Experience

Background

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Trade and Investment

• Acted as counsel in a number of international investment arbitrations and annulment proceedings, including:

  • Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission v United States (Keystone XL Pipeline)(CUSMA, ICSID Tribunal)

  • Westmoreland Coal Company v Canada (Coal Phase-Out)(NAFTA, UNCITRAL Tribunal)

  • Westmoreland Mining Holdings v Canada (Coal Phase-Out)(NAFTA, UNCITRAL Tribunal)

  • Mesa Power Group LLC v Canada (Renewable/Wind) (NAFTA, UNCITRAL Tribunal)

  • St Marys VCNA v Canada (NAFTA, UNCITRAL Tribunal)

  • Clayton, Bilcon of Delaware et al v Canada (NAFTA, UNCITRAL Tribunal)

  • Continental Casualty Company v Argentina (ICSID Annulment)

  • Quadrant Pacific Growth Fund LP and Canasco Holdings Inc v. Republic of Costa Rica (Canada-Costa Rica BIT, ICSID Additional Facility Tribunal)

• Acted as counsel in at least the following trade and competition law disputes:

  • TELUS Communications v Alberta (NWPTA, Procurement Bid Protest Mechanism)

  • Alberta v Ontario - Liquor Practices (CFTA)

  • Commissioner of Competition v Rogers Communications (Competition Tribunal of Canada)

  • Lum v Alberta (NWPTA)

• Acted in various international and domestic arbitrations

• Conducted investor-state proceedings under various multilateral trade treaties (such as the NAFTA/CUSMA and AANZFTA) and bilateral investment treaties (BITs)

• Experience includes acting in arbitrations administered under a full range of institutional rules, including the UNCITRAL, ICDR/AAA and ICSID arbitration rules and guided by the IBA Rules for Taking Evidence in International Commercial Arbitration

• Representative claims include contractual and treaty disputes involving securities, mining, oil and gas (often with environmental issues), share purchase agreements, feed-in tariff (FIT) renewable energy (wind) programs

• Diverse background having acted as counsel in trials and appeals in all levels of court, both in Australia and in Canada, including the Court of Appeal of Ontario, the Federal Court of Australia and the State appellate and trial courts and various tribunals

 

Knowledge

• Solid understanding of the application of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, the New York Convention and the ICSID Convention

• Full appreciation of the UNCITRAL Model Law, the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules and the International Arbitration Act (Australia), International Commercial Arbitration Act (Canada), Federal Arbitration Act (United States), the enforcement of awards and requests for judicial assistance throughout UNCITRAL Model Law jurisdictions

 

Commercial

• Litigation practice encompasses large-scale litigation, which focused on complex corporate/commercial matters; claims under the Trade Practices Act (Cth) and the Corporations Act (Cth); claims against lawyers, accountants, brokers, financial advisors and directors

• Commercial litigation experience includes bankruptcy matters, asset purchases, securities and finance, (real and intellectual) property and product liability

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Career History

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2023-Current          Principal Legal Officer, Investor-State Dispute Settlement Practice                                         Group, Office of International Law (OIL), Attorney-General's                                                   Department, Commonwealth of Australia

2017-2023              Trade Counsel, Justice and Solicitor General, Government of Alberta,                                   Canada

2009-2014              International Lawyer, Appleton International Lawyers, Canada

2008-2009              Law Associate, law firm of Clyde & Co International (formerly Nicholl                                     Paskell-Mede LLP), Canada

2003-2006              Law Associate, law firm of Solomon Brothers, Australia

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Qualifications

 

Professional

2017                       Barrister & Solicitor, Alberta, Canada

2012                       Fellow and Instructor, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb.)

2007                       Barrister & Solicitor, Ontario, Canada

2004                       Barrister & Solicitor, Western Australia

 

Education

LL.M, University of Melbourne

LL.B, University of Notre Dame

BSc., University of Western Australia