litigation concerning the scope of s. 37 of the Canada Evidence Act, informer privilege and solicitor-client privilege, here;
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Litigation establishing that the legal expenses return provision in proceeds of crime legislation explicitly allows individuals to spend returned seized funds to mount a defence, here.