Don’s practice focuses on the areas of labour, employment, administrative, and constitutional law. He acts for a broad range of private sector employers with regard to matters arising from their unionized workplaces as well as general employment law matters. In particular, Don has established a substantial practice in the forestry and transportation sectors.
Don is frequently retained to advise on administrative law matters and to conduct trials and appeals before provincial courts. Don has appeared at all levels of the judicial system and has been counsel at the Supreme Court of Canada on several occasions on both labour and administrative law matters.
Don writes on a wide range of workplace law topics. He is a frequent lecturer at seminars held by the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia and at conferences throughout Canada.
Recognition
- Lawyer of the Year, Labour and Employment Law – Vancouver, Best Lawyers in Canada, 2010
- Recognized Lawyer, Labour and Employment Law, Best Lawyers in Canada, 2006 – present
- Recommended, Employment Law – Employer, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2015
- Recommended, Labour Relations – Management, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2015 – present
- Recommended, Workplace Human Rights – Employer, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2015
- AV Preeminent, Peer Rated for Highest Level of Professional Excellence, Martindale-Hubbell
- Recommended, Who’s Who Legal: Global, Labour, Employment & Benefits, 2023
- Recommended, Who’s Who Legal: Canada, Labour, Employment & Benefits, 2016 – present
- Ranked, Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leader: Labour and Employment, 2022 – present
Publications
- “Deference to Administrative Tribunal Interpretation of their Home Statute: An Obvious Observation”, (2017) 30 Canadian Journal of Administrative Law & Practice 389
- Employment and Labour Law Reporter, (Editorial Board), Federated Press Publication
Professional & Community Involvement
- Member, Employment Standards Act Reform Project Committee, British Columbia Law Institute, 2014 – present
- Former Adjunct Professor, Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia
Practice Areas
Year of Call
- King’s Counsel, 1988
- British Columbia, 1980
- Manitoba, 1975
Education
- LLM, University of British Columbia, 1978
- LLB, University of Manitoba, 1975
- BA (Hons), University of Manitoba, 1972