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Find Lawyers in Canada for Administrative and Public Law
Practice Area Overview
The subject matter within the scope of administrative and public law is broad and diverse. Generally, “public law” refers to the areas of law that govern relationships between individuals and their governments, as well as those relationships between individuals that are of importance to society as a whole. It is an umbrella term encompassing such areas as constitutional law, competition law, professional discipline, aboriginal law, energy law, municipal law, health law, human rights law, immigration law, labour law, environmental law, information and privacy law, securities law, competition law, public inquiries, inquests, and professional regulation.
All of these fields have an administrative law component. “Administrative law” refers to the area of law that regulates the procedures and powers of administrative agencies, boards, and tribunals which exercise delegated authority in the various spheres of public law.
Administrative and public law lawyers help clients navigate the complex web of legal institutions that regulate their personal and business activities. As a starting point, this includes helping clients understand how their activities are regulated, as well as how to navigate the bureaucracy created by statutes and regulations and how to comply with legislation as well as agency, board, and tribunal policies. This may involve compliance advice, obtaining a permit or license, representing clients at regulatory hearings, and providing strategic advice to achieve business objectives.
At the enforcement stage, administrative and public lawyers represent clients being investigated by public authorities, and defend clients in hearings involving allegations of non-compliance before adjudicative tribunals as well as in courts, inquests and inquiries. Lawyers also assist clients challenging decisions or actions taken by governments, agencies, and tribunals. Where a client is dissatisfied with an expert tribunal’s decision, administrative and public lawyers may assist clients in appeals and judicial reviews of the administrative body’s decision.
Some lawyers practicing administrative and public law have general experience navigating the legal institutions by which governments impose rules, provide policy and strategic advice, or represent clients in hearings and in courts. Others have very specialized expertise in specific regulated spheres.
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Philip Abbink, Hons BA, MA, JD, practices in the areas of professional regulation and labour law, primarily providing advocacy for health care professionals in grievance arbitrations and at professional Colleges. He also represents employees in investigations, quasi-criminal regulatory proceedings and at Coroners' Inquests. Philip is also the Co-managing Partner at Cavalluzzo. After earning a JD and a MA in International Relations from the University of Toronto, Phil articled at Cavalluzzo. D...
Bob is a litigation partner in the Saskatoon office who provides advice to academic institutions, employers, and businesses. As an experienced litigator, Bob provides to clients seeking to navigate the intersection between employment/learning environments, accommodation, human rights, privacy, and safety. Such advice and support is informed by the specific reputational and operational needs of each client. By listening to client needs, Bob places legal and practical advice within the context ...
Tariq Ahmed is a member of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution group. He frequently assists clients with matters related to energy regulation and construction disputes. In addition to representing clients before the courts, and in arbitrations and mediations, Tariq has assisted with matters before regulatory tribunals including the British Columbia Utilities Commission, the Alberta Utilities Commission, and the National Energy Board. Primarily advising clients in the energy and resources se...
For more than 35 years, Bernard Amyot has developed a practice that is primarily focused on civil and commercial litigation. He has extensive experience before the Quebec courts, having represented Canada’s leading financial institutions. He has lectured and written frequently on legal issues of interest to his clients. His professional liability defence work extends to lawyers as well as stockbrokers, insurance brokers, engineers and accountants. He has acted as lead counsel in numerou...
Jeff has extensive experience advising Unions on an ongoing basis. He practises before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Canada Industrial Relations Board, the courts, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal, at arbitration hearings and inquests. He also practises in the fields of privacy and wrongful dismissal. Jeff is the Past Chair of the Labour and Employment Law Section of the Ontario Bar Assoc...
For over 30 years, trade unions have relied on Steven Barrett to represent their interests, and the interests of their members, in all types of legal proceedings. Grievance and interest arbitration, labour relations board applications, collective bargaining – Steven does it all and makes it look easy. That’s why a member of parliament once referred to Steven as “the Wayne Gretzky of labour law”. From protecting the scope of bargaining unit work, to challenging discipli...
