Bio
Stuart prioritizes communication, preparation, and professionalism. He makes every effort to ensure his clients’ interests are protected by providing responsive and result-oriented representation.
Stuart’s practice focuses on administrative law, particularly environmental and regulatory law, health law, and occupational health and safety law. He has substantial knowledge in the environmental field and previously chaired the Canadian Bar Association’s National Environmental, Energy and Resources Law Section. Stuart is particularly known for his environmental prosecution defence work. His broad experience includes advising clients in relation to reporting obligations, responding to provincial and federal investigations and prosecutions, and advising clients in relation to internal and regulatory investigations. Stuart also appears before, and advises, regulatory tribunals in the environmental and health fields, and is experienced with health issues including health information, policy, and contractual issues. In his occupational health and safety practice, Stuart has extensive experience advising oilsands and other industrial operators in relation to environmental and health and safety law issues.
Additionally, Stuart has a broad background in commercial litigation, including a particular focus on class action defence. He has acted in class actions in Alberta and in British Columbia, with experience as both defendant and plaintiff counsel. Significant class action matters in which Stuart has participated include acting as counsel to an agricultural producer sued in relation to a product safety recall, acting as a key member of the defence counsel team in a class action suit against a major Canadian payday loan provider, and playing a primary role on the defence counsel team responding to an $11 million dollar class action lawsuit filed in relation to a missing laptop containing the personal and health information of approximately 620,000 Albertans.
Clients in the Northwest Territories can also benefit from Stuart’s extensive legal knowledge. He regularly advises clients in the north on organizational matters such as bylaws.
Stuart enjoys practicing in areas that are on the cutting edge and mirror what is going on in society. He appreciates being at the forefront of development and because the laws are frequently evolving in his areas of practice, he keeps abreast of changes in the law and maintains the requisite knowledge and skills to effectively represent his clients.
Stuart remains engaged in both professional associations and the community. He was formerly the Chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s National Environmental, Energy and Resources Law Section, and a former Director of the Environmental Services Association of Alberta, with whom he still works and presents. He volunteers on the Governance Committee of the Alberta Emerald Foundation, on the Alberta Chamber of Resources event planning committee and was formerly a Director of the Edmonton Humane Society.