Rough seas, safe passage.
Rob is an experienced advocate whose practice is focused on corporate commercial litigation and administrative law, with a special interest in energy and regulated industries, particularly the oil and gas industry. A fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, he has been practicing for 30 years—and knows from experience how to practically navigate clients’ challenges into opportunities.
Representative matters
Rob helps clients understand the legal matters that concern them and maps out the most effective and efficient plan or approach. He has acted as counsel in a wide variety of litigation before the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, private arbitration tribunals and the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (UARB). His practice has included:
- Litigation of major commercial disputes.
- Injunctions.
- Administrative tribunal work and appearances before the UARB on land use planning and development matters, expropriations, water, gas and and electrical utility rate hearings and hearings respecting municipal amalgamations and annexation.
- Applications for judicial review or statutory appeals from tribunal decisions.
- Advice and representation in connection with applications for approvals of projects including the Sable Offshore Energy project and EnCana Corporation in connection with Deep Panuke.
- Acting as project manager for the Nova Scotia Department of the Environment to draft omnibus environmental legislation reflected in the Environmental Act S.N.S. 1994-5, c.1.
- Acting for clients as an advocate on environmental assessments including mining, off-shore drilling, environmental clean-up and energy projects.
- Advice and representation concerning regulation of automobile insurance including appearances before the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick regulators and appeals.
BAR ADMISSION(S)
Nova Scotia, 1981
LAW SOCIETY(IES)
Nova Scotia Barristers' Society
EDUCATION
Dalhousie University, LL.B., 1980
Oxford University, B.A. (jurisprudence), 1979
Rhodes Scholar, Maritimes Region, 1977
Harvard College, A.B. (magna cum laude), 1977
QUEEN'S COUNSEL
1998
ACTIVITIES
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
- Member, Partnership Board, Stewart McKelvey
- Director, Urban Development Institute, 2011
- Chairman, Halifax Grammar School, 2009-2012
- Nova Scotia Round Table on Environmental and Sustainable Prosperity, 2011
- Director, Halifax City Soccer Club, 1996-2009; chair, 2005-2009
- Life member, Halifax City Soccer Club
- Trustee, IWK Health Centre Foundation, 1992-98
- Honourary trustee, IWK Health Centre Foundation, 1998
- Secretary, Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee, Canadian Rhodes Scholars Foundation, Maritimes Region, 1989-2003
- Trustee, Canadian Rhodes Scholars Foundation, 1989-2002
LANGUAGE(S)
English
LEXPERT RATINGS
Directors and Officers Liability
Energy - Electricity Regulatory
Energy and Natural Resources
Environmental
Litigation - Commercial Insurance
Litigation - Corporate Commercial
MARTINDALE-HUBBELL RATINGS
BV
EXTERNAL RATINGS
- Best Lawyers' 2012 Halifax Energy Regulatory Law Lawyer of the Year
- Best Lawyers: Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2006, 2008-2012
- Best Lawyers: Corporate and Commercial Litigation, 2006- 2008-2012
- Best Lawyers: Energy Regulatory Law, 2006, 2008-2012
- Best Lawyers: Environmental Law, 2006, 2008-2012
- Best Lawyers: Natural Resources Law, 2006, 2008-2012
- 2008, 2009 and 2012, Member, Lexpert/American Lawyer Media's Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers
- Benchmark Canada, local litigation star (Commercial Litigation)