A partner at Woods LLP, Eric serves a wide range of industries, including financial services and natural resources. He also handles employment-related matters for employers as well as senior management. Eric is a frequent author and speaker on topics such as evidence, civil procedure and international arbitration. An accomplished trial and appellate lawyer, Eric has developed a particular expertise in domestic and international arbitration. His experience includes acting for Canada in the NAF...
A partner of the firm, Mtre Cindy Bélanger practices in intellectual property law and in advertising and marketing. A trademark agent, Mtre Cindy Bélanger develops strategies for trademark filings in Canada and abroad and adapts them to her clients’ objectives. She advises them on matters relating to trademark adoption and registration, trademark licences, copyright and domain name. She also works in litigation cases involving trademarks and copyright. She also specializes...
Nathalie-Anne Béliveau is a seasoned and experienced litigator who focuses on civil and commercial litigation as well as competition law. Her practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, injunctions, seizures and other urgent extraordinary remedies, including Anton Piller (civil search warrant), Norwich and Mareva injunctions and intellectual property disputes. Nathalie-Anne has leading-edge litigation expertise in breach of non-compete and non-solicitation clauses, unfair or ill...
Keith advises private sector, public sector and government clients on Aboriginal law and regulatory matters. He has appeared as counsel before numerous regulatory tribunals and all levels of Superior and Appellate Courts (both Federal and Provincial), including the Supreme Court of Canada. He has acted for clients in a number of natural resource industries including hydro-electric generation and transmission, oil and gas, mining, aquaculture, forestry, transportation and independent power pro...
Louis P. Bernier practises labour and employment law. He also specializes in administrative and constitutional law, with a focus on extraordinary remedies and Charter issues. Louis appears before various bodies and tribunals and actively defends the rights of clients at every step in the proceedings. Louis has many years of experience in major files and has a unique perspective on every aspect involved in the organization of work and operations management, including restructurings, subcontrac...
Laura is a litigator practicing in all areas of civil and commercial litigation. Laura has appeared as both trial and appellate counsel, including before all levels of court in British Columbia, the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, and the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as before various arbitration and administrative tribunals. Laura advises and represents clients in a broad range of industries. She acts for clients in the gaming industry, the banking and securities industries and in ...
With a practice spanning Canada and the US, Simon focuses on commercial and corporate litigation, directors’ and officers’ liability, securities litigation, class actions, and professional negligence. Simon represents a broad range of clients, including various regulated professionals, directors and officers, oppressed shareholders, and public and private companies. Simon delivers results, both in and out of the courtroom. He has a robust trial and appellate practice, appearing re...
Pierre Bienvenu, Ad. E. is a disputes lawyer with more than 35 years' experience in international commercial arbitration, corporate and commercial litigation, and constitutional law. He has acted as counsel or served as arbitrator in international arbitrations involving disputes in energy, transportation, telecommunications, mergers and acquisitions, construction, pharmaceuticals, international distribution and joint ventures, and foreign investment. A former co-chair of the IBA’s Arbit...
Danielle is a partner with Cavalluzzo LLP practising in the areas of workers’ and Indigenous rights, equality, health and Aboriginal law. She is also the Chair of the firm’s Student Committee. She represents unions and associations, regulated professionals including nurses and midwives, and First Nations in diverse contexts including labour disputes, government relations, human rights and constitutional law, health equity, pay equity, professional regulation, judicial reviews and ...
Amy Block is a Partner in the Regulatory Practice Group at WeirFoulds LLP whose practice is focused on professional self-regulation, administrative and public law, and civil litigation. Prior to joining WeirFoulds, Amy was Senior Legal Counsel and Appeal & Review Lead for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. In this role, Amy built considerable experience over the course of 15 years litigating a wide variety of matters including conducting complex hearings involving allegati...
Marc-André practises in the areas of administrative and constitutional law. He has developed specific expertise in judicial review, state immunity, municipal law, federal and provincial regulatory law, the division of constitutional powers and Charter rights (provincial and federal). He also advises public bodies and certain private companies on access to information, state liability and issues related to investigations and the exercise of public powers in the areas of transportation, ...
