- Bio
- Awards & Recognition
- Selected Speaking Engagements
- Selected Publications
- Insights
- Education
John’s passion for local government and his
analytical approach to solving complex legal problems make him a valued team
member and trusted advisor. Leveraging his past experience working in municipal
government, John draws on his knowledge of the unique challenges faced by
the municipal sector to provide thoughtful and practical advice to clients.
John is an Associate in the firm’s Municipal
& Land Use Planning Group. He practices in all areas of local government
and municipal law, as well as development law. John appears regularly before
municipal councils, committees and boards, various administrative tribunals and
agencies, and the Ontario Courts. He provides counsel and representation to
municipalities across Ontario on various matters, including municipal powers
and jurisdictional issues, ethics and governance, building regulation, by-law
drafting and enforcement, and complex commercial/contractual issues. John also
has significant experience in municipal elections law, including advising
municipal clerks and administrators on the operation of the Municipal
Elections Act, 1996, acting as independent legal counsel to several
municipal compliance audit committees and assisting with prosecutions of election
campaign finance offences.
As a member of the firm’s Municipal
Accountability Group, John acts on integrity commissioner matters and closed
meeting investigations.
Outside of the office, John is an avid fly
fisher and is a member of Trout Unlimited Canada.
Awards & Recognition
- Queen’s Law – Dean’s Honours List
- Queen’s Law Course Prize – Administrative Tribunal Advocacy
- Queen’s Law Course Prize – Environmental Protection Law
Selected Speaking Engagements
Speaker, "A Look into Recent Case Law," Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 2023 Ontario West Municipal Clerks and Treasurers Forum (June 28, 2023).
Co-speaker, "A Look into Recent Case Law," Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Seminar, Northern CAO/Clerks' Forum (March 2, 2023).
Speaker, "After Voting Day: Case Law Update on Recounts, Contested Elections, Automatic Penalties and the Compliance Audit Process," Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario, Zone 5 Fall Meeting (November 8, 2022).
Speaker, "Case Law Update Spring 2022," Municipal Integrity Commissioners of Ontario, Spring 2022 Conference (May 27, 2022).
Speaker, "2022 Municipal Election Legal Updates," Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario, Zone 5 Spring Meeting (May 13, 2022).
Speaker, "Municipal Conflict of Interest Act Contraventions & Integrity Commissioner Decisions NOT to Apply to Court," Municipal Integrity Commissioners of Ontario, Fall 2021 Conference (November 4, 2021).
Selected Publications
"Walking in a Winter Wonderland of Risk: The Impact of Nelson (City) v. Marchi on Municipal Liability and Policy Versus Operational Decisions," co-Authored with Ajay Gajaria, The Digest of Municipal & Planning Law, February 2022.
“With Great Power Comes Reasonable Responsibility – Emergency Powers of the Chief Building Official” co-Authored with Christopher J. Williams, Ontario Building Officials Association Journal, Legal Corner, June 2021.
“A Rock and a Hard Place: Integrity Commissioner Decisions to Make an Application under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act” Digest of Municipal and Planning Law, June 2021.
Canada v. Vavilov: The Impact on Statutory Appeals (Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4), co-Authored with Christopher J. Williams, 9 Digest of Municipal & Planning Law (2d), (March - June 2020).
“What’s My Limitation Period Again? Update on the Suspension of Limitation and Time Periods During the COVID-19 Crisis,” co-Authored with Dillon Collett, Aird & Berlis LLP Publication, June 8, 2020.
“The Division of Powers in Site Plan Control,” co-Authored with Leo Longo and Meaghan Barrett, OBOA Journal, Issue No. 119, September 2018.
Insights
Education
- JD, Queen’s University, 2019
- BA (Honours), Brock University, 2016