Trusted advisor.
The largest issues Bruce’s clients face are not legal issues, but business issues on which legal issues impinge. Bruce’s role is to understand how the legal options can assist, not detract, from the business options in order to solve issues in a way his clients can appreciate. With a winning combination of independent thought and knowledge of his clients’ individual industries, Bruce is highly regarded in this role.
Representative matters
Bruce works with his clients on a broad range of issues. Recent examples include the sale of a large industrial facility, major commercial arbitration relating to the purchase of a business and the establishment of a Canadian subsidiary for an international construction company. His clients include:
- Oil refineries
- Construction companies
- Mining companies
- Lenders
- Small and medium size businesses, of all types
“Bruce led us through the minefield of commercial arbitration against a formidable opponent to resolve a significant business acquisition issue that had been outstanding for more than three years. His legal advice was impeccable, and his guidance throughout was reassuring.
Equally important for us was that his communication with us at all times was first class – due to Bruce’s efforts, we always felt completely informed, options during the process were fully laid out and framed for us, and the decisions taken were ultimately owned by us.
We felt we were managing the process rather than it managing us. It has been one of my best experiences of how the relationship should work when dealing with a challenging and stressful legal matter.” – Bruce Keating, President, Steers Group Limited
Areas of practice
- Corporate/Commercial
- Financial Services
- Energy and Natural Resources
- Construction Law
- Privacy
- Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency
- Project Finance
- Property Leasing
- Property and Real Estate Development
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Owner – Managed Business
BAR ADMISSION(S)
Newfoundland and Labrador, 1980
LAW SOCIETY(IES)
Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador
EDUCATION
Queen’s University, LL.B., 1980
Memorial University of Newfoundland, B.A., 1977
QUEEN'S COUNSEL
2005
ACTIVITIES
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Practice manager, Corporate/Commercial Law, Stewart McKelvey St. John’s, 1998-2008
- Management Committee, Stewart McKelvey St. John’s, 1999-2007
- Director, Wreckhouse International Jazz & Blues Festival 2008-present
- Rector’s Warden, St. Mary’s Anglican Church, St. John’s, 2008-present
- Former chair, National Board of Directors, Scouts Canada
LANGUAGE(S)
English
LEXPERT RATINGS
Banking (Including Financial Institutions Regulatory Law)
Corporate / Commercial
MARTINDALE-HUBBELL RATINGS
BV
EXTERNAL RATINGS
Best Lawyers 2008-2011 (Insolvency and Financial Restructuring)
Best Lawyers 2006, 2008-2011 (Banking Law, Construction Law, Corporate Law)