Anne-Frédérique Bourret is recognized for her expertise in environmental, administrative and regulatory law, particularly in connection with energy, climate change, mining, natural resources, land-use planning, agriculture, cannabis and access to information. She uses her advanced knowledge of these sectors to answer her clients’ needs efficiently and pragmatically. Anne-Frédérique advises clients about their day-to-day business but also on environmental issu...
Richard is a natural storyteller and his many stories have elicited much laughter from both clients and colleagues. He is a mighty and strategic litigator who leaves nothing to chance. Richard joined Monette Barakett in 1980. He is a long-standing partner and was a member of the executive committee for over 25 years. He served as managing partner from 2012 to 2017.Richard specializes in labour and employment law in the public, parapublic and private sectors. For more than thirty years, he has...
Maria Braker is a research lawyer in our Litigation and Conflict Resolution group. She has extensive experience in appellate advocacy, in litigation involving governmental bodies, in administrative law, as well as in private international law. Maria began her career as a research lawyer at the Court of Appel of Quebec, for the honorable Jacques Chamberland, J.C.A. Before joining Fasken, she practiced civil, commercial and administrative litigation in a boutique litigation firm. She was also c...
Jules Brière has been in private practice in Quebec City since 1976. He has acquired a strong reputation in constitutional law, administrative law, health law and the law governing public lands (production, transmission and distribution of hydro-electricity; forestry and land management). Mr. Brière has on many occasions advised governments, various ministries and public and parapublic agencies on the legal aspects of resource management and development in the public domain, the...
During his practice of over 40 years, Alan Bromstein has come to be recognized by his clients as an expert in matters relating to Regulated Health Professions (Colleges). His work has included the preparation of regulations, bylaws, policies, procedures, rules and submissions to government. Alan has had the privilege of advising Councils (Boards of Directors), Statutory and Standing Committees and College staff to assist them in meeting their public protection mandate. Although his current pr...
Dave Buffett has 40 plus years legal practice in the areas of civil litigation, personal injury, insurance law, criminal law, and employment law. His civil litigation practice has a heavy personal injury and insurance component, while his employment law practice includes acting as a labour arbitrator.Dave has appeared at all levels of Court including the Supreme Court of Canada, and is a graduate of Queen’s University Law School. He was admitted to the Newfoundland and Labrador Bar in 1...
John is the former head of the firm's litigation practice. With degrees in both engineering and law, he practises in the areas of environmental law, litigation, and administrative law, and has appeared as counsel on matters in all levels of the courts in Ontario, and before several administrative tribunals, including the Environmental Review Tribunal, the Board of Directors of the College of Chiropractors of Ontario, the Commercial Registration Appeal Tribunal, the Law Society of Upper Canada...
Emilie Bundock's practice focuses primarily on energy and natural resources development projects. She advises clients on matters relating to Indigenous law, such as consultation and drafting and negotiating agreements with Indigenous communities, and environmental law. Over the years, she has developed an expertise in ethics and lobbying law and on various issues relating to corporate social responsibility including ESG.
George is a seasoned litigator with 40 years’ experience before all levels of the Canadian courts and various administrative tribunals. He provides clients with strategic advice designed to resolve corporate/commercial, securities and real estate disputes. George also provides governance and risk management leadership in his capacity as general counsel to several family owned enterprises and community associations. George’s practice incorporates mediation and arbitration as key el...
Blair began his legal career with MacKimmie Matthews in 1986 and was a founding partner of Carbert Waite LLP in 1999. Blair’s diverse practice of law has taken him to Canada’s three coasts, advising and acting for individuals, corporations, estates, public institutions and governments. As a senior partner with Carbert Waite LLP, Blair engages on a wide range of difficult cases that demand an advanced understanding of the law, relentless inquiry into the facts, appropriate strategi...
