John's corporate commercial practice has covered substantial transactions and projects. He now focuses primarily on ongoing advisory work to business clients ranging from large corporations to family businesses to fiduciaries. A significant portion of John's current work relates to advising on business succession strategies for larger organizations. John has had significant experience in directing major litigation for clients.

John has advised clients operating in a range of industries, including bulk terminal operations, retail operations, mining, forestry, and transportation, and in the private investment and energy sectors, as well as extensive involvement in advising a municipal government. John has also been involved in privatization and P3 projects.

After studying law at the University of Oxford, John taught law for six years before joining Lawson Lundell in 1981. John was the firm's Managing Partner from 2007-2009, a member of the firm's Executive Committee from 2004-2006, and served as Chair of the firm's Conflicts and Ethics Committee from 2000-2006 and 2010-2021.

Languages
English

Bar Admissions
British Columbia (1982)

Education
University of Oxford (B.A. (Jurisprudence) 1974, First Class)
University of Oxford (B.C.L., 1975, First Class)

Significant Accomplishments
* Acting for over 25 years for British Columbia's largest bulk terminal on a range of activities including drafting and negotiating contracts, the aggregate value of which total several billion dollars.
* Advising the City of Vancouver in a highly publicized deal to purchase the Arbutus corridor, a stretch of old rail corridor no longer in use, from Canadian Pacific Railway in order to convert it into a public greenway.
* Representing a local transportation authority in a P3 project for the construction of a rapid transit line at a cost of $1.7 billion.
* Advising an employer and wealth management company on updating its Shareholders Agreement in view of the significantly changed and expanded shareholder group.
* Advising a coal company on the development, financing and acquisition of new mines.
* Acting on the sale of a Canadian company operating hearing aid clinics in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
* Extensive experience with income funds including leading the largest IPO in British Columbia.

Additional Information
Rankings and Recognition
* Best Lawyers in Canada 2006-2027: Corporate Law
* Best Lawyers in Canada 2006-2027: Securities Law
* Best Lawyers in Canada 2006-2027: Mergers & Acquisitions Law
* Chambers Global 2026: Corporate/M&A (Senior Statesperson)
* Chambers Global 2024-2026: Corporate/Commercial - British Columbia (Senior Statesperson)
* Acritas Stars 2019-2021
* Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2021: Corporate Commercial Law (Leading Practitioner)
* Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2020: Corporate Finance & Securities (Leading Practitioner)

Seminars/ Presentation
"The Keys to Being an Effective Pension and Benefit Plan Trustee: Trustee Responsibilities and Trustee Protection", 19th Annual Essential Tasks of Pension and Benefit Plan Trustees Conference, Vancouver, BC (2009 - 2014), Speaker

"Highlights of the New BC Code of Professional Conduct", Association of Corporate Counsel BC Chapter, Vancouver, BC (December 12, 2012), Speaker

"Trends", Corporate Governance 2011, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (November 17, 2011), Speaker

"Mergers and Acquisitions", Advanced Securities Law 2010, Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (January 29, 2010), Speaker

John has written numerous articles, chaired and participated in numerous seminars and conferences and presented papers on a diverse range of topics. These include:

income funds
B.C. securities law reform
governance and fiduciary issues
liabilities of directors of insolvent corporations
socially responsible investing
various trustee issues

Proposed Changes to the Takeover Regime, Canadian Mining Magazine (Winter 2015)

Essential Tasks of Pension and Benefit Plan Trustees (February 25, 2015), Co-author

Proposed changes to Canadian takeover regime would kill -Ëœpoison pills' in hostile acquisition attempts, Business in Vancouver (December 16, 2014), Author

Canadian Securities Administrators Issue Proposed Changes to the Takeover Regime (September 25, 2014)

A Canadian Model of Corporate Governance: Insights from Canada's Leading Legal Practitioners (November 20, 2013)

Have Your Say: Ontario Securities Commission Consults on Introducing a -Å"Comply or Explain- Model to Promote Gender Diversity on Corporate Boards (September 3, 2013)

"Comments Sought on Proposed Amendments to National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects" (June 11, 2010), Co-author

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Transition Disclosure Update (February 25, 2010)

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