As the senior partner in his firm, Paul is a leading constitutional, labour and administrative law lawyer, arguing significant cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Courts of Ontario, and labour and administrative tribunals. Paul was appointed by Associate Chief Justice Dennis O'Connor to act as lead commission counsel to the Commission of Inquiry into the Actions of Canadian Officials in Relation to Maher Arar. Previously, Paul acted as lead commission counsel in the Walkerton Inquir...
Shantona co-founded Pape Chaudhury in 2018. She represents both individual and institutional clients in civil and commercial disputes. Her practice includes commercial litigation, class actions, torts, professional discipline, professional negligence, administrative, constitutional, and public international law. Shantona has considerable expertise in appeals: she has been counsel in over 30 cases at the Ontario Court of Appeal and has successfully argued at the Supreme Court of Canada. She al...
William is a senior partner at Harper Grey, the chair of our professional regulation group and co-chair of our health law group. William represents clients in both civil and regulatory matters. His primary areas of practice include professional regulation and discipline, civil sexual assault litigation, civil and billing fraud, credentials proceedings, human rights and discrimination in a professional context, privacy, professional ethics, and fitness to practice. He acts both for professiona...
Jean-Sébastien Clément is a partner in the firm's Montréal office. His practice has been focusing on aboriginal law for more than fifteen years with a particular interest for matters pertaining to self-governance, natural resources, forestry, education, socio-economic development, administration of justice, environment, land regime and health and social services. During his career, he has acted and played a major role in many litigation cases including constitutional case...
Jean-François Cloutier is a partner at Fasken and specializes in labour and employment law as well as administration law. He advises businesses from both the public and private sectors and represents them before civil courts and administrative tribunals. In recent years, he has taken an interest in all aspects of both collective and individual employment relations. He has also developed an expertise in matters of legal-medical import, specifically in absenteeism management, the duty to...
Marie-Pier Cloutier has vast experience in civil, commercial and administrative litigation obtained over the course of ten years in high-profile and large-scale cases before trial and appeal courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. https://woods.qc.ca/en/team/marie-pier-cloutier
Connor is a partner practicing in the Regina office. Connor’s practice is primarily concentrated in the areas of insurance law, professional regulatory law, administrative law, civil litigation, and child protection issues. In his work with professional regulatory bodies and his dealings with administrative law Connor provides counsel to ensure that these professional and administrative bodies run effectively and responsibly and operate to protect the interests of the public. Connor wor...
Jeff Cowan is recognized as one of Canada's leading public law litigators. He acts as counsel before administrative tribunals and the trial and appellate courts in many aspects of public law, including professional self-regulation and discipline, judicial review of government decision-making, freedom of information and privacy matters, municipal and provincial planning and environmental approvals, municipal assessment and taxation, health, education, alcohol and gaming, legislative drafting a...
Geoff Cowper, KC is a leading general litigator and a leader of the Firm's Litigation & Dispute Resolution group. Geoff has served as counsel in leading private and public cases in Canada and internationally. These have included leading decisions with national and international dimensions respecting commercial law, public law and human rights.
Brian Crane is a partner in Gowlings' Ottawa office. As senior member of Gowlings' Advocacy Law Group, he practises in constitutional, administrative and Aboriginal law. Brian appears as counsel before the Supreme Court of Canada, the Federal Court and the Ontario Courts. He has worked extensively in the negotiation of native land claims and self-government agreements and related litigation, and in arbitration and mediation. An active member of the Canadian Bar Association, Brian has chaired ...
François Dandonneau is a partner in the firm’s Montréal office. His practice has been centred on Aboriginal law for over fifteen years with a specific focus on matters dealing with mining and natural resources, procurement, taxation and self-governance. Throughout his career, François has acted and played a major role in important litigation matters, notably constitutional cases, before all levels of the courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. François...
Christine Davies is a labour lawyer and civil litigator in Goldblatt Partners' Toronto office. She is known for her tenacious commitment to getting clients the best possible result. A skilled litigator who started her career as a research lawyer, Christine now has one of the broadest practices at the firm. She is equally comfortable before labour arbitrators and administrative tribunals as she is before the civil courts. Christine’s labour practice includes representing unions and their...
Michel Décary has pleaded before the courts of all levels, including up to the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as provincial and federal administrative tribunals, domestic arbitration tribunals and commissions of inquiry, in matters involving civil, corporate, and securities law as well as administrative, constitutional and labour law. Michel is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, of which he was Regent from 2006 to 2010 and was named Montréal Corporate Governanc...
Karl Delwaide has a reputation as a seasoned lawyer in the areas of public law and privacy and information protection law. He is one of the founders of the firm’s national Privacy and Information Protection group. Karl advises private companies and public bodies in these areas and represents them before the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec and other courts or tribunals, including the Federal Court. A large part of Karl’s practice is dev...
For 30 years, Craig Dennis, Q.C. has represented clients in significant litigation matters at the trial and appellate levels. Craig is a partner at Dennis James Aitken LLP. His practice has a business focus with an emphasis on the effective resolution of complex commercial disputes. His litigation expertise includes the defense of class actions, professional liability, shareholder and related corporate disputes, product liability, land-related disputes, as well as administrative and constitut...
Jennifer is a partner at Roper Greyell where she advises employers in all areas of labour, employment, and human rights law. Jennifer provides strategic advice regarding the management of workplace legal issues in both unionized and non-unionized environments. Jennifer’s clients include school boards, post-secondary institutions, municipalities, health authorities, retailers, and other private corporations. Clients can draw from Jennifer’s depth of experience. She has managed case...
Mélissa Devost has extensive experience in environmental law. She provides legal and strategic advice on environmental matters concerning Quebec, federal and municipal legislation. She also advises clients on obtaining environmental permits and authorizations and verifies environmental compliance in their operations. Ms. Devost conducts a number of environmental due diligence reviews in order to assess the environmental risks and compliance in connection with mergers and acquisitions a...
Tim is a partner in Farris’ litigation group in Vancouver. He practices as general counsel and acts in many areas of law, including complex commercial disputes, Aboriginal and regulatory law, and constitutional test cases. Tim is an experienced advocate who regularly appears in lengthy trials and public inquiries and before appellate courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada. Tim’s focus is on achieving results for his clients, whether through litigation or through negotiation...
Danilo Di Vincenzo is a partner-owner in the firm. He started his career in the Legal Services department of the Commission des normes du travail (now CNESST), where he acquired valuable hands-on experience. He counsels and represents employers, particularly, in matters of grievance arbitration and collective bargaining. Mr. Di Vincenzo was trained in the Harvard Negotiation Program focusing on interest-based bargaining and conflict resolution. He is also a legal instructor, lecturer and regu...
Kelly Doctor has the smarts to see all possible solutions, and the heart and practical intuition to reach the best ones for her clients. She’s driven to fight for the rights of people experiencing disadvantage and discrimination in the workplace and elsewhere in their lives. While she loves to litigate, she also works quietly behind the scenes to advise clients on how to handle difficult situations in the workplace and negotiate resolutions to them. A former Supreme Court of Canada law ...
As a member of the administrative law team, Raymond Doray heads the information law practice and, more particularly, is involved in issues pertaining to access to information, privacy and defamation, as well as the application of the Canadian and Quebec charters of rights and freedoms. He is also specialized in constitutional law. Over the past few years, Mr. Doray has represented many public, private and media organizations before the courts in cases involving the confidentiality of document...
Jill Dougherty has over 20 years of experience acting on behalf of both private and public sector clients. She appears regularly as counsel before the trial and appellate courts and administrative tribunals in many aspects of public law. Jill specializes in public law and civil litigation focusing on professional self-regulation and discipline, judicial review of government decision-making, alcohol and gaming, access to information and privacy, municipal and provincial planning approvals and ...
Brian Duong maintains a generalist practice in civil and administrative litigation. His experience involves a broad range of matters including complex contract and shareholder disputes, property issues, franchise litigation, gaming law, constitutional claims, and freedom of information requests. Brian regularly appears as litigation counsel before all levels of court in British Columbia, and has represented clients in chambers applications, trials, appeals, judicial reviews, mediations, arbit...
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